Rainer Roehe is a Professor of Animal Genetics and Microbiome at Scotland’s Rural College. He completed his Ph.D. studies at the University of Kiel in 1990. His publication entitled ‘Bovine host genetic variation influences rumen microbial methane production with best selection criterion for low methane emitting and efficiently feed converting hosts based on metagenomic gene abundance‘ was awarded the PLOS Genetics Research Prize 2017 based on scientific excellence and community impact. In addition, his team’s host genetics-microbiome research has been shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Honours Award 2018 in the category Research Project of the Year: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). His overall research aim is to obtain insight into the microbiome in the rumen (the first of cow’s four stomachs), its effects on the performance of bovine and its interactions with the host genome. Specifically, he is interested in understanding the functional genetics and pathways of the rumen microbiome and microbial genes associated with performance traits in bovine. His research is involved in the identification of quantitative genetic and genomic links between the host animal and rumen microbial community as well as microbial genes to be exploited for the mitigation of methane emissions and improvement of feed conversion efficiency, meat quality, animal health, behavioural and welfare traits in ruminants.