Dr Rob Day

Position	Research Fellow
Department	Department of Biochemistry
Qualifications	PhD
Research summary	Agricultural science, developmental biology, cancer biology, genomics and technology development
Memberships	Executive Committee Australasian Genomics Technology Association (AGTA)

Research

My main research interest is the development and application of new genetic/genomics based technologies in areas of agricultural biology, developmental biology and medicine. I am best known for adapting genomics technologies for use with minute amounts of starting material to discover key imprinted genes controlling seed development in plants.

I currently use the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform in the Centre for Translational Cancer Research and am developing new methods for sequence-based diagnostics from single cells and circulating tumor DNA. I am eager to promote and facilitate the use of genomics technology in all areas of biology and currently collaborate with several groups. Also, as way of promoting the field I have convened and/or helped organize several genomics meetings and serve on the executive committee of the Australasian Genomic Technologies Association the principal body for the promotion of genomics research in Australasia.

Additional details

I also helped manage the Otago Genomics Facility during a colleagues maternity leave. During this time we focused on developing standard operating procedures for sample processing and project management. This greatly enhanced my knowledge of genomics and bioinformatics. I have also served on the Project Advisory Committee for New Zealand Genomics Ltd.

Publications

Antony, J., Gimenez, G., Taylor, T., Khatoon, U., Day, R., Morison, I. M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2020). BET inhibition prevents aberrant RUNX1 and ERG transcription in STAG2 mutant leukaemia cells. Journal of Molecular Cell Biology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1093/jmcb/mjz114

Ortega-Recalde, O., Day, R. C., Gemmell, N. J., & Hore, T. A. (2019). Zebrafish preserve global germline DNA methylation while sex-linked rDNA is amplified and demethylated during feminisation. Nature Communications, 10, 3053. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10894-7

Marsman, J., Gimenez, G., Day, R. C., Horsfield, J. A., & Jones, G. T. (2019). A non-coding genetic variant associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm alters ERG gene regulation. Human Molecular Genetics. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddz256

Parackal, S., Zou, D., Day, R., Black, M., & Guilford, P. (2019). Comparison of Roche Cell-Free DNA collection Tubes^® to Streck Cell-Free DNA BCT^®s for sample stability using healthy volunteers. Practical Laboratory Medicine, 16, e00125. doi: 10.1016/j.plabm.2019.e00125

Hakkaart, C., Ellison-Loschmann, L., Day, R., Sporle, A., Koea, J., Harawira, P., … Guilford, P. (2019). Germline CDH1 mutations are a significant contributor to the high frequency of early-onset diffuse gastric cancer cases in New Zealand Māori. Familial Cancer, 18(1), 83-90. doi: 10.1007/s10689-018-0080-8

Chapter in Book - Research
Journal - Research Article
Journal - Research Other

Chapter in Book - Research

Day, R., & Macknight, R. (2014). Screening for imprinted genes using high-resolution melting analysis of PCR amplicons. In C. Spillane & P. C. McKeown (Eds.), Plant epigentics and epigenomics: Methods and protocols. (pp. 71-83). Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-773-0_5

Macknight, R. C., Herridge, R. P., & Day, R. C. (2012). Using transcriptomics to reveal gene networks of seed development in Arabidopsis. In G. K. Agrawal & R. Rakwal (Eds.), Seed development: OMICS technologies toward Improvement of seed quality and crop yield. (pp. 99-110). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-4749-4_6

Day, R. C. (2010). Laser microdissection of paraffin-embedded plant tissues for transcript profiling. In L. Hennig & C. Köhler (Eds.), Plant developmental biology: Methods and protocols. (pp. 321-346). New York: Spinger. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60761-765-5_22

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Journal - Research Article

Schmid, J., Day, R., Zhang, N., Dupont, P.-Y., Cox, M. P., Schardl, C. L., … Zhou, Y. (2017). Host tissue environment directs activities of an Epichloë endophyte, while it induces systemic hormone and defense responses in its native perennial ryegrass host. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 30(2), 138-149. doi: 10.1094/mpmi-10-16-0215-r

