HoloRuminant’s People: Leluo Guan!

Hi! I’m Leluo Guan, I am Professor in Functional Genomics and Microbiology. My research program focuses on the host-microbial interactions in cattle using functional genomics. My lab has been the first to link the microbiome with variation in feed intake, feed efficiency and rumen development. Since 2008, I have biobanked > 3000 rumen fluid samples from beef cattle with measured feed efficiency traits and with genotypes. I am Professor and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton Canada.  I am one of the pioneer researchers in cattle gut microbiome. My research program focuses on 1). Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of host-microbial interactions by characterization of bovine gut microbial ecology and its functions using metagenomics/metatranscriptomics approaches, and host gene expression using a functional genomics approach 2). Association between gut microbial ecology and feed efficiency, methane emission and gut immunity development in beef and dairy cattle 3). Study of the bovine transcriptome, proteome, and non-coding microRNAs and their roles in economically important traits. I am author or co-author of 242 peer-reviewed publications and 8 book chapters with H-index of 60.0. I have secured > 33.9 M research funding (>10.5 as PI and >23.4 M as Co-I) and have trained a total of 38 grad students and 21 postdocs. For my contribution, I was awarded with multiple prestigious awards including Technical Innovation in Enhancing Production of Safe Affordable Food Award from the Canadian Society of Animal Science in 2013; the Killam Professorship in 2017; the ADSA Zoetis Physiology Award and the Canadian Society of Animal Science Fellowship in 2021.