Suspected autosomal recessive primary ciliary dyskinesia in a colony of Labrador Retriever guide dogs – presented by Katy Evans

Abstract coming soon.

Dr. Katy Evans qualified as a veterinarian from the University of Bristol in 2001.  After 6 years of clinical work, she undertook a Postgraduate Studentship in Small Animal Epidemiology at the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, and gained an MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health from the Royal Veterinary College, London. 

Katy then took up a PhD Studentship in quantitative genetics at the University of Nottingham.  This entailed working with Guide Dogs’ health and behavioral data to investigate the potential for estimated breeding values (EBVs) for traits of interest.  She gained her PhD in January 2015 and then worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham developing Guide Dogs’ EBVs and assisting with their implementation.  Two years at the Kennel Club in London as Health Research Manager followed, with her key focus there being getting the ‘Breed Health and Conservation Plans’ project off the ground. 

Since January 2019, Katy has been the Jane H. Booker Chair in Canine Genetics at The Seeing Eye, Inc, in Morristown, New Jersey.  The Seeing Eye is the world’s oldest guide dog school, founded in 1929, and breeds and trains German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and crosses between the retriever breeds.