Júlia Guazzelli Pezzali Position/Title: Ph.D. Candidate email: jguazzel@uoguelph.ca Phone: Office: ANNU 229 Google Scholar Research Gate LinkedIn Twitter

Since early in life, I have been extremely passionate about problem-solving and agriculture. Fortunately enough, throughout my academic training I have been able to combine both passions in one mission: to contribute to research and knowledge dissemination in companion animal nutrition with the hope to improve the lives of pets through the optimization of pet food production.

I'm originally from Xanxere, a small town located in southern Brazil. My passion for animals led me to Veterinary School. In 2017, I earned my Degree of Veterinary Medicine from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. After completion of my DVM, I moved to the United States to pursue my master’s degree at Kansas State University under the supervision of Dr. Greg Aldrich. My master’s research focused on the use different carbohydrate sources in dog diets. During my masters, I also had the opportunity to further my knowledge in pet food processing. I’m currently pursuing my PhD at the University of Guelph under the supervision of Dr. Anna-Kate Shoveller, where I investigate the metabolism of sulfur amino acids in cats. The main goals of my research are 1) to use the indicator amino acid oxidation technique to measure the minimum methionine requirement in cats; and 2) to investigate how different levels of methionine impact metabolism, and consequently, animal health. I use isotopic and non-isotopic techniques, and mathematical modeling to address those objectives.  

 I plan to pursue a career in the pet food industry or in academia, researching the use of new processing conditions and nutritional interventions to maximize animal health. In my spare time, I like to read business books, listen to great music, and enjoy the most delicious food in the world: Brazilian barbeque!

Featured Publications:

1. JG Pezzali et al. An Overview of the Effect of Diet on the Allergenicity of Cats to Susceptible Humans. 2018. SOJ Veterinary Sciences.
2. JG Pezzali and CA Aldrich. Effect of ancient grains and grain-free carbohydrate sources on extrusion parameters and nutrient utilization by dogs. 2019. Journal of Animal Science. doi.org/10.1093/jas/skz237
3. JG Pezzali et al. Effects of different carbohydrate sources on taurine status in healthy Beagle dogs. 2020. Journal of Animal Science. doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa010
4. JG Pezzali et al. Characterization of white and red sorghum flour and their potential use for production of extrudate crisps. 2020. PlosOne. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234940
5. JG Pezzali et al Effects of autoclaving on mechanical properties of bovine bones and their use as chewing agents for dogs. 2021. Translational Animal Science. doi.org/10.1093/tas/txab068
6. JG Pezzali et al. The use of protein binders and sorghum crisps as potential ingredients in a cereal bar for dogs. Journal of Sensory Studies. doi.org/10.1111/joss.12689
7. JG Pezzali et al. Examining the effects of diet composition, soluble fiber and species on total fecal excretion of bile acids: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.748803
8. JG Pezzali and Shoveller AK. Short communication: the effects of a semi-synthetic diet with inclusion of black soldier fly larvae meal on health parameters of healthy adult cats. doi.org/10.1093/jas/skab290