Dr Caitlin Harris

I completed my PhD studies at the University of Otago in collaboration with Barenbrug NZ, focusing on understanding the genetics of ryegrass fertility. During this time, I developed a range of skills in both wet and dry lab techniques, including marker assay development and high throughput sequencing analysis. I then joined the DNA Repair and Recombination laboratory at SVI as a postdoctoral researcher with a focus in bioinformatics.

Accurate DNA repair is crucial for the maintenance of genome stability. The Fanconi Anaemia (FA) pathway is one such DNA repair mechanism that impacts germ cell development. Mutations in this pathway lead to Fanconi Anaemia, a disorder characterised by genomic instability. My research focuses on utilising genomic and bioinformatics techniques to explore the role of the FA DNA repair pathway in meiosis and infertility, using a hyper-recombinogenic FA mouse model. Through leveraging methods such as whole genome sequencing, single cell ATAC-sequencing, and long read sequencing, my work aims to uncover the mechanisms underlying genomic instability, structural variants, quantitative trait loci (QTLs), and meiotic crossovers.

Of particular interest is how structural variants contribute to genomic instability, and if they relate to the increased frequency of crossovers in the hyper-recombinogenic, FA mouse model. This analysis aimsto elucidate the complex processes that ensure accurate chromosome segregation and genetic diversity. Additionally, through mapping variants associated with specific traits using QTL analysis, we seek to improve the understanding of fundamental genetic processes with potential implications for improving fertility treatments and addressing genetic disorders related to DNA repair deficiencies.

Key Achievements