Dr. Jacqueline Smith completed her PhD in genetics at The University of St. Andrews (UK) and then pursued her postdoctoral training in avian genomics at The Roslin Institute (Edinburgh, UK) where she is now a Senior Group Leader. Her focus is on ‘resilience’ in birds – whether that be through disease resistance or adaptation to environmental stress. One of her main interests is investigating the host response to avian viral infections, examining the genetic mechanisms underlying disease resistance, particularly with regard to Marek’s Disease Virus (MDV) and avian influenza (AI). She also works as part of the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), which is a collaboration between The Roslin Institute, SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College) and ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute) in Africa. This work aims to improve backyard poultry production in sub-Saharan Africa by investigating the genetics of traits related to environmental adaptation and resilience.