Riley M. Sullivan has received the 2025 CAFNR William R. Lamberson Distinguished Thesis Award for her groundbreaking research on maternal recognition of pregnancy in pigs. She received her M.S. in Reproductive Physiology in 2024.  

Her thesis, “Functional Analysis of Pregnancy in the Pig: The Two Essential Conceptus Maternal Recognition Signals for Preventing Luteolysis,” redefines a 50-year-old model by demonstrating the essential and combined role of conceptus-derived estrogen and prostaglandins in maintaining pregnancy. 

Under the mentorship of Rodney Geisert, professor emeritus in the Division of Animal Sciences, Sullivan used advanced CRISPR gene-editing to develop a triple knockout model targeting two aromatase genes and PTGS2. She successfully generated biallelic-edited cell lines, executed somatic cell nuclear transfer, and collaborated with leading scientists across labs. Her work culminated in a highly cited publication in Biology of Reproduction, named Editor’s Choice in the October 2024 issue. 

Sullivan presented her findings at major conferences including the 11th International Conference on Pig Reproduction and earned the 2022 USDA NIFA-AFRI Merit Award. She has the ability to integrate multiple disciplines, troubleshoot complex experiments and lead collaborative projects, nominators say. 

“During Riley’s graduate program she served as an undergraduate teaching assistant for several Animal Sciences courses including my class on Reproductive Physiology,” Geisert said. “Riley has a gift for teaching and really was involved with assisting undergraduates to learn and understand the material in our reproductive physiology labs.” 

“Riley is easy to work with, she is smart, she is inquisitive, she is a good person, and she is a team player,” said Randy Prather, Curators’ Distinguished Professor, Emeritus, in the Division of Animal Sciences. “These attributes allowed her to discover new information about the embryo and the maternal system and alter the way the scientific community thinks about communication between the embryo and the mother. Her research will be cited long into the future as the gold standard for estrogen and prostaglandin’s role during gestation.”