Dr. Hayward’s research is focused on understanding the genetics underlying traits and diseases of veterinary species, especially canine, feline and equine. She works closely with specialized clinicians and the Cornell Veterinary Biobank personnel in obtaining samples and generating genome-level data for bioinformatic pipelines. Dr. Hayward also works on the identification and sequence profiling of cell-free DNA circulating in the bloodstream of canine cancer patients, with the aim to develop a non-invasive biomarker test. The overall goal of her research is to provide better outcomes and improved health for our animal companions.

• PhD, Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 2009

• MSc, Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 2004

• BSc, Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 2001

Jessica Hayward is a senior research associate in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. She is also affiliated with the Cornell Veterinary Biobank. She obtained her MSc and PhD degrees from The University of Auckland, New Zealand, studying the molecular evolution of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. Her postdoctoral research was undertaken at Cornell University, working on Canine Influenza Virus in the laboratory of Dr. Colin Parrish, and then shifting research focus to canine genetics and genomics in the laboratory of Dr. Adam Boyko, until 2018.

Dr. Hayward is a member of Cornell’s Center for Vertebrate Genomics, Margaret and Richard Riney Canine Health Center, and the Cornell Veterinary Biobank.

For a complete list of publications see https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/jessica.hayward.1/bibliography/public/

1. Espinheira Gomes, F; Casanova, MI; Mouttham, L; Bannasch, DL; Park, S; Kim, S; Young, LJ; Daley, NJ; Thomasy, SM; Castelhano, MG; Ledbetter, EC; Holmberg, B; Boyd, R; Van Der Woerdt, A; McDonald, J; Hayward, JJ, 2022. A genome-wide association study to investigate genetic loci associated with primary glaucoma in American Cocker Spaniels. American Journal of Veterinary Science. https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.22.07.0106
2. Hernandez, I*; Hayward, JJ*; Brockman, JA; Brooks, MB; Loftus, JP; Gomes, FE; Kornreich, B; White, ME; Caligiuri, L; Mouttham, L; Castelhano, MG; Garrison, S; Lin, L; Wilcox, EA; Corey, E; Jordan, J; Sack, D; Forman, M; Balkman, C; Ledbetter, E; Kern, T; Boyko, AR; Lyons, LA; Todhunter, RJ, 2022. Complex feline disease mapping using a dense genotyping array. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 9:862414. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.862414 *these authors contributed equally to this work
3. Schipper, T; Ohlsson, A; Longeri, M; Hayward, JJ; Mouttham, L; Ferrari, P; Smets, P; Ljungvall, I; Häggström, J; Stern, JA; Lyons, LA; Peelman, LJ; Broeckx, BJG, 2022. The TNNT2:c.95-108G>A variant is common in Maine Coons and shows no association with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Animal Genetics 53(4):526-529. https://doi.org/10.1111/age.13223
4. Neradilova, S; Schauer, AM; Hayward, JJ; Brunner, MAT; Jagannathan, V; Connell, LB; Boyko, AR; Welle, MM; Cerna Bolfikova, B, 2022. Genomic and transcriptomic characterization of atypical recurrent flank alopecia in the Cesky Fousek. Genes 13:650. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes13040650
5. Jiang, L; Li, Z; Hayward, JJ; Hayashi, K; Krotscheck, U; Todhunter, RJ; Tang, Y; Huang, M, 2021. Genomic prediction of two complex orthopedic traits across multiple pure and mixed breed dogs. Frontiers in Genetics 12. http://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2021.666740
6. Seddon, JM; Fortes, M; Kelly-Smith, M; Sommerlad, SF; Hayward, JJ; Burmeister, L; De Risio, L; Mellersh, C; Freeman, J; Strain, GM, 2021. Deafness in Australian Cattle Dogs associated to QTL on Chromosome 20 in GWAS analyses. Animal Genetics 52(5):694-702. http://doi.org/10.1111/age.13115
7. Barnard, KN; Wasik, BR; Alford, BK; Hayward, JJ; Weichert, WS; Voorhees, IEH; Holmes, EC; Parrish, CR, 2021. Sequence dynamics of three influenza A virus strains grown in different MDCK cell lines, including those expressing different sialic acid receptors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.13890
8. Hayward, JJ; Kelly-Smith, M; Boyko, AR; Burmeister, L; De Risio, L; Mellersh, C; Freeman, J; Strain, GM, 2020. A genome-wide association study of deafness in three canine breeds. PLoS ONE 15(5): e0232900. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232900
9. Yordy, J; Kraus, C; Hayward, JJ; White, ME; Shannon, LM; Creevy, KE; Promislow, DEL; Boyko, AR, 2020. Body size, inbreeding, and lifespan in domestic dogs. Conservation Genetics https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-019-01240-x
10. Healey, E; Murphy, RJ; Hayward, JJ; Castelhano, M; Boyko, AR; Hayashi, K; Krotscheck, U; Todhunter, RJ, 2019. Genetic mapping of distal femoral, stifle, and tibial radiographic morphology in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease. PLoS ONE 14(10):e0223094. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223094
