Dr Imtiaz Randhawa
Lecturer
School of Veterinary Science
Researcher biography
Dr. Imtiaz graduated in Animal Husbandry (2003) and then obtained MSc.(Hons) in Animal Breeding and Genetics (2005) from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad Pakistan. Later, in his PhD in Animal Genomics (2015) from The University of Sydney, he has developed bioinformatics tools – Meta Selection Scores (MSS) and Composite Selection Signals (CSS) – to investigate the core traits influenced by the historical selection events in worldwide cattle breeds and presented novel insights about the hot-spots of positive selection in the bovine genome. Dr. Imtiaz has been working since 2005 at various teaching and research positions at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore, University of Sydney, James Cook University and The University of Queensland. He is a motivated geneticist, conducting research in the fields of Molecular Genetics, Genomics and Breeding to understand and analyse the phenotypic and genomic data of various species (buffalo, cattle, chicken, dog, dingo, goat, horse, sheep) using high-performance computational and big-data analyses facilities and programming languages (R, Plink, Python); and to characterise the genetic architecture (gene variation, expression and regulatory networks) related to various complex traits of agricultural, clinical, environmental and economic importance for adaptation, appearance, production and welfare.
Journal Articles
Ward, James A., Ng'ang'a, Said I., Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S., McHugo, Gillian P., O'Grady, John F., Flórez, Julio M., Browne, John A., Pérez O’Brien, Ana M., Landaeta-Hernández, Antonio J., Garcia, Jóse F., Sonstegard, Tad S., Frantz, Laurent A. F., Salter-Townshend, Michael and MacHugh, David E. (2024). Genomic insights into the population history and adaptive traits of Latin American Criollo cattle. Royal Society Open Science, 11 (3) 231388. doi: 10.1098/rsos.231388
Clark, Brianna L., Norton, Elaine M., Bamford, Nicholas J., Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S., Kemp, Kate L., McCue, Molly E., Bertin, François‐René and Stewart, Allison J. (2024). Epidemiological investigation of insulin dysregulation in Shetland and Welsh ponies in Australia. Equine Veterinary Journal, 56 (2), 281-290. doi: 10.1111/evj.14044
Han, Haige, Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S., MacHugh, David E., McGivney, Beatrice A., Katz, Lisa M., Dugarjaviin, Manglai and Hill, Emmeline W. (2023). Selection signatures for local and regional adaptation in Chinese Mongolian horse breeds reveal candidate genes for hoof health. BMC Genomics, 24 (1) 35, 1-11. doi: 10.1186/s12864-023-09116-8
Irons, P. C., McGowan, M., Assis, P. M., Randhawa, I., Awawdeh, L., Mugwabana, J., Barnes, T. S., Boe‐Hansen, G., McCosker, K. and Fordyce, G. (2022). Prevalence of Tritrichomonas foetus in beef bulls slaughtered at two abattoirs in northern Australia. Australian Veterinary Journal, 100 (5), 201-204. doi: 10.1111/avj.13149
Lamb, Harrison J., Hayes, Ben J., Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S., Nguyen, Loan T. and Ross, Elizabeth M. (2021). Genomic prediction using low-coverage portable Nanopore sequencing. PLoS One, 16 (12) e0261274, e0261274. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261274
Hayes, Ben J., Nguyen, Loan T., Forutan, Mehrnush, Engle, Bailey N., Lamb, Harrison J., Copley, James P., Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S. and Ross, Elizabeth M. (2021). An Epigenetic Aging Clock for Cattle Using Portable Sequencing Technology. Frontiers in Genetics, 12 760450, 760450. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2021.760450
Bang, Nguyen N., Hayes, Ben J., Lyons, Russell E., Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S., Gaughan, John B. and McNeill, David M. (2021). Genomic diversity and breed composition of Vietnamese smallholder dairy cows. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics, 139 (2), 1-16. doi: 10.1111/jbg.12651
Ullah, Smi, Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S. and Trethowan, Richard (2021). Genome-wide association study of multiple traits linked to heat tolerance in emmer-derived hexaploid wheat genotypes. Molecular Breeding, 41 (4) 29, 1-14. doi: 10.1007/s11032-021-01222-3
Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S., McGowan, Michael R., Porto-Neto, Laercio R., Hayes, Ben J. and Lyons, Russell E. (2021). Comparison of genetic merit for weight and meat traits between the polled and horned cattle in multiple beef breeds. Animals, 11 (3) 870, 1-21. doi: 10.3390/ani11030870
Mueller, Maci L., Cole, John B., Connors, Natalie K., Johnston, David J., Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S. and Van Eenennaam, Alison L. (2021). Comparison of gene editing versus conventional breeding to introgress the POLLED allele into the tropically adapted Australian beef cattle population. Frontiers in Genetics, 12 593154, 1-23. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2021.593154
Han, Haige, McGivney, Beatrice A., Farries, Gabriella, Katz, Lisa M., MacHugh, David E., Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S. and Hill, Emmeline W. (2020). Selection in Australian Thoroughbred horses acts on a locus associated with early two-year old speed. PloS One, 15 (2) e0227212, e0227212. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227212
Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S., Burns, Brian M., McGowan, Michael R., Porto-Neto, Laercio R., Hayes, Ben J., Ferretti, Ryan, Schutt, Karen M. and Lyons, Russell E. (2019). Optimized genetic testing for polledness in multiple breeds of cattle. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, 10 (2), g3.400866.2019-544. doi: 10.1534/g3.119.400866
McHugo, Gillian P., Browett, Sam, Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S., Howard, Dawn J., Mullen, Michael P., Richardson, Ian W., Park, Stephen D. E., Magee, David A., Scraggs, Erik, Dover, Michael J., Correia, Carolina N., Hanrahan, James P. and MacHugh, David E. (2019). A population genomics analysis of the native Irish Galway sheep breed. Frontiers in Genetics, 10 927. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00927
Browett, Sam, McHugo, Gillian, Richardson, Ian W., Magee, David A., Park, Stephen D. E., Fahey, Alan G., Kearney, John F., Correia, Carolina N., Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S. and MacHugh, David E. (2018). Genomic characterisation of the indigenous Irish Kerry cattle breed. Frontiers in Genetics, 9 (FEB) 51. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00051
Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S., Khatkar, Mehar S., Thomson, Peter C. and Raadsma, Herman W. (2016). A meta-assembly of selection signatures in cattle. PLOS ONE, 11 (4) e0153013, e0153013. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153013
Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S., Khatkar, Mehar S., Thomson, Peter C. and Raadsma, Herman W. (2015). Composite selection signals for complex traits exemplified through bovine stature using multibreed cohorts of European and African Bos taurus. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, 5 (7), 1391-1401. doi: 10.1534/g3.115.017772
Khatkar, M. S., Randhawa, I. A. S. and Raadsma, H. W. (2014). Meta-assembly of genomic regions and variants associated with female reproductive efficiency in cattle. Livestock Science, 166 (1), 144-157. doi: 10.1016/j.livsci.2014.05.015
Randhawa, Imtiaz Ahmed, Khatkar, Mehar, Thomson, Peter and Raadsma, Herman (2014). Composite selection signals can localize the trait specific genomic regions in multi-breed populations of cattle and sheep. BMC Genetics, 15 (1) 34, 34. doi: 10.1186/1471-2156-15-34
Babar, M. E., Farid, A., Benkel, B. F., Ahmad, J., Sajid, I. A., Imran, M., Hussain, T. and Nadeem, A. (2008). Genetic variability at seven codons of the prion protein gene in nine Pakistani sheep breeds. Journal of Genetics, 87 (2), 187-190. doi: 10.1007/s12041-008-0029-z
Sajid, I. A., Babar, M. E. and Javed, K. (2007). Genetic diversity of Nili-Ravi from Nili and Ravi buffalo breeds of Pakistan. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 6 (SUPPL. 2), 314-317. doi: 10.4081/ijas.2007.s2.314
Babar, M.E., Farid, H., Benkil, B., Abdullah, M., Sajid, I.A., Nadeem, A. and Hussain, T. (2007). Evaluation of AMPK Genes as Candidates for Production Traits in Buffalo Breeds of Pakistan. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 6 (sup2), 345-348. doi: 10.4081/ijas.2007.s2.345
Conference Papers
Feez, A. M., Randhawa, I., Perkins, N. R., Wood, B. J. and Abdullah, S. (2023). A comparison between visual scoring and a digital object counting platform to estimate buffalo fly
counts on cattle.. 2023 ASP Annual Conference, Darwin, NT Australia, 5-8 September.
