Hans Lenstra (Utrecht University, Netherlands) has worked for 38 years on molecular evolution, eukaryotic gene structure, genome characterization and molecular diversity of livestock and wildlife. His present research interests include the molecular diversity of cattle, sheep, goat, water buffalo, horse and elephants by analysis of mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal DNA variation, microsatellites and high-density SNP datasets. This work is carried out in close collaboration with several European, American and Asian researchers. He considers the use of genomic data and the development of tools to translate these to biologically relevant conclusions as the present challenge.  He is author or coauthor of 131 refereed publications. Since 2014 he is Editor-in-Chief of Animal Genetics

Personal data

Johannes Arjen Lenstra, born August 17^th, 1950, Zaandam, The Netherlands.
Associate professor, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht,
Yalelaan 104, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Phone (+31)-30-2534992; at home (+31)-30-6375622; mobile (+31)615000529
Fax (+31)-30-2535077; email J.A.Lenstra@uu.nl
Married with B.A. Huitema, three children

Education

1968-1974  University of Amsterdam
1974          MSc degree Chemistry (major: Biochemistry; minor: Aquatic Ecology)
1979          Ph.D. Thesis (University of Groningen, prof. J.J. Beintema): Structure and Evolution of Pancreatic Ribonuclease.

 Professional experience

1979-1982  Postdoctoral Research at the Dept. Biochemistry, University of Nijmegen; research on transformed cells in culture (Prof. H. Bloemendal).

1982-1984  Postdoctoral Assistant at the Dept. Med. Biochemistry, University of Leiden; evolution of genes for the eukaryotic elongation factor EF-1_a (Prof. W. Möller)

1984-1986  Postdoctoral Assistant in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University: molecular immunology of coronaviruses by prokaryotic epitope expression.

1986-1992  Assistant professor, Head of the Recombinant DNA Facility, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, research on:
   - epitope mapping by antigenic selection of expressed random sequences.
   - sequencing of monoclonal antibodies and T-cell receptors

1989-1990  Sabbatical leave at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena (prof. L.E. Hood); structure and evolution of the genomic loci of T-cell receptors in mouse and man.

1987- 2002  Organization of the yearly postacademic Workshop Molecular Biology and Recombinant-DNA Technology; advisor of training courses in DNA technology in Bucharest and Bangkok

from 1992    Associate professor, research on veterinary genetics.
   - markers for a paternity test for horses
   - cattle and sheep genome mapping
   - genetic mapping of the sheep parasite Haemonchus contortus
   - identification and comparison of repetitive sequences of domestic animals
   - identification of DNA repeats and probes for species identification and evolution
   - genetic diversity and molecular evolution of ruminants, horses and elephants