North Dakota State University's Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy will receive special recognition at the Agriculture, Food, Nutrition and Natural Resources Research and Development Roundtable in Washington, D.C., March 15.
The roundtable, the first of its kind, is being held in conjunction with the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting. Several
agricultural organizations and federal agencies organized the event to raise the awareness of agriculture, food and natural resources research and development and highlight the characteristics of highly productive collaborations to encourage future collaborative efforts.
The Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy (CNP) is a group of scientists and graduate students who are working to increase the number of healthy, productive livestock offspring by ensuring that animals have the optimal maternal environment and nutrition during pregnancy and lactation.
The center's scientists and students are studying a variety of species to better understand pregnancy and nutrition issues, including the impacts of:
* Maternal nutritional intake prior to conception on the fertility of the dam
* Maternal nutritional intake during pregnancy on the growth and development of the fetus and placenta
* Specific nutrients, such as selenium and protein intake, on the growth and development of offspring
* Maternal stress on postnatal performance
* Maternal nutritional intake on the development of the mammary gland and milk production
* Maternal age and genotype on pre- and postnatal growth and development
The CNP was among 14 centers nationwide selected to present at the roundtable and one of six selected for special recognition. Kim Vonnahme and Joel Caton, the center's co-directors, and University Distinguished Professor Larry Reynolds, another member of the center's faculty, will attend the roundtable.
"The CNP helped my research program to achieve wide recognition, and under Drs. Vonnahme and Caton's leadership, the CNP has gained national and international prominence, which is why I nominated it for this well-deserved recognition," Reynolds says.
For more information about the center, visit http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/cnp/about- cnp.
