Doctoral Student Wins First Place for Research Targeting Salmonella Colonization in Poultry

Sep 26, 2025

Deborah Olubanjo, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Poultry Science, earned first place in the Foodborne Pathogens & Contaminants in Animal-Based Products category at the 17th Annual Arkansas Association for Food Protection (AAFP) meeting in Fayetteville.

Olubanjo, who also delivered a flash talk, presented a poster titled "Genetic determinants of Salmonella Typhimurium required for growth in chicken cecal extract media." Using genome-wide transposon sequencing (Tn-seq), she identified 62 conditionally essential genes that support Salmonella fitness in the chicken cecum ex vivo. These pathways represent actionable targets for interventions such as vaccines, probiotics and feed additives to reduce colonization and improve poultry food safety.

This research builds on the Kwon Lab's transposon mutagenesis program, led by Young Min Kwon, microbiologist in the Department of Poultry Science, which develops and applies high-density Tn-seq to map conditionally essential genes in different environments. By pairing genome-wide fitness profiling with targeted validation, the group translates discovery into focused strategies to disrupt Salmonella persistence in poultry.

About the Department of Poultry Science: The Department of Poultry Science in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas, is part of the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science. The department provides comprehensive programs in research and teaching dedicated to improving the lives of people associated with all components of the poultry industry by generating knowledge through research and putting that knowledge to use through education.

Source : uark.edu

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.