Callie Wilcox, 3rd-year Animal Science major — specialization in genetics 

Email address: cvwilcox@ucdavis.edu 

Callie’s publication: Previously Identified Genetic Variants in ADGRL3 Are not Associated with Risk for Equine Degenerative Myeloencephalopathy across Breeds

Faculty mentor: Dr. Carrie J. Finno 

As an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Carrie Finno’s Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Callie collaborates on research related to genetic diseases in horses, particularly Equine Neuroaxonal Dystrophy/Equine Degenerative Myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM). This disease makes it difficult for horses to walk normally. Her published research focuses on four proposed genetic causes for the disease and has ruled out specific locations in the genome that are not associated with greater risk.

Callie enjoys conducting research and feels honored to have been able to collaborate on this publication with her lab’s graduate students, Dr. Finno, and her fellow first-author, Sabin Marquardt. Her advice to other students who hope to publish: “Do not be afraid of collaboration! I definitely could not have done this without the help and hard work of everyone involved, and I learned so much from them. The idea of publishing a paper can be really scary, but from my experience, people want to see you succeed and are happy to help!”

As an incoming fourth-year animal science major with a specialization in genetics, Callie is looking forward to finishing her final year strong, conducting more research in the Finno Lab, and attending veterinary school. She hopes to become a small/companion animal veterinarian, although she still thinks horses are awesome. 

What is your major/minor and year? 

Animal Science with a specialization in Genetics, 3rd Year

Tell me about your research, using terms that a non-scientist would understand.

I am an undergraduate research volunteer in Dr. Finno's Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Research in the Finno Lab focuses on genetic diseases in horses, one of these diseases being Equine Neuroaxonal Dystrophy/Equine Degenerative Myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM). This is a long name for a neurological disease that basically causes horses to not walk normally. The exact genetic cause of this disease has not yet been discovered, but there has been a lot of research done to try to figure it out. My project focused on four proposed genetic causes for the disease. We sequenced the DNA of many horses, some that had the disease and others that did not, around the locations of the genetic changes that were thought to cause the disease. We found that with our sample of horses, we could rule out these specific locations in the genome as being associated with the risk for eNAD/EDM.

Tell me about your future plans.

My future plans are to finish strong during my fourth year here at Davis, continue doing research in the Finno Lab, and then go to veterinary school. This might be a surprise to some (considering this research) but I hope to be a small/companion animal veterinarian, although horses are awesome!

What was it like to publish?

I never would have thought that I would find doing research so engaging, let alone publish a paper about horse genetics! I was honored to be presented with the perfect opportunity to put the scientific method to work. It was a great experience being able to work alongside my fellow first-author, Sabin Marquardt, as well as the graduate students and Dr. Finno.

What advice do you have for other students who want to publish their work?

My advice to other students who want to publish their work is to seek out those opportunities and do not be afraid of collaboration! I definitely could not have done it without the help and hard work of everyone involved and I also learned so much from them. The idea of publishing a paper can be really scary, but from my experience, people want to see you succeed and are happy to help!