Alltech Names Semifinalists for Young Scientist Award

May 2, 2009

[Dublin, IRELAND] – Alltech recently announced the semifinalists for the 4th annual Alltech Young Scientist Award. The eight winners were chosen from an applicant pool of more than 1,800 entrants globally, the highest number ever. 2009 marked the first time a graduate level prize was awarded, which allowed those at all levels of university study to compete. Of the eight winners chosen, four were from the undergraduate level and four were from the graduate level. The winners will receive an all expense paid trip to Alltech’s 25th Annual Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium. In addition, the undergraduates receive a $1,000 cash prize, while the graduates receive a $2,000 cash prize. All contestants will move on to the finals where they will compete for the $5,000 and $10,000 grand prize, respectively.

Young Scientist Joanne Thornton from Ireland

Photo: Alltech Staff

Pictured are Joanna Thornton, 3rd year UCD Bachelor of Agricultural Science, Animal Science – Equine student and European Alltech Young Scientist undergraduate winner with Dr. Richard Murphy, Research Laboratory Coordinator, Alltech at the Alltech European Bioscience Research Centre, Dunboyne, Ireland.

“The Alltech Young Scientist Award continues to grow by leaps and bounds,” stated Dr. Inge Russell, competition chair and professor at Herriot Watt University. “These students are the future of our industry and their work illustrates that our industry is in good hands. With bright minds focusing on improving animal health and performance, we should be able to overcome any challenges in the 21^st century.”

“A mere four years ago, as part of our programme of encouraging young people to get into science and stay in science, we created this Young Scientist Award,” said Alltech president, Dr. Pearse Lyons. “Since 2006, the programme has experienced exponential year-on-year growth, both with regard to the volume of applicants and number of different countries participating.”

Winners and topics include:

Undergraduate Level:

Fan Liu
Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
HSP70 as a new biomarker in the development and evaluation of anti-stress feed additives.

Carla Alejandra Contreras Schifferli
Universidad San Sebastian, Chile
Hidrólisis enzimática de la harina de Quinua (Chenopodium quinoa willd) para la obtención de un nuevo substituto proteico en alimento de salmones.

Lindley Reilly
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Could rumen microbes strengthen the sustainability of the poultry, swine, and aquaculture industries worldwide? A review of the literature.

Joanna Thornton
University College Dublin, Ireland
Alternatives to antibiotic growth promotants.

Graduate Level:

Hossan Md. Salim
Chungnam National University, South Korea
Effect of sources and levels of zinc on the carcass quality of broilers.

Guilherme Moura
Universidade Federal de Viçosa Zootecnia, Brazil
Enzimas em dietas para animais: Beneficios e atualidades.

Che Minh Tung
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Effects of mannan oligosaccharide on immune function and disease resistance in pigs.

Annamária Vörös
Szent István University, Gödöllö, Hungary
Diet related changes in the gastrointestinal microbiota of horses.

At Alltech’s Symposium, the winners will present their data to a panel of experts who will evaluate their projects and pose questions. Upon completion, the winners will be announced at a special ceremony where the world’s leaders in the field of animal health and nutrition will be on hand to congratulate them.

Alltech’s 25th International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium will be held May 17-20, in Lexington, Kentucky. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend to learn about the latest technologies designed to improve animal performance.