Clark, Brianna, Norton, Elaine, Bamford, Nicholas, Randhawa, Imtiaz, Kemp, Kate, McCue, Molly, Bertin, Francois-Rene and Stewart, Allison (2023). Epidemiological investigation of insulin dysregulation in Shetland and Welsh ponies in Australia. Bain Fallon Equine Veterinarians of Australia, Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia, 17 July 2023.
Lamb, H.J., Nguyen, L.T., Randhawa, I.A.S., Hayes, B.J. and Ross, E.M. (2022). The long and short of Nanopore genomic prediction: the effect of read length on prediction accuracy. 12th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production (WCGALP), Rotterdam, Netherlands, 3-8 July 2022. Wageningen, Netherlands: Wageningen Academic Publishers. doi: 10.3920/978-90-8686-940-4_279
Randhawa, I.A.S., Lyons, R.E. and McGowan, M.R. (2021). Effects of poll breeding on reproductive traits in beef cattle. 24th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Adelaide, Australia, 2-4 November 2021. Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics.
Randhawa, I.A.S., Khatkar, M.S., Thomson, P.C. and Raadsma, H.W. (2021). Circular genomic permutations can limit the confounding effects of the reference population in the analyses of selection signatures. 24th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Adelaide, Australia, 2-4 November 2021. Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics.
Randhawa, I.A.S., McGowan, M.R. and Lyons, R.E. (2021). Genome-wide analyses of scur genetics in cattle. 24th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Adelaide, Australia, 2-4 November 2021. Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics.
Randhawa, Imtiaz A.S., Schutt, Karen M., McGowan, Michael R. and Lyons, Russell E. (2021). Efficiency of optimized poll testing assay in Australian beef cattle. 24th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Online, 2-4 November 2021. Armidale, NSW Australia: Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics.
Lamb, Harrison, Nguyen, Loan T., Hayes, Ben J., Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S. and Ross, Elizabeth M. (2021). Genomic prediction using low-coverage Nanopore sequencing. 38th International Society of Animal Genetics, Virtual, 26 - 30 July 2021.
Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S., Lyons, Russell E., Hayes, Ben J. and McGowan, Michael R. (2021). The genetic complexity of scurs development in cattle. 38th International Society of Animal Genetics (ISAG), Virtual, 26-30 July 2021.
Mueller, M. L., Cole, J. B., Connors, N. K., Johnston, D. J., Randhawa, I. A. S. and Van Eenennaam, A. L. (2020). Modeling rapid introgression of the POLLED allele via gene editing in a Northern Australian beef cattle population. UC Davis Transgenic Animal Research Conference, Davis, CA, United States, 11-15 August 2019. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Bang, N.N., Hayes, B.J., Randhawa, I.A.S., Lyons, R.E., Gaughan, J.B., Chanh, N.V., Trach, N.X., Khang, N.D. and McNeill, D.M. (2019). Application of genomic selection to Vietnamese household dairy herds. 23rd AABG Conference, Armidale, Australia, 27 October - 1 November 2019.
Randhawa, I. A. S, Khatkar, M. S., Thomson, P. C., Schnabel, R. D., Taylor, J. F. and Raadsma, H. W. (2019). Discovery of signatures of selection in beef and dairy cattle using ultra high-density SNP genotypes. 23rd Conference of Association for the Advancement in Animal Breeding Genetics, Armidale, NSW Australia, 27 October-1 November 2019. Palmerston North, New Zealand: Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics.
Randhawa, I. A. S, Hayes, B. J., McGowan, M. R., Porto-Neto, L. R. and Lyons, R. E. (2019). DNA testing and genetic evaluation for poll breeding in tropically adapted beef cattle. International Tropical Agriculture Conference (TROPAG2019), Brisbane, QLD Australia, 11-13 November 2019. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI. doi: 10.3390/proceedings2019036098
Mueller, M. L., Cole, J. B., Connors, N. K., Johnston, D. J., Randhawa, I. A. S. and Eenennaam, A. L. V. (2019). Comparison of gene editing vs. conventional breeding to introgress the POLLED allele into the tropically adapted Australian beef cattle population. 23rd Conference of Association for the Advancement in Animal Breeding Genetics, Armidale, NSW Australia, 27 October-1 November.
