Rate My Professor Matt Bixley

Matt Bixley serves as a Support Specialist for the National eScience Infrastructure (NeSI) at the University of Otago, bringing expertise from his background in bioinformatics and quantitative genetics at the University of Otago and AgResearch. He holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Statistics (GradDipApplStats). Bixley is recognized for his proficiency in R statistical programming, statistical modeling, animal genetics, and genomics, contributing as a passionate trainer and instructor in The Carpentries workshops and bioinformatics programs. His role involves supporting New Zealand's research community through application support, data analysis, and collaborative scientific endeavors, particularly in advancing national capability in genomics and eScience infrastructure.

Bixley's research focuses on genome-wide association studies and population-specific genetic variants, with significant contributions to understanding the genetics of gout in Polynesian populations, lipid profiles, and animal health traits. Key publications include: "A genome-wide association analysis reveals new pathogenic pathways in gout" (2024, Nature Communications); "A Polynesian-specific missense CETP variant alters the lipid profile" (2023); "A genome-wide association analysis of 2,622,830 individuals reveals new pathogenic pathways in gout" (2022); "A Polynesian-specific copy number variant encompassing the MICA gene associates with gout" (2022, Human Molecular Genetics); "Trans-ancestral dissection of urate- and gout-associated major loci SLC2A9 and ABCG2 reveals primate-specific regulatory effects" (2020, Journal of Human Genetics); "Genomic Tools for the Identification of Loci Associated with Facial Eczema in New Zealand Sheep" (2021); and "Genome-wide association study of lung lesions and pleurisy in New Zealand lambs." These works highlight his involvement in dissecting genetic risk factors for hyperuricemia, CETP activity, and respiratory diseases in livestock, impacting medical genetics and agricultural science in New Zealand. Through NeSI and affiliations with the Department of Biochemistry, he facilitates research on Māori- and Pacific-amplified gout risk variants and mitochondrial influences on disease rates.