Thomas Famula, PhD
Statistical aspects of canine genetics and breeding
University of California at Davis
Dr Famula's research focus is on the statistical aspects of genetics and animal improvement. Most recently this has concentrated on the inheritance of disease in dogs, a topic that has focused on epilepsy in Belgian tervuren, deafness in Dalmatians and Addison's disease in Bearded collies. Each of these areas begins as a purely statistical problem, asking the question: "Is this disorder inherited?" Having established inheritance there begins a search for the statistical evidence of the impact of single genes on this disease, an area of investigation called complex segregation analysis. The next phase of research is the collaborative effort to combine pedigree and disease information with DNA markers and maps of the canine genome. The intent is to discover those specific genes that influence the expression of disease.
Select Publications
Bellumori, T.P., T.R. Famula, D.L. Bannasch, J.M. Belanger, and A.M. Oberbauer. 2013. Prevalence of inherited disorders among mixed-breed and purebred dogs: 27,254 cases (1995-2010). J Am Vet Med Assoc 11:1549-1555
Oberbauer, A.M., J.M. Belanger, D.I. Grossman, K.R. Regan, and T.R. Famula. 2010. Genome-wide linkage scan for loci associated with epilepsy in Belgian Shepherd dogs. BMC Genetics 11:35.
Oberbauer, A.M., Grossman, D.I., Eggleston, M.L., Irion, D.N., Pedersen, N.C., Schaffer, A.L. and Famula, T.R. 2003. The genetics of epilepsy in the Belgian Tervuren and Sheepdog. Journal of Heredity. 94:57-63.
Davidson A.P., Pollard R.E., Bannasch, D.L., Marks, S.L., Hornof, W.J., and Famula, T.R. 2004. The inheritance of cricopharyngeal dysfunction in Golden retrievers. American Journal of Veterinary Research. 65:344-349.
Cargill, E.J., Famula, T.R., Strain, G.M., and Murphy, K.E. 2004. Heritability and segregation analysis in US Dalmatians. Genetics. 166:1385-1393.
Bannasch, D.L., Bannasch, M.J., Ryun, J.R., Famula, T.R., and Pedersen, N.C. 2005. Y chromosome haplotype analysis in purebred dogs. Mammalian Genome. 16:273-280.
Oberbauer, A.M., J.M. Belanger, D.I. Grossman, K.R. Regan, and T.R. Famula. 2010. Genome-wide linkage scan for loci associated with epilepsy in Belgian Shepherd dogs. BMC Genetics 11:35.
Oberbauer, A.M., Grossman, D.I., Eggleston, M.L., Irion, D.N., Pedersen, N.C., Schaffer, A.L. and Famula, T.R. 2003. The genetics of epilepsy in the Belgian Tervuren and Sheepdog. Journal of Heredity. 94:57-63.
Davidson A.P., Pollard R.E., Bannasch, D.L., Marks, S.L., Hornof, W.J., and Famula, T.R. 2004. The inheritance of cricopharyngeal dysfunction in Golden retrievers. American Journal of Veterinary Research. 65:344-349.
Cargill, E.J., Famula, T.R., Strain, G.M., and Murphy, K.E. 2004. Heritability and segregation analysis in US Dalmatians. Genetics. 166:1385-1393.
Bannasch, D.L., Bannasch, M.J., Ryun, J.R., Famula, T.R., and Pedersen, N.C. 2005. Y chromosome haplotype analysis in purebred dogs. Mammalian Genome. 16:273-280.
