About
Rainer Roehe is Professor of Animal Genetics and Microbiome at Scotland's Rural College, investigating host-microbiome interactions in ruminants. His research program examines how rumen microbial communities influence methane emissions, feed efficiency, and meat quality, using metagenomic approaches to develop sustainable livestock breeding strategies.
Education includes:
- PhD in Animal Breeding, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (1990)
- MSc in Animal Breeding, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (1986)
- BSc in Animal Genetics, University of Kassel (1983)
Research focuses on:
- Host-microbiome genomic interactions
- Methane mitigation technologies
- Metagenomic biomarkers for production traits
- Precision breeding approaches
- Microbial gene networks
Recent publications demonstrate groundbreaking work integrating microbiome data into genetic evaluations, with applications in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving livestock sustainability. His team's research on bovine host-microbiome interactions was shortlisted for the Times Higher Education STEM Research Project of the Year (2018).
He leads multiple international projects including Horizon 2020's 'HoloRuminant' and BBSRC-funded initiatives on rumen microbiome genomics. Teaching includes course leadership for BSc Animal Breeding and Genetics at SRUC and MSc modules at the University of Edinburgh.
