LEOGEN - THE LEONBERGER GENETIC DIVERSITY PROJECT
     Prof. Dr. Tosso Leeb
Director Institute of Genetics,  Dept. of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health at the  University of Bern

Tosso Leeb is a molecular geneticist working with domestic animals. Since 2005 he is the director of the Institute of Genetics at the Vetsuisse-Faculty of the University of Berne. His research focus is the elucidation of causative mutations for hereditary traits in domestic animals (dog, cat, horse, cattle, sheep, pig, goat). His group discovered the mutations underlying hairlessness in dogs, dominant white coat color in horses, and several hereditary diseases in various domestic animal species. He is also a member of several international animal genome projects and has specifically contributed to the sequencing of the horse genome.
​     Raymond “Hector” Heathcote BVM&S, MRCVS
Hector Heathcote is a veterinarian and the director of UK Clone, which is part of the worldwide C.L.O.N.E  network for canine artificial insemination. Prior to this, he had a successful equine veterinary practice for 35 years before focusing solely on canine reproduction. 
Hector is a member of the Board of the UK Kennel Club, as well as sitting on their influential Dog Health Group subcommittee. Under the Hyndsight affix he has bred & exhibited Deerhounds for over 40 years, made up 14 homebred UK champions and won over 100 CCs, as well as several championship groups and BISs. He is a KC Accredited Trainer in Conformation & Movement. A past Chairman of the Hound Association and has served on Kennel Club’s Breed Standards Subcommittee.
​     Agi Hejja
A Hungarian breeder and enthusiast with over five decades of experience in both the Leonbergers and Kuvase breeds, Agi is a past member of the Board of the Leonberger Club of America and played a vital role in drafting the Leonberger Breed Standard for the American Kennel Club as well as designing their Judge’s Education programme. She judges the breed internationally and has been a key member of the International Leonberger Union’s Judges Education subcommittee. 
  ​ Wanda Oud
Wanda Oud has been breeding Leonbergers for 45 years in both Holland and Germany, during which time she has focused almost exclusively on striving to identify and preserve obscure bloodlines. Her “of Pelgrims Ring” affix is today found in the lineage of a huge proportion of the breed population worldwide. She has judged the breed internationally and is the founding patron of the Leonberger Club of Great Britain. Currently, Wanda coordinates the work of the breeding committee within the DCLH (German Leonberger Club) and is part of the Health and Breeding Group in the International Leonberger Union.  

                       SUPPORTED BY

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​​The LEOGEN team is very pleased to announce that we have now entered into a formal partnership agreement with leading canine genetic profiling company EMBARK to provide DNA analysis and generational tracking data for the project. Embark’s unique genetic profiling capabilities can screen for over 270 known genetic illnesses, 55 additional traits relating to physical qualities such as size and structure, as well as other important elements such as maternal, paternal  and immune system haplotypes, all of which will be fundamental to the future success of the LeoGen project.
Through this alliance, our breeder team will have the vital tools necessary to guide initial breeding selections as well as to ensure that those important contributions are maintained throughout the generations that follow, and we are immensely grateful to have Embark join us on this important journey into the future of sustainable pedigree dog breeding.

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LeoGen is proud to be collaborating with the Austrian genetics lab FERAGEN,
who for many years have been the preferred DNA testing laboratory for pet owners, breeders, clubs and veterinarians throughout Europe. Their specific expertise
in DLA haplotypes in particular will be an invaluable contribution to the project.
These genes have been linked to robust immune function and numerous autoimmune issues in dogs, which are areas of particular interest to the LeoGen project.
​We are grateful to FERAGEN for their support.