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Invited Speakers

Neurophysiology as an emerging measure of poultry gut health: Understanding what gut neurochemistry can tell you regarding health and performance across poultry species

Joshua Lyte, PhD

Research microbiologist
USDA–Agricultural Research Service, Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit, University of Arkansas–Fayetteville
Avian microbiome and host neurophysiology researcher

Joshua Lyte received his PhD in 2016 from Iowa State University. Lyte is a microbiologist in the USDA–ARS Poultry Production and Product Safety Unit. His interdisciplinary research program focuses on the interface of the avian microbiome with the host neurophysiological system, especially during periods of stress. The overall aim of this research is to identify how stress can drive susceptibility to infection in order to develop novel strategies to reduce enteric foodborne pathogens. His work includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, and quail to identify mechanistic bases of how host–microbe interaction can be effectively used across poultry species.

A tale of two ecosystems: The ruminal and hindgut microbial populations impact animal health, food safety, and cattle productivity

Todd R. Callaway PhD

Prior national program leader for food safety for USDA–ARS
American Society of Animal Science Early Career Research Award
USDA–ARS Early Career Scientist of the Year Award
American Feed Industry Association/American Society of Animal Science Award in Ruminant Nutrition Research
Research.com Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine in the United States Leader Award
University of Georgia Outstanding Faculty Member Award, Block and Bridle Club (ADSC)
Editor in chief, Foodborne Pathogens and Disease
Director at large, American Society of Animal Science
American Dairy Science Association Discover Conference Series steering committee member

Todd R. Callaway, PhD, is a professor in ruminant nutrition and gastrointestinal microbiology in the Department of Animal and Dairy Science at the University of Georgia. Callaway received his BS and MS in animal and dairy science from the University of Georgia, and his PhD in microbiology from Cornell University. He joined the USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA–ARS) and served as a research microbiologist in the Food and Feed Safety Research Unit in College Station, Texas, for 18 years. His research focuses on the role of the gut microbiota in the nutrition of cattle and how the complex environment of the cattle gastrointestinal tract can impact food safety and production efficiency. Callaway received the 2007 American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) