A fantastic gathering of brilliant minds in pig gut health and nutrition research! This picture captures the energy, collaboration, and team spirit that made our second annual meeting in Wageningen such a success.
We wrapped up the 2024 PIG-PARADIGM Annual Meeting with outstanding success! This year, we welcomed over 70 participants and expanded the program from 2 to 3 days, adding a dedicated workshop day for Early Career Researchers. The event was filled with inspiring talks, fruitful discussions, and valuable knowledge exchange — all while strengthening the bonds within our amazing community.
Special thanks to the WUR team (Hauke Smidt, Anna Jonkers, Mirjam Wijntjes, Mohak Gujare, Gwen Meijers, Mike Loomans, Jasper J. Koehorst, Michiel Kleerebezem, Jerry Wells, Barış Erhan Özdinç, Peter Schaap, Oshin Manohar Vellalara, Adam Bindas, Ph.D.) for their warm hosting.
I had the pleasure of participating in the ShotgunMetagenomics workshop, expertly organized by Mani Arumugam and Judit Szarvas from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, together with C. Titus Brown and Anneliek ter Horst from the University of California, Davis.
The workshop was designed to give project participants — especially Early Career Researchers — a deeper understanding and hands-on experience with shotgun metagenomics data. Mani opened the day with an engaging lecture on metagenomics, followed by an intensive afternoon of practical exercises led by Judit and Anneliek. We explored reconstructing microbialgenomes, quantifying antimicrobialresistance, and comparing sample groups.
This training was an excellent opportunity to strengthen my bioinformatics skills and gain valuable experience in pig gut microbiome analysis, helping to bridge the gap between biology and advanced metagenomics data interpretation.
During my visit to Hamlet Protein, I gained valuable insights into how their soy-based specialty ingredients are formulated to provide precise nutrition during the crucial early life stages of animals. Their focus on improving health, welfare, and growth performance in young animals ensures enhanced lifetime productivity. This targeted nutrition strategy not only supports optimal development but also offers producers around the globe a strong return on investment through healthier, more efficient livestock.
I recently completed an intensive two-week course on ‘Carbohydrates & Intestinal Health of Non-Ruminants,’ where I had the incredible opportunity to meet many experts and fellow researchers. Among them were Dr. Hans H. Stein from the University of Illinois, USA, and his student, with whom I built valuable connections and friendships. It was inspiring to learn alongside two giants in the field, Dr. Stein, renowned for his pioneering research on nutrient digestibility and metabolism in monogastric animals and humans, and Knud Erik Back, whose expertise in carbohydrate analysis and the nutritional and health impacts of carbohydrates in animals is outstanding. The experience was a perfect blend of networking, friendship, and deep learning, greatly enriching my PhD journey.
Here’s a snapshot from my first week at Aalborg University, Chemistry and Life Science Department, working with the inspiring research group of my supervisor, Jeppe Lund Nielsen. Excited to dive deeper into bioinformatics! more updates coming soon!
Visiting UC Davis was an incredible experience, both fun and inspiring! It was a fantastic opportunity to explore new ideas, meet amazing people, and immerse myself in a vibrant research environment. Looking forward to more adventures like this!
I was deeply honored to be awarded the highly competitive University of Queensland Research Training Scholarship for Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidature, an internationally recognized award valued at $29,863 per annum for 3.5 years (with a possible extension) and including Single Overseas Student Health Cover. Offered by the University of Queensland, one of Australia’s leading research-intensive universities and consistently ranked among the world’s top institutions, this scholarship is granted only to candidates demonstrating exceptional academic excellence and research potential. While this was a remarkable opportunity to join a world-class research environment in Brisbane, I ultimately chose to pursue my current position, which aligns even more closely with my long-term scientific goals and ambitions.