384 Scientific Training Programs for Undergraduate and Graduate Students: Exposure to Fundamental Science

Abstract

Abstract Training students in animal science can be difficult to achieve in a comprehensive manner. It is a multidisciplinary field where many different areas are necessary to successfully prepare students at multiple levels for the multiple employment opportunities they can choose from as they near graduation and enter the workforce. The approach we have taken with our teaching program is one where students are trained in both experiential animal husbandry techniques as well as areas of fundamental sciences such as cellular and molecular biology. A farm to fork systems approach is being taken to demonstrate the varied areas of study available and aid students in finding their niche. Students first spend time acquiring practical and hands-on experience in animal husbandry, animal food manufacturing, and meat processing and food science research. Most of the projects that students participate in while acquiring animal husbandry skills involve several collections of various types of samples over the animal rearing period for cell isolation and in vitro culture, proteomics, cell-labeling technologies, cryohistology, immunofluorescence staining, and digital microscopy. Our research program focuses primarily on the influence of management and nutrition on the development of the local intestinal immune system, development and growth of the intestine and skeletal muscle and how those interact to impact the overall growth and health of livestock. Exposing students to some of the different types of analyses conducted in research involving fundamental science allows them to gain skills required to determine the mechanisms behind the more applied research results they obtain. Integrating applied and fundamental science in a research setting helps prepare students for several different avenues of employment upon completion of the program. The overall success of this training program has been demonstrated over the last 5 years based on student and employer feedback.