Animal Health & Production
Aug. 19, 2026
Shelley Curry
Curry is an Assistant Professor of Meat Science in the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri. Curry’s research program focuses on fresh meat quality and lipid biology, with an emphasis on understanding how animal nutrition, physiology and pre-harvest stress influence muscle lipid metabolism, carcass composition and subsequent meat quality. Research themes encompass: 1) determining how nutritional and environmental factors alter lipid deposition and metabolism in skeletal muscle, 2) investigating relationships among muscle lipid characteristics, fatty acid composition and fresh meat quality, 3) developing pre-harvest strategies to improve meat quality, consistency and shelf life, and…
Aug. 19, 2026
Elliott Dennis
Elliott Dennis is an agricultural economist whose research focuses on livestock, poultry, and meat markets. His work examines how livestock are priced and marketed; how producers can manage price volatility; and how issues of production and policy affect producers, processors, and consumers. Through applied research, market analysis, and outreach, Dennis develops practical decision tools and educational programs for livestock and poultry producers and meat processors. His research also supports industry stakeholders and public-sector decision-makers, including State Department of Agriculture, Commodity Groups, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, by informing policy and market-related decisions across the livestock and poultry…
Aug. 18, 2025
Veridiana Daley
Daley’s research program focuses on nutrition and metabolism in dairy cattle, with a strong emphasis on nutrient supply and requirements. Her current work investigates the supply and metabolism of individual amino acids and fatty acids in dairy cows aiming to manipulate milk components (fat and protein). She also conducts modeling studies using advanced programming techniques to integrate nutrition, animal health, and stress physiology into a system-level framework. During her doctoral studies, Daley developed a ration formulation software in Brazil (RLM Leite) designed to support precision feeding strategies. She completed her postdoctoral training through the National Animal Nutrition…
July 18, 2024
Cecilia Rocha
Cecilia has extensive experience in the field of reproductive physiology of beef cows. She develops applied and basic research aiming to increase reproductive efficiency in beef operations. Around 40 to 60% of cows lose a pregnancy in the first 30 days of gestation. Cecilia studies the main events that happen in this moment which could be manipulated to reduce pregnancy loss, such as, interferon-tau signaling, immune response of the uterus, and embryo-maternal crosstalk in uterine tissues. Educational background…
July 15, 2024
Lijing Gao
Gao was trained as an agricultural science communication specialist and an environmental sociologist, focusing on the interconnectedness of agricultural systems with socio-economic, political, and ethical decisions. Her current research focuses on understanding perceptions of livestock biotechnology, particularly genome editing. Gao employs a mixed-method approach. Educational background Courses taught…
July 1, 2024
Jay S. Johnson
Johnson is an Associate Professor of Animal Welfare and Stress Physiology in the Division of Animal Sciences. The overall goal of his research program is to identify production-relevant stressors and evaluate and mitigate their impacts on livestock health, productivity, and welfare. Johnson’s research program uses an integrative physiology approach encompassing aspects of stress physiology, nutritional physiology, and applied ethology to develop and/or improve upon livestock husbandry practices that enhance animal health and welfare while maintaining or increasing economic return for producers. Specific research areas include improving heat stress resilience in swine through genomic selection, improved management, and nutrition to…
Jan. 22, 2024
Thiago Martins
Our laboratory conducts studies on the topics of hormonal control of the estrous cycle and early embryonic losses in beef cattle. Specifically, we investigate progesterone-based strategies to improve efficiency of estrous synchronization programs for beef cows, embryo-maternal communication, and new fertility-promoting molecules. The research studies involve use of steroid assays, ultrasound, molecular techniques, and omics approaches. Our laboratory is also committed to promoting the use of reproductive biotechnologies in cow-calf operations. Educational background…
Oct. 15, 2023
Jamie Courter
Courter’s research focuses on applying genetics, genomics and reproductive technologies to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of beef cattle production. Her research combines quantitative genetics, genomics and reproductive management to address practical challenges facing beef producers, with an emphasis on economically important traits, including fertility and cow productivity. Her work includes evaluating and validating genomic prediction tools, improving the use of EPDs and selection indexes, investigating genetic influences on reproductive performance, and developing strategies for more effective replacement heifer selection and breeding-system design. Her research also explores the integration of genetic selection with reproductive technologies, including sex-sorted…
June 4, 2023
Amy Petry
Petry is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Animal Science at the University of Missouri, where she leads the MU Monogastric Nutrition Research Lab. Her lab utilizes basic and innovative science to develop, advance, or improve applied nutrition solutions. Her team’s research themes encompass: 1) enhancing fiber utilization and its impact on energy and health benefits in swine diets, 2) exploring the interactions between diet and physiology at a whole-body level, 3) optimizing energy and nutrient supply during homeorhetic states, and 4) developing nutritional biomedical pig models. In 2020, Dr. Petry earned her Ph.D. from Iowa State University.
Sep. 1, 2019
Michael J. Petris
The micronutrient copper (Cu) is essential for several key enzymatic processes involved in energy generation, protection against reactive oxygen species, formation of blood vessels, immune function, and healthy functioning of the central nervous system. This nutrient is able to exist in two oxidation states Cu1+ and Cu2+, and participate in the generation of reactive oxygen species. A delicate balance of copper homeostasis must be maintained to provide sufficient levels of this nutrient, while preventing toxic build up. Copper and Cancer Recent evidence suggests that copper plays a key role in tumor growth because this metal…