Tantirigama, M. L. S., Oswald, M. J., Clare, A. J., Wicky, H. E., Day, R. C., Hughes, S. M., & Empson, R. M. (2016). Fezf2 expression in layer 5 projection neurons of mature mouse motor cortex. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 524(4), 829-845. doi: 10.1002/cne.23875

Dupont, P.-Y., Eaton, C. J., Wargent, J. J., Fechtner, S., Solomon, P., Schmid, J., Day, R. C., … Cox, M. P. (2015). Fungal endophyte infection of ryegrass reprograms host metabolism and alters development. New Phytologist, 208(4), 1227-1240. doi: 10.1111/nph.13614

Zhang, H., Luo, M., Day, R. C., Talbot, M. J., Ivanova, A., Ashton, A. R., … Macknight, R. C., … Koltunow, A. M. (2015). Developmentally regulated HEART STOPPER, a mitochondrially targeted L18 ribosomal protein gene, is required for cell division, differentiation, and seed development in Arabidopsis. Journal of Experimental Botany, 66(19), 5867-5880. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erv296

Herridge, R. P., Day, R. C., & Macknight, R. C. (2014). The role of the MCM2-7 helicase complex during Arabidopsis seed development. Plant Molecular Biology, 86(1-2), 69-84. doi: 10.1007/s11103-014-0213-x

Butler, M. I., Stockwell, P. A., Black, M. A., Day, R. C., Lamont, I. L., & Poulter, R. T. M. (2013). Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae from recent outbreaks of kiwifruit bacterial canker belong to different clones that originated in China. PLoS ONE, 8(2), e57464. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057464

Jones, T. E. M., Day, R. C., & Beck, C. W. (2013). Attenuation of bone morphogenetic protein signaling during amphibian limb development results in the generation of stage-specific defects. Journal of Anatomy, 223(5), 474-488. doi: 10.1111/joa.12098

Herridge, R. P., Day, R. C., Baldwin, S., & Macknight, R. C. (2011). Rapid analysis of seed size in Arabidopsis for mutant and QTL discovery. Plant Methods, 7. doi: 10.1186/1746-4811-7-3

Day, R. C., & Beck, C. W. (2011). Transdifferentiation from cornea to lens in Xenopus laevis depends on BMP signalling and involves upregulation of Wnt signalling. BMC Developmental Biology, 11, 54. doi: 10.1186/1471-213x-11-54

Fenby, N., Pu, H., Pennell, R., Praekelt, U., Day, R., & Scott, R. (2010). An uncoupling screen for autonomous embryo mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana. Sexual Plant Reproduction, 23, 255-264. doi: 10.1007/s00497-010-0142-z

Day, R. C., Mueller, S., & Macknight, R. C. (2009). Identification of cytoskeleton-associated genes expressed during arabidopsis syncytial endosperm development. Plant Signaling & Behavior, 4(9), 883-886.

Pearl, E. J., Barker, D., Day, R. C., & Beck, C. W. (2008). Identification of genes associated with regenerative success of Xenopus laevis hindlimbs. BMC Developmental Biology, 8, 66. doi: 10.1186/1471-213X-8-66

Day, R. C., Herridge, R. P., Ambrose, B. A., & Macknight, R. C. (2008). Transcriptome analysis of proliferating Arabidopsis endosperm reveals biological implications for the control of syncytial division, cytokinin signaling, and gene expression regulation. Plant Physiology, 148(4), 1964-1984. doi: 10.1104/pp.108.128108

Day, R. C., McNoe, L., & Macknight, R. C. (2007). Evaluation of global RNA amplification and its use for high-throughput transcript analysis of laser-microdissected endosperm. International Journal of Plant Genomics, 2007, 61028.

Day, R. C., McNoe, L. A., & MacKnight, R. C. (2007). Transcript analysis of laser microdissected plant cells. Physiologia Plantarum, 129(2), 267-282.

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Journal - Research Other

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