BMEBT Seminar Presentation by Dr. Philip A. Lessard, Project Mgr. at Agrivida, Inc.
When: Friday,
November 20, 2015
2:00 PM
-
3:00 PM
Where: Textiles Building 101E
Description: TOPIC: A NEW GENERATOIN OF ENZYMES FOR ANIMAL NUTRITION
ABSTRACT:Global demand for high-quality dietary protein is driving the expansion of livestock production. The sustainability of chicken, egg, and pork production, in particular, depend on the development of nutritionally balanced animal feeds. The largest components of animal feed are agricultural products such as corn and soy, which provide macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and oils, as well as micronutrients, such as minerals and vitamins. However, even feed that contains all of the required nutrients may be nutritionally deficient because many nutrients are present in forms that make them difficult to digest or absorb by the animal. To compensate, a grower must either overformulate a diet (e.g. increase the amount of protein present to make up for the portion that is not well absorbed) or add nutrients from alternative and often more expensive sources. In contrast, adding enzymes to animal feed is a strategy that allows the animals to extract more nutritional value from feed by allowing them to digest and absorb more of the nutrients that are already present in feed. This approach improves feed efficiency, reduces waste and ameliorates agricultural pollution.
BRIEF BIO:
Dr. Lessard is a Project Manager at Agrivida, Inc., where he oversees the Biochemistry Department's efforts to develop novel traits for improving feed and energy crops. Dr. Lessard joined Agrivida after 14 years as a Research Scientist, Instructor, Principal Investigator and Fellow of the Cambridge-MIT Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At MIT he ran the Microbial Genetics Project Lab, and his research in the areas of microbial genetics, bioprocess development, and plant molecular biology resulted in over two dozen publications and 5 patents. Prior to joining MIT, Dr. Lessard was a post-doctoral associate in New Products Division at Monsanto Company, where he helped to develop traits for crop improvement. He holds a Ph.D. in Biology and Biomedical Sciences with an emphasis in Plant Biology from Washington University in St. Louis.
ABSTRACT:Global demand for high-quality dietary protein is driving the expansion of livestock production. The sustainability of chicken, egg, and pork production, in particular, depend on the development of nutritionally balanced animal feeds. The largest components of animal feed are agricultural products such as corn and soy, which provide macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and oils, as well as micronutrients, such as minerals and vitamins. However, even feed that contains all of the required nutrients may be nutritionally deficient because many nutrients are present in forms that make them difficult to digest or absorb by the animal. To compensate, a grower must either overformulate a diet (e.g. increase the amount of protein present to make up for the portion that is not well absorbed) or add nutrients from alternative and often more expensive sources. In contrast, adding enzymes to animal feed is a strategy that allows the animals to extract more nutritional value from feed by allowing them to digest and absorb more of the nutrients that are already present in feed. This approach improves feed efficiency, reduces waste and ameliorates agricultural pollution.
BRIEF BIO:
Dr. Lessard is a Project Manager at Agrivida, Inc., where he oversees the Biochemistry Department's efforts to develop novel traits for improving feed and energy crops. Dr. Lessard joined Agrivida after 14 years as a Research Scientist, Instructor, Principal Investigator and Fellow of the Cambridge-MIT Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At MIT he ran the Microbial Genetics Project Lab, and his research in the areas of microbial genetics, bioprocess development, and plant molecular biology resulted in over two dozen publications and 5 patents. Prior to joining MIT, Dr. Lessard was a post-doctoral associate in New Products Division at Monsanto Company, where he helped to develop traits for crop improvement. He holds a Ph.D. in Biology and Biomedical Sciences with an emphasis in Plant Biology from Washington University in St. Louis.
Contact: BMEBT Seminar Series
Topical Areas: University Community, Biology, Bioengineering, College of Engineering