Chair's Welcome!
The Department of Animal and Avian Sciences was formed in 1997 through the merger of the Animal Science, Dairy Science and Poultry Science Departments. Animal science is the study of domesticated animals used for food, biomedical research and leisure. Our department fulfills a tripartite mission of research, teaching, and extension. Departmental research programs are focused in four areas:
- Animal Genetics and Cell Biology
- Nutrient Utilization and Management
- Animal Reproduction and Development
- Pathobiology and Infectious Diseases
The Animal Science graduate program offers advanced training in each of these research focus areas. Learn More>>
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Department Newsletter
Read our latest Newsletter, which highlights faculty, staff, and student academic and research achievements.
Students
Graduate School’s Outstanding Research Assistant Award
It has been announced that ANSC graduate student, Chaitra Surugihalli will be recognized with one of the Graduate School’s Outstanding Research Assistants Awards (AY 2018-19) at the Graduate School’s Annual Fellowship and Award Celebration on May 14, 2019. >>
Bioscience Day 2018 Poster Winners
On November 13, graduate students, Chaitra Surugihalli from Dr. Sunny’s lab and Rini Pek from Dr. Hamza’s lab, were winners in the poster competition for Bioscience Day 2018 in the Stamp Student Union. >>
Timothy Sheets Receives Young Investigator Award
Timothy Sheets, doctoral candidate in Dr. Bhanu Telugu's laboratory, was
recently selected for the young investigator travel award to present his research during the Large Animal Genetic Engineering Summit in Park City, Utah. >>
Faculty/Staff
Dr. VanKlompenberg Wins AGNR On-campus Professional Track Faculty Excellence Award
Dr. Monica VanKlompenberg was awarded the On-campus Professional Track Faculty Award on Wednesday, May 15th at the 2019 State of the College Awards & Service Recognition Ceremony. >>
Dr. Porter receives Golden Alumni Award
The Department of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota awarded Dr. Tom Porter with the Golden Alumni Award for Achievement in Academia. The Golden Alumni Award recognizes an alumnus from academia that has achieved distinction in their professional life for their outstanding contributions to animal agriculture and exceptional service to their respective fields.
Peters awarded ARPAS Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Robert Peters received the 2019 Washington D.C. Area Chapter American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) Dr. Vernon G. Pursel Memorial Distinguished Service Award. >>
Sarah Balcom Wins Woodrow Wilson Foundation Excellence in Teaching Fellowship
ANSC Professor Sarah Balcom received a $20,000 Excellence in Teaching Fellowship from Course Hero & the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. This program program provides “Genius Grants” to Tenure-Track and Non-Tenure-Track Faculty to recognize, promote outstanding teaching. >>
Dr. Jourdeuil Awarded Fellowship
Dr. Karyn Jourdeuil was awarded a $20,000 Postdoctoral Fellowship from the American Association of Anatomists for her proposal, "Investigating the role of gap junctions and connexin proteins in chick trigeminal ganglion
formation" >>
Welcome Dr. Shawna Weimer
In December, the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences welcomed Dr. Shawna Weimer to the faculty as an Assistant Professor, specializing in Poultry Extension. >>
2018 Shorb Lecture
The 2018 Shorb Lecture, co-sponsored by ANSC and NFSC, was given on October 23 by Dr. David Mangelsdorf, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. >>
Research
Dr. Porter receives fourth NIFA grant
Dr. Porter and colleagues were awarded a fourth grant in the past three years from the USDA-NIFA for their proposal titled "Molecular Basis for Egg Production Rates in Turkey Hens". >>
Dr. Moyes awarded USDA Grant
Dr. Kasey Moyes was awarded a $498,500 grant from USDA Animal Health Program (2018-22) for her proposal, “PlyC: Use of recombinant bacteriophage endolysin as a mastitis therapeutic in lactating dairy cows”. >>
Dr. Stahl and Dr. Telugu awarded $1.6 Million Grant
Drs. Chad Stahl and Bhanu Telugu have been awarded a $1.6 million grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the NIH for their proposal, “A porcine model for investigating the role of an insulin signaling regulator in development and disease”. >>
Gates Foundation Grant Awarded to Dr. Telugu
The Gates Foundation has awarded a $1.3 million dollar grant to Dr. Bhanu Telugu in the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources to facilitate cutting-edge research into the development of precision breeding technologies. >>
Extension
Breakfast on the Farm
On June 30, 2018 the public was invited to learn about the importance of local agriculture and the journey of farm to table food at the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences’ and University of Maryland Extension’s (UME) first-ever Breakfast on the Farm event, hosted by Teabow Farms in Walkersville, MD and organized by ANSC professor, Dr. Robert Peters and Racheal Slattery, Coordinator of Dairy-Beef Extension Activities. >>
Dairy Field Day
Dr. Bob Peters, on behalf of the department, hosted a Dairy Field Day and tour for local farmers on October
10 at CMREC to discuss results of genomic testing in the University’s
dairy herd. >>
Alumni
Alumnus Daniel Castranova at Charles River
Daniel Castranov (’03) former MS graduate student in Dr. Woods laboratory is an aquatic research specialist studying the living cells and tissues of zebrafish.
ANSC Alumni Teaching in Liberia
ANSC alumni Anna and Nathan Glenn (Class of '12) have gone to Liberia to teach Agriculture.
