Mizeck Chagunda
Director of the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), and Chair of Tropical Livestock Genetics
Contact details
Address
- Street
-
The Roslin Institute
- City
- Easter Bush Campus
- Post code
- EH25 9RG
Background
Mizeck Chagunda, is a full professor (holding a chair) in Tropical Livestock Genetics at the University of Edinburgh, and Director of the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health based at the Roslin Institute, Easter Bush Campus, The University of Edinburgh.
Prior, Professor Chagunda was Chair of Animal Breeding and Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics at the University of Hohenheim, Germany. During part of that time, he was Director of Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute). The Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute has 10 departments each headed by a professor with focus on tropical agricultural research and higher education. The Institute has more than 100 scientists working in associated fields and hence the Institute represents the most comprehensive capacity in tropical agricultural fields among the German universities and research institutions. The unique feature of Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute is the fact that all essential fields of tropical agricultural issues i.e. agro-ecology, crop and animal sciences, agricultural economics and social sciences as well as agricultural engineering, are united in one place.
Professor Chagunda is an animal breeding and quantitative genetics expert who has pioneered research on developing innovative techniques for quantifying, measuring, and defining phenotypes for difficult-to-measure traits related to disease resistance, adaptation, resilience and enteric methane emissions , and explored the role of these phenotypes in genetic improvement of livestock. He also has experience in areas such as mathematical modelling for predicting individual animal health, and reproduction status, and genomics in livestock improvement.
His research and academic work has been set in a wide range of production systems and contexts ranging from LMIC smallholder systems through to the intensive systems of the developed world. His other research and faculty experience comes from the University of Malawi (Bunda College, now LUANAR), University of Goettingen (Germany), Aarhus University (Denmark), and SRUC (Scotland's Rural College). He is a founding member of the African Animal Breeders Network (AABNet).
Out with animal science and agriculture, Mizeck has also been involved in the area of "Human Health & Development" through his work in the founding Steering Committee of German Alliance for Global Health Research (GLOHRA), and as a PI for OneHealth4Development (a German-Africa collaboration (2021 -2024)).
Mizeck Chagunda's honours include, Adjunct Professor at Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (2018 -2020), and Honorary Professor at the University of Hohenheim (2024-).
Publications can be accessed on: Mizeck G.G. Chagunda - Google Scholar or Chagunda, Mizeck Gift Gibson - Author details - Scopus Preview
Qualifications
Dipl. Agric, BSc, MSc, Dr.sc.agr.
Research summary
Mizeck’s research is aimed to contribute to developing resilient and efficient livestock systems and involves integration of information, data and methodologies from across disciplines, with the recognition that biological problems are rarely solved in isolation of the system as a whole.
Project activity
CTLGH forges to catalyse research-driven genetic gains for positive impact on the livelihoods of tropical livestock producers by providing purpose-bred animals that are more productive, healthy, feed efficient and resilient to climatic and environmental challenges.
Current project grants
Development of genetic improvement tools to support tropical dairy and poultry small holder livestock systems (CTLGH 2.0)
Chagunda, M., Djikeng, A., Bronsvoort, M., Burdon, T., Connelley, T., Hassan, M., McGrew, M., Morrison, L., Prendergast, J., Salavati, M., Smith, J., Vervelde, L. & Watson, K.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
26/08/22 → 31/08/27
Project: Research