Dr. Phil Garnsworthy |
 Dr. Phil Garnsworthy is Associate Professor and Reader in Dairy Science, School of Biosciences at the University of Nottingham, UK. In 1977 Dr. Garnsworthy received his BSc Agriculture with honours in Animal Science at the University of Aberdeen, UK. He received his PhD in 1980 on The control of food intake by the dairy cow in relation to body condition at calving and subsequent performance, also at the University of Aberdeen. Dr. Garnsworthy‘s research centres on dairy science and involves integration of many disciplines, including nutrition, genetics, metabolism, reproductive physiology, rumen function, microbiology and molecular biology. The objective has always been to explore the fundamental science whilst retaining application to the whole animal. His pioneering work on body fat as a regulator of appetite in dairy cows led to new recommendations for managing body condition in dairy cows throughout the world. For the past ten years, he has studied the concept that metabolic signals of nutrient status control reproductive function in dairy cows. He combined whole-animal approaches with in-vitro and molecular studies to improve the understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Another major focus has been on nutritional, hormonal and genetic influences on milk fatty acids, with a view to increasing those that are beneficial for human health. He provided the first estimate for heritability of mammary desaturase activity and recently developed novel methods for studying mRNA expression of genes controlling desaturase activity using milk somatic cells. He has produced several mathematical models to assist his work, including models of nutrient partitioning, hormonal responses to diet, fatty acid metabolism, methane and ammonia emissions, and glucose homeostasis. Dr. Garnsworthy has been Principal Investigator on 25 research contracts for Defra, BBSRC, MDC, SEERAD, MLC and commercial companies. Other industry activities: |