11. Hayward, JJ; White, ME; Boyle, M; Shannon, LM; Casal, ML; Castelhano, MG; Center, SA; Myers-Wallen, VN; Simpson, KW; Sutter, NB; Todhunter, RJ; Boyle, M; Boyko, AR, 2019. Imputation of canine genotype data using 365 whole-genome sequences improves power of genome-wide association studies. PLoS Genetics 15(9): e1008003. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008003
12. Todhunter, RJ; Garrison, SJ; Jordan, J; Hunter, L; Castelhano, MG; Ash, K; Meyers-Wallen, V; Krotscheck, U; Hayward, JJ; Grenier, J, 2019. Gene expression in hip soft tissues in incipient canine hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 37:313-324. https://doi.org/10.1002/jor.24178
13. Meyers-Wallen, VN; Boyko, AR; Danko, CG; Grenier, JK; Mezey, JG; Hayward, JJ; Shannon, LM; Gao, C; Shafquat, A; Rice, EJ; Pujar, S; Eggers, S; Ohnesorg, T; Sinclair, AH, 2017. XX disorder of sex development is associated with an insertion on chromosome 9 and downregulation of RSPO1 in dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). PLoS ONE 12(10): e0186331. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0186331
14. Huang, M; Hayward, JJ; Corey, E; Garrison, SJ; Wagner, GR; Krotscheck, U; Hayashi, K; Schweitzer, PA; Lust, G; Boyko, AR; Todhunter, RJ, 2017. A novel iterative mixed model to remap three complex orthopedic traits in dogs. PLoS ONE 12(6): e0176932. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0176932
15. Fealey, MJ; Li, J; Todhunter, RJE; Krotscheck, U; Hayashi, K; Boyko, AR; Hayward, JJ; Todhunter, RJ, 2017. Genetic mapping of principal components of canine pelvic morphology. Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 4:4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40575-017-0043-7
16. Shannon, LM; Boyko, RH; Castelhano, M; Corey, L; Hayward, JJ; McClean, C; White, M; Abi Said, M; Anita, BA; Bondjengo Ikombe, N; Calero, J; Galov, A; Hedimbi, M; Imam, B; Khalap, R; Lally, D; Little Wolf, S; Masta, A; Matshimba, GK; Oliveira, KC; Randal, J; Minh Tam, N; Valeriano, C; Javier Trujillo, F; Perez, L; Sutter, NB; Todhunter, R; Bustamante, CD; Boyko, AR, 2016. Reply to Wang et al: Sequencing datasets do not refute Central Asian domestication origin of dogs. PNAS 113(19): E2556-E2557. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1600618113
17. Hayward, JJ*; Castelhano, M*; Oliveira, K; Corey, E; Balkman, C; Baxter, TL; Casal, M; Center, S; Fang, M; Garrison, SJ; Kalla, SE; Korniliev, P; Kotlikoff, MI; Moise, NS; Shannon, LM; Simpson, K; Sutter, NB; Todhunter, RJ; Boyko, AR, 2016. Complex disease and phenotype mapping in the domestic dog. Nature Communications 7:10460. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10460  *these authors contributed equally to this work
18. White, ME; Hayward, JJ; Stokol, T; Boyko, AR, 2015. Genetic mapping of novel loci affecting canine blood phenotypes. PLOS ONE 10(12): e0145199. https://doi.org/10.371/journal.pone.0145199
19. Shannon, LM; Boyko, RH; Castelhano, M; Corey, L; Hayward, JJ; McClean, C; White, M; Abi Said, M; Anita, BA; Bondjengo Ikombe, N; Calero, J; Galov, A; Hedimbi, M; Imam, B; Khalap, R; Lally, D; Little Wolf, S; Masta, A; Matshimba, GK; Oliveira, KC; Randal, J; Minh Tam, N; Valeriano, C; Javier Trujillo, F; Perez, L; Sutter, NB; Todhunter, R; Bustamante, CD; Boyko, AR, 2015. Genetic structure in village dogs reveals a Central Asian domestication origin. PNAS 112(44):13639-13644
20. Auton, A; Li, YR; Kidd, J; Oliveira, K; Nadel, J; Holloway, JK; Hayward, JJ; Cohen, PE; Greally, JM; Wang, J; Bustamante, CD; Boyko, AR, 2013. Genetic recombination is targeted towards gene promoter regions in dogs. PLoS Genetics 9(12):e1003984
21. Hayward, JJ; Dubovi, EJ; Scarlett, JM; Janeczko, S; Holmes, EC; Parrish, CR, 2010. Microevolution of canine influenza virus in shelters and its molecular epidemiology in the United States. Journal of Virology 84(24):12636-12645.
22. Hayward, JJ; Rodrigo, AG, 2010. The distribution of feline immunodeficiency virus in tissue compartments of feral domestic cats. Archives of Virology 155:411-416.
23. Hayward, JJ; Rodrigo, AG, 2010. Molecular epidemiology of feline immunodeficiency virus in the domestic cat (Felis catus). Mini-review. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 134:68-74.
24. Morgan-Richards, M; Smissen, RD; Shepherd, LD; Wallis, GP; Hayward, JJ; Chan, C; Chambers, GK; Chapman, HM, 2009. A review of genetic analyses of hybridisation in New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 39(1):15-34.
25. Hayward, JJ; Rodrigo, AG, 2008. Recombination in feline immunodeficiency virus from feral and companion domestic cats. Virology Journal 5:76.
26. Hayward, JJ; Taylor, J; Rodrigo, AG, 2007. Phylogenetic Analysis of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus in Domestic Cats of New Zealand. Journal of Virology 81(6):2999-3004.

• Genetics Society of America

• 99Lives Feline Consortium