My name is Christopher Adenyo and I am currently a Research Fellow at the University of Ghana. My field of specialization is Animal Genetics. I had my PhD from Kyoto University in 2014 and I continued to collaborate with my Japanese Professor, Prof. Miho Murayama to develop genetic markers for the domestication of grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus), a large rodent that is relished for its gamey meat in West and Central Africa. Due to the people’s fondness for the grasscutter meat, the grasscutter is heavily hunted, with attendant problems of environmental degradation and wildlife resource depletion. 

In 2017, I received a generous support to do a Canon Foundation in Europe-Kyoto University Exchange Fellowship for three months (June – August) at Kyoto University. This Fellowship was a great opportunity for me to analyze the genome and to identify polymorphisms in genes relevant to the domestication of the grasscutter. I spent part of the period at Prof. Tsuyoshi Koide’s Lab at the National Institute of Genetics where the genome sequencing was done. In all, it was a great experience to go back to Japan albeit for a shorter period to work on my favourite study subject, the grasscutter, for its genetic improvement and the promotion of its domestication as a livestock for the future. I am immensely grateful to Canon Foundation for the support.