When I googled Zexi Cai before interviewing him, it seemed that he went from his Bachelor to his Master’s degree and then straight on to a PhD position in China, then moved to Denmark, where he continued his career as postdoc at QGG, before landing a position as tenure track assistant professor in December 2020.

What is your area of research?

‘- My area of research is majorly animal genetics and genomics. This is the majority of the work I'm doing, and now I also spend a lot of time on the rumen microbiome or microbiome research, and part of this research is also connected to animal genetics,’ Zexi Cai explains.

‘- We want to see how the genome of the animals, especially the cattle, can affect its rumen microbiome, that is, the composition of the micro species in its rumen. I think this is something important for the green transition, we need to reduce the emission from the cattle, and this could be the key point,’ he elaborates.

So that's something you want to work on as an associate professor?

‘- Yes, but in the future, I also plan to extend my work in microbiome to biodiversity and evolution, because when you see the relationship between the cattle and its rumen microbiome, it's a dynamic and complex interaction. It also involves the co-evolution of two parties. The cattle host micro-species in the rumen, and the microorganism digests the feed and contributes to the well-being of the cattle. I think this model is also applied for different kinds of ecosystems.’

What made you choose genetics and genomics?

‘- I think it's always been the genomics that interested me’, Zexi starts.

‘- The genome of a species is like a cookbook, a collection of recipes. The phenotype*) of this species is then like the prepared dish or meal. So, let's say the list of ingredients is the genes and their functions, but we don't know how these ingredients turn into the finished dish, i.e. the regulation of genes. Both the ingredients and the procedure on how to use them are both written in the genome. But this is not easy to decode, especially for the gene regulations. No matter what I'm working on, it's actually about how to identify the ingredients (genes and their function) and to decode how to use the ingredients (gene regulations) in the genome. I think basically decoding the cookbook of the genome is my motivation to do research. Even when we are working on different species, working with different methods, I think this is the key point for me,’ he explains.

Why did you choose to apply for a position at QGG?

‘- At that time, QGG had a project to work on the mink genome, and it was very attractive and aligned with my wish for genomic research. So basically, in the phase of identifying the ingredients, we also used that information to build the population for mapping.’

So, you finished your PhD in China and came directly to Denmark and QGG?

‘- Not directly, there is a little time in between because I had tried to find a position for a couple of months in Denmark. My wife was already working at Aarhus University, also in agriculture research but on the legume species. She was here for her PhD, and I came with her and then found a position at QGG. After her PhD graduation, she had two years of postdoc at the University of Copenhagen.’

With two active research careers in the household, they often discuss work over dinner. However, their two children aged 3 and 7½ keep both parents busy in their spare time.

When I asked Zexi what he does in his spare time, he chuckled:

‘- It’s actually not so much spare time, because the time I’m not at work I’m spending with the kids and now my son is regularly going to football training. That’s twice a week, and sometimes also in the weekend for matches. My daughter is also very active, so in the weekends or after work I play with my son, or I go to the playground with my daughter.’

It sounds like they keep you busy. Do you have a hobby?

‘- A hobby? That would probably be football. But I don’t play very much now, I just watch some games and discuss football with my son and some of my son’s classmates’ parents.’

Do you sometimes go to a football match in the Danish league?

‘- Not really, I’m mostly watching the German ones, the Bundesliga. That’s something I started to watch during my childhood. My favourite team is Bayern München.’

Did you ever go there to see them?

‘- Not really in the stadium. I mostly watch them on TV. I watched many German football matches over the years.’

What is the biggest cultural difference you have experienced?

‘- I think the biggest cultural difference would be the casual culture in the workplace. As long as you do what you are supposed to do, but how you do it is more like… you can choose. It’s a special work culture, I think, a unique and special work culture. We always trust people, trust that you do your work.’

And when you are at home or out in society, what is the biggest cultural difference you have experienced?

‘- I think I can say it's also casual. As long as you don't interrupt or have a negative impact on others, then you are welcome to do whatever you want. And another aspect is, I think, the whole society is pretty caring about the happiness of the kids. At my children’s daycare institute and the school, they emphasize that a lot. And the socializing for the kids and the socializing for the kids with the elders, they really emphasize that,’ he concludes.