Meet The Speakers

Scott Rankin is a professor and chair at the University of Wisconsin’s Food Science Department. His research focuses on the characterization of primarily dairy food flavor with sensory and instrumental techniques. With a majority Extension appointment, he also offers numerous programs and short courses in support of the dairy foods processing industry.

Mohapatra is a research associate at UW–Madison. Her postdoctoral fellowship is Hub-funded and she is a member of the Pan Lab, which researches bioenergy and bioproducts, at UW–Madison. Mohapatra received her PhD in fermentation technology from Biju Patnaik University in India.

Project summary: Whey protein phospholipid concentrate (WPPC) is a byproduct of whey protein isolate production and is underutilized within the dairy industry.  WPPC is rich in glycosylated bioactive compounds, including milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) proteins, which make up 23% of the total relative protein content. These glycoproteins, including mucins, offer potential binding properties to bacterial cell surface proteins and resources for probiotic growth. To assess this, we used the gut symbiont Limosilactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 6475, an established probiotic that binds mucus. First, we enriched the glycoproteins using sequential microfiltration and ultrafiltration, resulting in enriched glycoproteins free of simple sugars. Subsequently, we examined the binding capacity of these glycosylated proteins from the WPPC fraction to L. reuteri, as well as their ability to support in vitro L. reuteri growth.  Our results indicate that, based on SDS-PAGE analysis, that glycosylated WPPC proteins and L. reuteri form a complex. Microscopy of crystal violet staining showed binding between WPPC and L. reuteri. Further evaluation of bacterial survival in modified MRS (mMRS) and phosphate-buffer saline (PBS) at 37 °C and 4 °C in the presence or absence of WPPC demonstrated enhanced viability (but they donot grow) with WPPC during the first three days. However, after three days, the rate by which microbial viability was reduced was comparable in samples with or without WPPC.  Notably, mMRS supplemented with WPPC enhanced the growth of L. reuteri. Subsequent growth studies in three defined media (DMs) consisting of all nutrients without i) carbohydrates (LDMa), ii) amino acids (LDMb), and iii) fatty acids (LDMc) indicated that sugars released from WPPC promote the growth of L. reuteri. In sum, our findings provide a foundation to further investigate the potential of WPPC as a prebiotic with potential applications in industry, agriculture and health care.

Becca earned her Bachelor’s in Food Science and a certificate in Art Studios at UW Madison. In school, she focused on product development and organic chemistry, and co-taught the first-year chemistry laboratory. Becca joined the Ozturk lab in Summer 2024. In her free time, Becca enjoys cooking, power lifting, Ultimate frisbee, and astronomy. In her future, Becca hopes to work in industry for a few years before returning to school and becoming a teaching professor.

Project summary: Whey protein phospholipid concentrate (WPPC) is an underutilized byproduct of whey protein isolate. While there is interest in extracting the bioactive compounds in WPPC, the extensive heat and physical processing during WPPC production may trap the fats in proteins. This study evaluates two pilot-scale trials: one starting from raw milk and experiencing a single batch pasteurization, and another that experienced HTST pasteurization as milk and skim whey prior to filtration. Additional heat treatments were applied to WPPC to investigate the effect of post-filtration processing. SDS-PAGE, MFG and dynamic light scattering measurements, and microscopy all revealed larger aggregates with increasing, post-filtration heat. HPLC confirmed loss of native β-lactoglobulin with increasing heat treatments. Lipid oxidation tests pointed to HTST treatment possibly protecting against secondary oxidation products. These findings emphasize how thermal processing effects structural and oxidative changes in WPPC, and highlights the need for further processing research to improve fractionation and utilization.

Armstrong is a PhD student at UW-Madison. As part of the Food Science PhD program, he studies membrane filtration technologies and their applications to dairy stream byproducts and their subsequent nutritional potential. He works closely with both the food science department as well as the nutritional science department at UW-Madison. He is also an active officer in the Wisconsin National guard. His past academic experiences include a B.S. in Microbiology and certificate in fermented foods and beverages both from UW-Madison. He also completed the UW PREP post bachelor's program upon returning from army duties to an academic path. His hobbies include curling, rugby, and golf. He was team captain for the UW curling team winning college nationals in 2024. 

Project summary: Nutrition is vital for developmental physiology, and dairy-derived macronutrients have shown positive health outcomes, particularly bone health. Whey protein phospholipid concentrate (WPPC) is an underutilized dairy stream rich in bioactive macronutrients, including milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) lipids and proteins. MFGM serves as a carrier for biologically active molecules in the gastrointestinal tract, correlating with positive outcomes for bone health. However, the details related to bone health are still not well understood. Our 12-week dietary intervention revealed that isocaloric supplementation with WPPC, along with its lipid and protein components, differentially influences femur length and bone mineral density in weanling mice transitioning to early adulthood. Bone imaging scans indicated a 4.44% increase in femur length in the protein-supplemented group and 4.01% in the WPPC group. Furthermore, the fat-supplemented group showed a significant 6.15% increase in bone mineral density, alongside notable changes in gut microbiome composition. These findings highlight the potential applications of WPPC in enhancing childhood nutrition strategies.

