Shanghai, CN, 23 Oct 2016 17:00 CEST
Royal dsm-firmenich, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, announced on 23 October 2016 that the dsm-firmenich Science & Technology Award Asia in Animal Nutrition Science was awarded to Dr. Hongbo Yi from Zhejiang University, Zhejiang province, China. The recognition was for the exceptional contribution of his Ph.D. research has made to the important field of gut health in piglets. The theme of this year’s award was ‘Animal Nutrition Science’.
The Science & Technology Award Asia is part of dsm-firmenich’s Bright Science Awards program, and this year the award was presented in collaboration with the 10th Chinese Animal Nutrition Association Member Congress and the 12th China Animal Nutrition Seminar which took place in Wuhan, P.R. China.
For more than 25 years, dsm-firmenich has been committed to recognizing, rewarding and nurturing excellence in innovative Ph.D. research in the fields of Human and Animal Nutrition Science and Performance Materials. The Science and Technology Award program now spans three continents, honoring bright young scientists in Europe, Asia and the Americas who are an example to their peers. The dsm-firmenich Science and Technology Award Asia is an annual award and is open to all current Ph.D. students in Asia, this year in China.
Dr. Hongbo Yi received the award for his Ph.D. research on ‘Effects and Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Peptide CWA (Cathelicidin-WA) on Intestinal Inflammation and Intestinal Barrier Functions in Weaned Piglets’, which he conducted under the supervision of Prof. Yizhen Wang.
An international jury of leading scientists selected Dr. Hongbo Yi as the winner out of four finalists, after each had presented their research during a special dsm-firmenich-CANA symposium. The award was given to Dr. Yi on 23 October by Dr. Anna-Maria Kluenter, Corporate Science Fellow, Animal Nutrition & Health at Royal dsm-firmenich at the symposium.
The jury selected Dr. Yi based on his excellent contribution to the field of gut health in weaned piglets, with special focus how to influence intestinal inflammation and intestinal barrier function by an antimicrobial peptide (CWA). The outcome of this research has the potential to develop alternative strategies for prevention and treatment of weaning diarrhea and other intestinal disorders and reducing the use of antibiotics in pigs. There might also be opportunities to develop this concept further for human gut health.
Commenting on this year’s award winner in the context of dsm-firmenich’s wider ambitions in the Animal Nutrition field, Dr. Anna-Maria Kluenter said: “Dr. Hongbo Yi has clearly demonstrated the valuable contribution young scientific talent can make, and impressed the jury with his excellent, extensive and thorough research pointing the way to new possibilities to address the pressing societal issue of sustainable animal farming and sustainably feeding the growing world population for both China and the world at large.
At dsm-firmenich we are strongly engaged in this year’s theme of “Animal Nutrition Science”: we are one of the world’s leading suppliers of vitamins, carotenoids, enzymes, eubiotics to the feed industry and we continue to be faced with the challenges of increasing meat demand from high-growth economies, and the need for ongoing innovations that can enhance industrial productivity, animal wellbeing and environmental sustainability”.
Dr. Jinlong Wu, Head of the China Animal Nutrition Center, R&D Animal Nutrition & Health at dsm-firmenich, said: “The ability to conduct sound, fundamental research is an invaluable skill for young animal nutrition scientists, and I’m impressed with the knowledge and expertise that became very clear from the presentations. Animal nutrition and science are extremely important to both dsm-firmenich and China. Furthermore, fostering local talent in this field is not only for the good of both, but for the world as a whole.”
Prof. Daiwen Chen, newly-elected president of the Animal Nutrition Branch of the Chinese Association of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine and member of the selection committee: "It’s great that leading companies like dsm-firmenich are helping students make the critical connection between excellence in science, with commercial and industrial needs. We’re also very happy to be collaborating with dsm-firmenich this year in presenting the 2016 Science & Technology Award Asia.”
Nominees and runners-up were:
The Science & Technology Awards are part of dsm-firmenich’s Bright Science Awards program. The award has been established to recognize and reward excellence in innovative PhD research in various fields that are of interest to dsm-firmenich. With the many challenges facing our world there has never been a better time to be a young scientist. Our award is aimed at helping recognize, reward and nurture talent.
The Science and Technology Award program now spans three continents, honoring bright young scientists in the Americas, Asia and Europe who are an example to their peers.
The award gives PhD graduates not only a financial reward for their achievements, but also a platform to make a name for themselves in their chosen field. They also help participants make the all-important connection between scientific achievement and commercial and industrial success. It’s a key consideration as research and development increasingly needs to show its value.
