Degree: B. Agric., M.Agric., Ph.D
E-mail: whetom@funaab.edu.ng, whepet@yahoo.com
Tel: (+234) 08038453793; 08124248278
Department: Animal Breeding and Genetics
Academic Rank: Senior Lecturer
Dr. Wheto, Mathew is an Animal breeder, geneticist and biotechnologist with a lot of research experience in quantitative and genomic analysis. He is a Registered Animal Scientist (RAS) and a Lecturer I in the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. He is a research scientist working with Program for Emerging Agricultural Research leadership (PEARL) sponsored by Bill and Melinda Gate foundation on the use of genomic selection and proteomics to identify superior indigenous chicken’s line for growth and egg traits. He was a visiting scholar to Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA for three month working on gene expression and transcriptomic expression of heat tolerance traits in temperate and tropical breed of cattle.
Dr. Wheto is a member of many professional bodies such as Animal Science Association of Nigeria (ASAN), World Poultry Science Association (WPSA) Nigerian Branch, Nigeria Society for Animal Production (NSAP), Genetic Society of Nigeria (GSN) and a member of Editorial Board, Nigeria Journal of Biotechnology. He is also a seasoned reviewers for many academics journal within and outside the country. Dr, Wheto is also versatile in the use of statistical, molecular and some Bioinformatics tools which include SAS, DNAsp, MEGA, ClustalW/X, Bioedit, Codoncode Aligner, qPCR/PCR machine, Primer3. He has run analyses include: Single nucleotide Polymorphism detection, multiple sequences Alignment, Phylogeny tree, Secondary and Tertiary structure prediction, Annotation of sequences using Map viewer, Primer design using Primer3.
Wheto has a humble background and have established connections with professional colleagues within and outside the country. He can work independently and can equally work with people of diverse cultural backgrounds to achieve desired objectives at all times. He has Co-supervised more than five (5) M.Agric. students and many undergraduate students working on genetic variation and sequence analysis of some selected immune response and growth related gene in both small ruminant and the Nigerian indigenous chicken. The long-term goal of his research activities is to molecularly characterize the Nigerian ruminant and chicken population using candidate gene approach, to carry out genetic diversity in immune related genes and development of chicken lines for the Nigerian environment.