Randhawa, I.A.S., Lyons, R.E. , Hayes, B.J. , Porto-Neto, L.R. and McGowan, M.R. (2019). Factors affecting development of horns and scurs in domestic ruminants. 23rd AABG Conference, Armidale, Australia, 27 October - 1 November 2019.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Porto-Neto, L., Hayes, B., McGowan, M., Burns, B. and Lyons, R. (2019). Improving poll gene testing in Australian cattle. RSPCA Australian Animal Welfare Seminar, Canberra, ACT Australia, 22 February 2019.
Randhawa, I.A.S., McGowan, M.R., Porto-Neto, L.R., Hayes, B.J., Schutt, K.M. and Lyons, R.E. (2019). Poll testing efficiency, accuracy and trends in Australian cattle. Association for the Advancement in Animal Breeding Genetics, Armidale, Australia, 27 October - 1 November 2019.
Randhawa, I. A. S., McGowan, M. R., Porto-Neto, L. R., Hayes, B. J. and Lyons, R. E. (2019). Poll diagnostics, scur genetics and production concurrence in naturally hornless cattle. 37th International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG) Conference, Lleida, Spain, 7-12 July 2019.
Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S. , Porto-Neto, Laercio R. , McGowan, Michael R. , Hayes, Ben J. , Schutt, Karen M. and Lyons, Russell E. (2019). Production and polledness: genetic correlations between target traits in beef cattle. AAABG2019, Armidale, Australia, 27 October - 1 November 2019.
Randhawa, I. A. S, Hayes, B. J., Porto-Neto, L. R., Schutt, K. M., McGowan, M. R., Burns, B. M. and Lyons, R. E. (2019). New diagnostic tools helping poll breeding for sustainable beef production. Northern Beef Research Update Conference (NBRUC2019), Brisbane, QLD Australia, 19-22 August 2019.
McGivney, B.A., Haige, H., Katz, L., Farries, G., Randhawa, I. and Hill, E.W. (2018). Signatures of genetic selection for elite performance in the Australian Thoroughbred. 10th International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology, Lorne, VIC, Australia, 12 - 16 November 2018. Wageningen, Netherlands: Wageningen Academic Publishers. doi: 10.3920/cep2018.s1
Randhawa, I. A. S and Lyons, R. E. (2018). Power of polledness. Beef Australia 2018, Rockhampton, QLD Australia, 6-12 May 2018.
Haige, H., Randhawa, I., Dugarjaviin, M., MacHugh, D. E. and Hill, E. W. (2018). Identification of candidate genes for hoof strength in Mongolian horses. 10th International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology (ICEEP), Lorne, Australia, 12-16 November 2018. doi: 10.3920/cep2018.s1
Ali, A., Weigned, S., Randhawa, I. A. S. and Weigned, A. (2015). Indigenous poultry genetic resources of Pakistan: high density genotyping and selection signatures in Aseel and Desi chicken. 9th European Symposium on Poultry Genetics, Tuusula, Finland, 16-18 June 2015.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Thomson, P. C., Khatkar, M. S. and Raadsma, H. W. (2013). Combining multiple test statistics increases the power of selective sweep analyses in cattle. 20th Conference of Association for the Advancement in Animal Breeding Genetics, Napier, New Zealand, 20-23 October 2013. Palmerston North, New Zealand: Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Khatkar, M. S., Thomson, P. C. and Raadsma, H. W. (2013). Composite signatures of directional selection identified multiple genes for stature on bovine chromosome 13 and 14. 20th Conference of Association for the Advancement in Animal Breeding Genetics, Napier, New Zealand, 20-23 October 2013. Palmerston North, New Zealand: Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Khatkar, M. S., Thomson, P. C. and Raadsma, H. W. (2013). Strong selection signatures implicate co-selection for polledness and stature genes in cattle. 11th World Conference on Animal Production (WCAP2013), Beijing, P. R. China, 15-20 October 2013.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Khatkar, M. S., Thomson, P. C. and Raadsma, H. W. (2013). Hitchhiking from selection of causal variant in Myostatin gene spans a 10 Mb selective sweep in sheep. 11th World Conference on Animal Production (WCAP2013), Beijing, P. R. China, 15-20 October 2013.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Khatkar, M. S., Thomson, P. C. and Raadsma, H. W. (2013). Composite selection signals detect positive selection for polygenic traits in cattle. Proceedings of the Veterinary Science Postgraduate annual conference (University of Sydney), Camden, NSW Australia, 4-5 November.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Khatkar, M. S., Thomson, P. C. and Raadsma, H. W. (2013). Integrated assembly of genes under positive selection in cattle. 20th Conference of Association for the Advancement in Animal Breeding Genetics, Napier, New Zealand, 20-23 October 2013. Palmerston North, New Zealand: Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Khatkar, M. S., Thomson, P. C. and Raadsma, H. W. (2012). A composite test to detect positive selection in cattle and sheep. 33rd International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG) Conference, Cairns, QLD Australia, 15-20 July 2012.
