Dr Melissa Marr on generating genome assemblies for livestock breeds and endangered species

Please tell us about your research project, research interests and how your work involves genomics or makes use of genomic technologies 

I utilise genomics for sustainability in livestock production, breeding and for conservation management. I’m very fortunate to work across several projects and on a wide variety of breeds and species. These focus on phenotypically interesting livestock breeds and endangered species of wildlife.  Presently, I’m generating new genome assemblies for an indigenous east-African sheep, the Red Maasai, and for the Easycare - a sustainable breed that seasonally sheds its fleece. I’m also working with partners in Kenya to generate a long-read genome for a wild African Grey parrot – data which will be used to protect the species from the illegal pet trade. A long-term subject of my research is genomic management of the red squirrel in Scotland. This year we published the first whole genome re-sequencing study of these populations, which showed that they have some of the lowest genetic diversity for any mammal population. 

Please summarise your previous work and career so far.

I’ve probably had an a-typical career path. I went to university as a mature student at the age of 23 to do an undergraduate degree in general Zoology before an MRes in Biosystematics at the Natural History Museum, London (NHM) and Imperial College, London. My doctorate was in paleogenomics (ancient DNA) and geometric morphometrics of Lateglacial British mammals, also based at the NHM and partnered with Royal Holloway University of London. Postgraduate education is expensive and can be difficult to fund, so I relied on scholarships and took breaks between degrees to work. I spent time as field researcher in the Flow Country and peatland research, and also at the Zoological Society of London where I first began working on red squirrel genetics. After my doctorate, I had to take a three-year career break to be a full-time carer to my mother. I then joined the University of Edinburgh, where I began to develop my skills in genomic analysis, genome assembly and annotation. 

What inspired you to follow your career path?

I inherited my interest in nature from my mother and I can’t remember a time where I wasn’t fascinated with science. As a child I grew up next door to the University of Aberdeen zoology museum, and I would visit as often as I could. This gave me an early interest in evolution and the diversity of life on Earth. I thought I would probably become a field-based scientist but genetics piqued my interest early in my first degree. It offered a means of understanding form, function and evolutionary relationships across taxa. This early interest matured into a specific focus on population and functional genomics.  The speed of change has been immense; as a student I would use a dozen genetic markers in my analyses and now we have pangenomes! 

If you could have tea with anyone (alive or dead), who would it be? What would you talk about?

I’d like to spend an afternoon at the Natural History Museum, London with my late mother and the late Isabella Gordon OBE. We’re all women from the north-east of Scotland, from low-income backgrounds, and with a passion for nature.  Isabella was a marine biologist, specialising in carcinology. She broke down many barriers for women in zoology which, at the time, was a very male-dominated field with issues around class (and may other types) of discrimination. Against the odds, she became the first female permanent employee at the NHM and went on to have an incredibly distinguished career. By the time of her death in 1988, she was known as ‘The Grand Old Lady of Carcinology’. I’d love to thank her for paving the way for the women that followed in her footsteps. 

What is the most unusual thing you have done during your career?

This is a tough one, because there are so many, but probably doing a post-mortem on a red squirrel. 

Do you have any advice for people wanting to pursue a research career? What do you like best about your job? What do you like the least?

To thrive in research, I would definitely advise to go into a subject area that you really care about. Also, don’t feel afraid to speak up and ask questions. 

The best thing about my job is the research itself, I still get excited by results and new ideas for studies. I’ve also been able to travel to amazing places and meet incredible people. 

Research is still based on a linear career path and has little flexibility. This can make it hard for people who can’t, or don’t want to, fit into this framework. I would like to see this change. 

How do you spend your time outside of research? Is there anything else you would like to tell us about? 

When I’m not working, I’m usually spending time with horses. Nothing beats getting out into the countryside on horseback. I also volunteer at an independent music venue in the Scottish Borders. 

Links

The Roslin Institute

Melissa Marr LinkedIn page (external link)

Melissa Marr Bluesky profile (external link)