Susanta Behura, assistant professor in the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), has received a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to support an international project at the intersection of animal agriculture, environmental adaptation and genomics.
Behura will travel to Odisha, India, in two separate four-month visits to partner with researchers at Utkal University. There, he will study how native cattle breeds are genetically and epigenetically adapting to increasingly intense and prolonged heat conditions. The project also includes teaching responsibilities, where Behura will educate graduate students on how to apply modern genomic and data science to address challenges in animal agriculture under extreme environmental stress.
“In India, dairy cows are often exposed to temperatures as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit with nearly 70 percent humidity,” Behura said. “Without access to cooling systems or mitigation infrastructure, these animals face significant health risks and productivity losses, which can have devastating economic consequences for the millions of farmers who rely on them.”
Behura’s research will focus on DNA methylation, an epigenetic mechanism that may help explain why some cattle breeds are more heat tolerant than others. He will collect and analyze blood samples from different breeds during both summer and winter months to track biological responses to temperature stress.
“This work is about more than just cattle health,” Behura said. “It’s about improving food security, supporting livelihoods and advancing sustainable animal agriculture.”
The Fulbright experience will also enhance Behura’s work at Mizzou, where he leads research and graduate education in bioinformatics and functional genomics. He plans to use insights from his time in India to help develop new courses and possibly a full program focused on animal resilience — an area of growing importance as global weather patterns continue to shift.
“There’s an opportunity here to help prepare the next generation of scientists and agricultural leaders to creatively tackle complex challenges,” Behura said. “That’s something I’m excited to bring back to Mizzou and build on with colleagues across disciplines.”
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange initiative. As a Fulbright Scholar, Behura joins a distinguished network of faculty and professionals dedicated to cross-cultural collaboration and research with global impact.