ekim02's picture    

Emily Kim


Position/Title: Ph.D Candidate
email: ekim02@uoguelph.ca
Phone: (519) 824-4120 ext. 56226
Office: ANNU 132

Research gate site link
Research
Gate
LinkedIn site link
LinkedIn

Biography:

I am currently a Ph.D. Candidate studying poultry nutrition under the supervision of Dr. Elijah Kiarie. I started as a summer research assistant in Dr. Kiarie's Monogastric Nutrition lab in May of 2016 right after I completed my undergraduate degree. During this time, I developed a keen interest in investigating alternative feeding strategies to support gut health as consumer demand continues to push the poultry industry to phase out the use of antibiotics. The primary challenges with implementing antibiotic-free feeding programs are increased incidences of enteric diseases, impaired nutrient absorption, and increased mortalities, which ultimately can lead to considerable economic loss for poultry producers. My Master's project involved the use of exogenous epidermal growth factor as a potential alternative to antibiotics in broiler chickens and to understand its trophic effect on the functionality and health of the GI tract. 

 

Building off my Master's project, my Ph.D project is now looking at re-defining amino acid (AA) requirements for antibiotic-free broilers. Without the use of antibiotics, broilers would have to rely on their own immune systems to fight off clinical and sub-clinical diseases such as coccidiosis and/or necrotic enteritis. Therefore AA that would have otherwise been used for growth and other metabolic processes, are redirected towards sustaining the immune system. Moreover, the ideal AA ratio needed for optimum performance and growth can change due to physiological state (ie. biochemical and physiological changes caused by disease pathogenesis). This suggests that the AA requirements of broilers raised in drug-free programs may differ from that of broilers raised in conventional practices. My hope is that the results from my study will reflect a more precise view of AA requirements in broilers for the prevention and/or treatment of enteric infections, improving intestinal morphology and nutrient absorption, and to promote overall intestinal health of birds as we continue to move towards more antibiotic-free feeding programs.   

 

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and finding new places to hike with my dog.   

 

Education: 

Ph.D. Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph (2018-current)

M.Sc. Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph (2016-2018)

Thesis title: Effects of epidermal growth factor on gastrointestinal development and function for improved growth and efficiency in poultry

B.Sc. Animal Biology, University of Guelph (2012-2016)