Wang is a postdoctoral research associate in the Huber Research Group in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at UW–Madison. He specializes in chemical engineering and is passionate about the intersection of water, energy, food, and environmental sustainability.

Project summary: The U.S. dairy industry produces approximately 60 million tons of cheese whey and Greek yogurt acid whey annually, much of which is discarded, causing environmental and economic concerns. However, whey is a valuable resource rich in lactose, which can be transformed into high-value products like tagatose, a low-calorie sweetener with increasing market demand. Our research developed a scalable process intergrading catalytic-hydrolysis and chemo-isomerization that can efficiently convert lactose into tagatose with high yield in a quick manner. This approach significantly outperforms enzymatic methods, which are slow, multi-step, and less efficient. To further enhance purity and yield, we integrated simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography for effective separation and purification. By adopting this process, the dairy industry can reduce waste, create new revenue streams, and support a more sustainable food system while meeting consumer demand for healthier sweeteners.

Shih earned his BS in Human Nutrition from Chung Shan Medical University in Taiwan and an MPH in Public Health Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). He is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) in both Taiwan and the US. After graduating from UNC, Shih worked as a research technician at the National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program. His expertise lies in high-throughput drug screening binding and functional methods, and skills in molecular biology and animal studies. The intersection of nutritional sciences and pharmacology inspired him to become a dietitian-scientist, leading him to pursue a PhD in Nutrition and Metabolism at UW-Madison where he joined the Bolling Lab at the end of 2023. 

Project summary: Choline, an essential nutrient in eggs, dairy, seafood, and organ meats, supports brain function, hepatic metabolism, and cellular structure and signaling. Despite its importance, choline intake remains inadequate for most of the U.S. population, as noted in the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Therefore, there is a critical need to find new strategies to increase choline intake become crucial to resolve the underconsumption of choline.

Here, we conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the bioavailability and safety of whey protein phospholipid concentrate (WPPC), a novel dairy ingredient, in postmenopausal women, who are particularly vulnerable to choline deficiency due to hormonal and metabolic shifts. Participants will receive either WPPC or whole egg as a control treatment in beverages with equivalent choline content. Blood, urine, and fecal samples will be analyzed to determine WPPC's efficacy, safety, and any potential adverse effects.

Martinez Boggio is a post doctoral research associate at UW–Madison. He is a member of the Peñagaricano lab, and his research focuses on reducing enteric methane emissions from dairy cattle and the development and application of methods to incorporate omics traits.

Talk summary: Enteric methane (CH4) is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farming. Routine recording of CH4 emissions at commercial farms can be challenging. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of predicting CH4 production using different data sources. We used data from 826 mid-lactation Holstein cows enrolled in 23 trials at 4 research farms. Data comprised daily CH4 production, daily milk yield (MY), milk composition, milk spectra data from AM and PM milkings, and body weight records. We evaluated three alternative models to predict CH4 production. Model predictive ability was assessed in cross-validation using 10-fold cross-validation (cv105) and leave-one-trial-out cross-validation (loto). Model GS achieved the highest correlations between the predicted and observed CH4 production (cv105 0.86; loto 0.77), followed by model S (cv105 0.72; loto 0.54) and model XB (cv105 0.61; loto 0.33). Our findings support that FT-MIR can be used to predict methane emissions in dairy cows.

Nascimento is a postdoctoral research associate at UW–Madison in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. She is mentored by assistant professor Francisco Peñagaricano and professor Kent Weigel. Her research is focused on the effect of heat stress in feed efficiency of dairy cows and involves quantitative genetics and high-throughput phenotypes. 

Talk summary: High-frequency data from wearable sensors are a valuable source of information to identify more consistent and efficient dairy cows. Out study aimed to estimate genetic parameters of behavioral traits and their association with feed efficiency in lactating Holstein cows. Data consisted of daily rumination and lying time, consistency of these behavioral traits, dry matter intake (DMI), and residual feed intake (RFI) records from 728 cows evaluated at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Our results demonstrate that both behavioral traits and the consistencies are heritable. Genetic correlations indicate that more efficient cows tend to spend more time lying and ruminate less. Additionally, cows with more consistent rumination also have more consistent lying time, while cows with more inconsistent lying time tend to eat more and be less feed efficient. Overall, sensor-based behavioral traits and their consistency are genetically correlated with feed efficiency traits and could be used as indicators of feed-efficient cows.

