Professor Blair is Deputy Head of Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences. Professor Blair lectures in animal breeding and genetics to undergraduate and postgraduate students and mentors staff on matters relating to research and commercialisation. He is regularly asked to sit on Panels to assess applications for research funding at institute, university, local and national levels. Professor Blair is currently the Acting Director of the National Research Centre for Growth and Development (a Centre of Research Excellence), Acting Director of the Equine Trust (a Partnership for Excellence), Co-Director of the Joint Research Centre for Developmental Biology and Sheep Breeding (Chinese Academy of Sciences/Massey University) and a Board member of the Allan Wilson Centre and New Zealand Animal Evaluation Ltd He has been an international consultant to the FAO, IAEA and INIA (Uruguay), is Patron of the Rare Breeds Conservation Society and consults to several businesses which breed sheep, fish and dogs.