CGIL Seminar: "Improving novel traits in sows to aid survival and performance of piglets"

Dr. Agnese Balzani received her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from the University of Bologna (Italy) with a year exchange at the University of Cordoba (Spain). During her M.Sc. on Food Safety and Quality, she studied the relationship between host and gut microflora of weaned pigs in collaboration with the Veterinary Faculty of Bologna and the Department of Animal Science at Wageningen University (The Netherlands). Before starting her Ph.D. she worked for two years as a research assistant at the National Italian Veterinary Service, where she was involved in a zoonoses monitoring project, mainly running biomolecular analyses to extract virus RNA from ticks and mosquitos. This work experience together with her studies sparked an interest in research and a desire to improve animal health and welfare. She continued her research through a Ph.D. in animal science with an emphasis on pig health, behaviour, and genetics under the supervision of Professor Sandra Edwards of the School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and Professor Heather Cordell of the Institute of Genetics, both at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. She completed the Ph.D. in less than three years time, and soon after she joined the European Food Safety Authority as an animal welfare scientific officer. Agnese joined the Department of Animal Biosciences in April under the supervision of Dr. Alexandra Harlander and Dr. Christine Baes. Her main responsibility is to define behavioural and health traits in turkeys.