SWANSON, Kelly

Department of Animal Sciences
Ph.D  (2002) University of Illinois

  Research Topics

     - Nutrient effects on gene expression

     - Gastrointestinal microbial populations and fermentation

     - obesity and type 2- diabetes

  Research Interests

    As I develop my research program in the Department of Animal Sciences, I plan to use genomic technology and appropriate animal models to effectively study human nutrition and disease.  By using this technology, metabolic abnormalities associated with a disease may be identified, revealing mechanisms by which nutrients may contribute to pathogenesis and  (or) prevention.  In addition to experiments designed to study human disease, canine and porcine experiments will also be designed to evaluate dietary strategies and concepts that will be applied directly back to the swine production and pet food industries.

     Much of my research will evaluate the impact of nutrient profiles on the development and (or) treatment of complex diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).  Because of its complexity and limited accessibility, effectively studying the gastrointestinal tract has been quite challenging.  However, recent advances in nanotechnology, molecular biology and genome sequencing may enable researchers to identify specific mechanisms by which ingredients and (or) microbial populations affect gut and host health.  I intend to incorporate techniques such as laser capture microdissection, microarray analysis, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and molecular approaches for studying gut microbial populations into my research to generate data that are more informative and mechanistic in nature.  Similar approaches will be used to effectively study obesity, diabetes, and associated disorders. 

  Key words: Gene expression systems, disease models, obesity, type-2diabetes, gastrointestinal health, canine and feline nutrition and disease

  Current Research Funding: Statup Funds, HATCH, Private industry