Randhawa, I. A. S. (2012). Combining multiple evidences localized high-resolution signals of selection in cattle and sheep. 33rd International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG) Conference, Cairns, QLD Australia, 15-20 July 2012.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Khatkar, M. S., Thomson, P. C. and Raadsma, H. W. (2012). Composite Selection Signal: a novel test to detect positive selection. Proceedings of the Veterinary Science Postgraduate annual conference (University of Sydney), Sydney, Australia, 5-6 November 2012.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Khatkar, M. S. , Thomson, P. C. and Raadsma, H. W. (2011). A monogenic candidate trait approach to validate high-resolution composite signals of selection in the cattle genome. Proceedings of the Veterinary Science Postgraduate annual conference (University of Sydney), Camden, NSW, Australia, 31 October - 5 November 2011.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Khatkar, M. S., Raadsma, H. W. and Gongora, J. (2010). Signatures of positive selection on the cattle genome using multiple independent datasets. Proceedings of the Veterinary Science Postgraduate annual conference (University of Sydney), Camden, NSW Australia, 1-2 November 2010.
Randhawa, I. A. S., Raadsma, H. W. and Gongora, J. (2009). Polymorphism analysis of regulatory and structural milk protein genes among cattle breeds. Proceedings of the Veterinary Science Postgraduate annual conference (University of Sydney), Sydney, NSW Australia, 2-3 November 2009.
Randhawa I.A.S., H.W. Raadsma and J. Gongora (2008). Lactation genes’ studies across four species of family bovidae (subfamily bovinae). Veterinary Science Postgraduate Annual Conference, Camden, NSW, Australia, 3-4 November 2008. Sydney, NSW, Australia: University of Sydney.
Sajid, I. A (2006). Gel electrophoresis procedures. Proceedings of the National Workshop on application of molecular biology tools for the improvement of livestock, Lahore, Pakistan, 14-16 December 2006.
Sajid, I. A (2006). Cloning principles, types and its applications. Learning Innovation Division, HEC, Islamabad, Pakistan, 1-2 September 2006.
Sajid, I. A. (2006). Synthesis of cDNA by RT-PCR. National Workshop on application of molecular biology tools for the improvement of livestock, Lahore, Pakistan, 14-16 December 2006.
Sajid, I. A. (2006). General lab safety measures. Proceedings of the National Workshop on application of molecular biology tools for the improvement of livestock, Lahore, Pakistan, 14-16 December.
Sajid, I. A., Javed, K. and Ahmed, N. (2006). Phylogenetic relationships among three buffalo breeds of the Punjab-Pakistan. Proceedings of 34th Pakistan International SAARC Countries Science Conference, Lahore, Pakistan, 20-22 February 2006.
Sajid, I. A. (2006). PCR as a tool to study genetic markers. National workshop on application of molecular biology tools for the improvement of livestock, Lahore, Pakistan, 14-16 December 2006.
Sajid, I. A. and Ali, S. (2005). Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) in animals by DNA fingerprinting. Proceedings of National workshop on application of biotechnology for livestock and poultry development, Lahore-Faisalabad, Pakistan, 28 November-2 December 2005.
Research Report
McCosker, Kieren, Bishop-Hurley, Greg, Arablouei, Reza, Bender, Rachael, Glasson, Georgia, Randhawa, Imtiaz and McGowan, Michael (2023). 'uSuckled’: Detection of maternal behaviours associated with suckling in beef cattle. Final Report North Sydney, NSW Australia: Meat & Livestock Australia Limited.
Theses
Randhawa, Imtiaz Ahmed Sajid (2014). Analyses of signatures of selection in the bovine genome. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Randhawa, Imtiaz Ahmed Sajid (2005). Molecular genetic variation among Nili, Ravi and Nili-Ravi buffalo breeds of Punjab, Pakistan. M.Sc Thesis, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.