Chasco is a graduate student at UW–Madison. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in dairy science mentored by Francisco Peñagaricano, focusing on statistics, programming, mathematics, and quantitative genetics - with a specialty in genomic prediction. Chasco is motivated by the possibility of driving innovations for faster and more effective breeding programs.

Talk summary: Estrus in dairy cows is characterized by behavioral changes such as increased activity and decreased rumination, which can be monitored using wearable sensors. This study evaluated the genetic variability of estrus expression traits and their genetic correlations with milk production. Data included bi-hourly activity and rumination records from 8,800 cows collected over two years on a commercial farm. Estrus traits (count, duration, and strength) were assessed during the voluntary waiting period (11-70 DIM) and were highly associated with likelihood of pregnancy success. Heritability estimates ranged from 0.15±0.02 to 0.29±0.03. All estrus traits showed a negative genetic correlation with 305-day mature equivalent milk production (-0.26±0.08). These findings demonstrate that estrus traits are heritable and can be selected for improved expression, which is significantly associated with higher pregnancy success. However, caution is needed as this may come with trade-offs in milk production.

Larsen is a doctoral student at UW–Madison in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. She is mentored by associate professor Jimena Laporta. She studies heat stress in calves and heifers.

Project summary: Dairy calves exposed to heat stress experience stunted growth and reduced welfare. It is expected that there will be an increase in heat-stress days and addressing this issue is crucial for the dairy industry to ensure sustainability and herd productivity. Through different iterations of fans both individual and large scale, we are looking into how providing active ventilation through fans to calves during early life can improve the internal hutch microclimate and facilitate effective thermoregulation.

Assumpção is pursuing a PhD in animal and dairy sciences and is mentored by Hilario Mantovani. She earned her master’s in animal productivity and quality from University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Her research project evaluated nutritional strategies to mitigate the methane emission on beef cattle production, through evaluation of the parameters and products of enteric fermentation and the rumen microbiota.

Project summary: Many strategies to mitigate CH4 emissions and enhance nutrient utilization have been proposed, including the use of feed additives. The current work aimed to explore the anti-methanogenic capacity of pure compounds for potential development of new additives with a greater potential to minimize methanogenesis with minimum side effects. Four in vitro experiments explored gas production and composition, VFAs, rumen microbiota, and pH. The first experiment screened 16 molecules, including polyphenols, flavonoids, fatty acids, amino acids, and salts, at 10 mM. Seven molecules advanced to the second experiment, which included four nitro compounds with known anti-methanogenic properties. Clustering analyses identified four promising compounds: carvacrol, nitroethane, 2-nitroethanol, and 2-nitro-1-propanol. These were tested at concentrations of 0, 1.25, 2.5, 5, and 10 mM to determine their effectiveness. The final experiment examined the synergistic effects of carvacrol and 2-nitroethanol in a full dose and half dose, suggesting potential for enhanced methane reduction strategies.

Wallace is a master's candidate at UW–Madison in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. She is mentored by assistant professor Lautaro Rostoll Cangiano focusing on dairy cattle immunology and host pathogen interactions for improving animal health and welfare.

Project summary: This study evaluated metabolic changes and proliferation capacity of T helper cells in dairy cows during the periparturient period. Blood samples were taken from multiparous cows (n=18) at days -28, +3, and +28 relative to calving. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated, and CD4+ T cells enriched using magnetic sorting. Metabolic function was assessed using the XF Seahorse mini-analyzer in both resting and activated cells, while proliferation capacity was measured using cell trace and flow cytometry. Results showed higher glycolytic rates (P <0.01) and oxidative phosphorylation capacity (P <0.05) in activated CD4+ T cells post-partum. Proliferation capacity, evaluated by expansion and division index, was greater on day +3 compared to day -28 (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that CD4+ T cells undergo significant metabolic and proliferative changes during the transition period, with enhanced function during the postpartum phase.

Cid de la Paz is pursing a master’s degree in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences and is mentored by Lautaro Rostoll Cangiano. She attended the National University of La Plata, where she learned and practiced veterinary medicine.

Project summary: The pre-weaning period in calves is critical for health and survival, with high mortality and morbidity rates, posing a challenge in the dairy industry. Proper colostrum management is key to reducing these risks. Colostrum not only provides antibodies for disease protection but also contains many other components, such as immune cells, cytokines, and growth factors, which contribute to immune system development.

In this project, we examined how colostrum influences immune programming. We applied three treatments: colostrum-deprived (milk replacer only), fresh colostrum, and frozen colostrum. Immune cells were isolated and analyzed using flow cytometry to assess key populations, including cytotoxic T cells, T helper cells, and gamma delta T cells.

Our results showed significant differences in immune cell populations between calves receiving colostrum (fresh or frozen) and those that did not. These findings highlight colostrum’s role in both passive immunity and immune system development, emphasizing its importance for long-term calf health.