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AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology group

Photo of chicken, Red Jungle Fowl.

The AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology group at Linköping University studies the genetic basis of behaviour and physiology.

Logotype AVIAN.The research group joins several labs with a common interest in the biology of birds.

Although by no means not restricted to it, most of our research focuses on Red Junglefowl and modern chicken breeds selected for farming purposes such as egg production or meat yield.

The overall goals of the research is to improve poultry welfare under production conditions and to understand the process of of animal domestication.

The AVIAN group has unique facilities for the research, including a chicken unit with several breeding populations of Red Junglefowl.

For more information, please visit the web pages of each of the
research groups listed below.

News

Jungle fowl and modern chicken side by side.

Research on chickens can help endangered species

LiU researchers will try to find out whether it is possible to use genetic engineering to “undomesticate” domesticated chickens. This could be a tool for conserving endangered species – and perhaps recreating extinct animals.
two chickens.

How young chickens play can indicate how they feel

Researchers have for the first time mapped the development of play in young chickens. The results show that the young chickens spend lots of time playing in different ways – just like puppies and kittens.
Red junglefowl (G. gallus) chicks from the study population at Linköping University.

Ancestral species of domesticated chickens seeks human contact

Species that are not domesticated can develop a social interaction with humans. Researchers noticed this when conducting a study on junglefowl. They hope that the findings will stimulate further studies into how contact with humans arises.

Research groups

teaser image Altimiras Group

Evolution of heart size in birds - Altimiras Group

The heart size determines aerobic scope and flight performance of birds. By comparing different South American Tinamous with Red Junglefowl and quail we want to understand evolutionary steps leading to the enhanced performance of modern birds.
rooster

Genetic architecture of brain structure - Henriksen Group

We use populations of both wild and domestic chickens to identifying the genetic architecture underlying variation in avian brain size and composition, as well as elucidating the effects and pathways of maternal stress.
teaser image Jensen Group

Animal behaviour, domestication and welfare – Jensen Group

What guides the many facets of how animals behave? How has it changed during domestication, and what does it tell us about their welfare? Focusing on chickens and dogs, we tackle such questions using ethology, genetics and epigenetics.
teaser image Lovlie Group

Animal behaviour, personality and cognition - Lovlie Group

We are interested in understanding behavioural variation, and most of our research is on causes and consequences of animal personality, including links to cognition, sexual selection. We mainly (but not only) use red junglefowl as our model species.
rooster crowing

The genomic basis of feralisation and domestication - Wright Group

Our research focuses on the genetic basis of domestication, feralisation and behaviour. We use the twin processes of domestication and feralisation to unravel the genetic basis of complex traits.

Contact

Photo of Per Jensen

Per Jensen

Professor Emeritus

Organisation

hatching chicken

Biology (BIOLO)

Research at the division of biology covers all aspects of life science, from subcellular molecular processes, via organisms to whole ecosystems.
Person with transmission electron microscope.

Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

Excellent undergraduate teaching and research in the areas of biology, chemistry, materials and applied physics and theory and modelling are conducted at this department.

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