Faculty & Staff

Sara Gragg
Professor and Department Chair                                                                                 
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
2110 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
sgragg@wisc.edu ◆ (608) 265-4454 ◆ 

Interests: Dr. Sara Gragg’s research program investigates food safety issues affecting the meat industry, with specific interests in post-harvest interventions to prevent and/or reduce pathogen presence. She is particularly interested in studying the pre-harvest transmission of foodborne pathogens in food animals, including high-risk animal tissues such as lymph nodes, as well as interventions to reduce foodborne pathogens in live animals. She has taught courses in food microbiology, food policy, contemporary issues in animal science and agriculture, and global food systems leadership.

Steven Ricke
Professor                                                                                               
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
2124 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
sricke@wisc.edu ◆ (608) 262-7328

Interests: Growth, survival, and pathogenesis of foodborne pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and their interactions with the GIT microbiota; Interaction between different prebiotics, the GIT microbiota, and host responses including host immune responses; Pathogen detection and biosensors, especially in poultry; Salmonella in foods and the environment; Salmonella and acid stress.

Jim Claus
Professor
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
2120 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
jrclausjr@wisc.edu ◆ (608) 262-0875

Interests: Improvement in meat tenderness; Muscle pigment chemistry as related to color in fresh and processed meat and poultry; Technology for the development of low-fat processed meats; Textural defects in sectioned and formed poultry products; Meat Processing in terms of lipid oxidation, salt reduction, and protein functionality; Immobilization methods: electrical stun vs CO2 stun; Vascular rinsing of carcasses for modulation of glycolysis with metabolites and with antimicrobials for Salmonella reduction (Lymph nodes); Light display studies; shockwave tenderization; antioxidant effect of encapsulated phosphate.

Wei Guo
Associate Professor                                                                                 
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
2112 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
wguo2@wisc.edu ◆ (608) 263-3676 ◆ 

Interests: Muscle structure and function; Understanding molecular and cellular mechanisms of muscle growth, development, regeneration and associated diseases for meat production and quality; Discovering new value of animal components benefiting animal and human health, such as a treatment for heart muscle diseases; Efficacy of feed and growth performance.

Vanessa Leone
Assistant Professor                                                                                 
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
2118 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
valeone@wisc.edu ◆ (608) 262-5551 ◆ 

Interests: Identifying value-added molecules or materials derived from animal co-products, including microbes & microbially-derived metabolites, that can be used both in biomedical and animal agriculture to improve health and wellness; Novel uses for meat co-products.

Mark Richards
Professor                                                                                 
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
2116 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
mprichards@ansci.wisc.edu ◆ (608) 262-1792 ◆ 

Interests: Role of lipid oxidation in the quality of muscle foods; understanding and quantifying the mechanisms of lipid oxidation in food systems, including the role changes in diet, formulation, or manufacturing procedures play; the role of hemoglobins & myoglobins; Investigate molecular basis of discoloration and off-flavor formation; Explore antioxidant mechanisms for novel strategies in meat and fish, such as rosemary extract carriers.

Jeff Sindelar
Professor                                                                                 
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
2108 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
jsindelar@wisc.edu ◆ (608) 262-0555 ◆ 

Interests: Quality, safety, and sensory characteristics of processed meats; Assisting meat processors in product development, problem solving & regulatory compliance; Intervention strategies to control pathogenic bacteria in meat products; Food safety in thermal processing; Alternative curing safety and quality; Serving as a liaison between academia, government & meat industry; Non-meat ingredient functionality in meat products and sodium reduction.

Cindy Austin
Research Laboratory Manager                                                                               
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
1004 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
cbaustin@wisc.edu ◆

Interests: Plans and executes fee for service food safety studies in the BSL2 Microbiology Lab.

Max Sell
Retail Operations Manager                                                                              
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
1124 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
amsell2@wisc.edu ◆ (608) 262-7801◆ 

Interests: Customer service and experience; Product quality; Retail development.

Laurie Sand
Research Program Coordinator                                                                        
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
2132 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
lacolson@wisc.edu ◆ (608) 263-7761◆ 

Interests: Monitors safety and training in the lab, coordinates the submission of agreements and grant proposals.

Dillon Walker
Meat Plant Operations Manager                                                                 
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
1126 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
dlwalker5@wisc.edu ◆ (608) 262-1793◆ 

Interests: The production of safe, wholesome, high-quality meats for consumption.

Therese Thompson
Plant Production Lead                                                               
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
1126 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
tathompson5@wisc.edu

Interests: Harvest, especially poultry; Butchery; Increasing retail value of cuts; Developing plans to render animal by-products into nutritious products; Researching effects of regenerative agriculture methods on meat quality; Local Farmer/Processor Cooperatives; Food Equity; Training student employees; Encouraging consumers to both reduce & diversify their meat consumption.

Heather Hunt
Outreach Program Manager                                                             
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
2122 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
hbhunt@wisc.edu ◆ (608) 263-4891◆ 

Interests: Connecting with the meat industry and developing programming intended to disseminate meat science to processors and those in allied industries

Matt Finch
Assistant Retail Manager                                                        
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery

matthew.finch@wisc.edu

Interests: Customer service and experience; Product quality; Retail development.

Dave Pertzborn
Maintenance Technician                                                            
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
dgpertzborn@wisc.edu

Interests: Building maintenance needs.

Ky Peters
Outreach Specialist                                                           
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
2122 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
kpeters26@wisc.edu

Interests: Connecting with the meat industry and developing programming intended to disseminate meat science to processors and those in allied industries.

Mason Prester
Assistant Operations Manager                                                         
Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences
Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery
prester@wisc.edu

Interests: The production of safe, wholesome, high-quality meats for consumption.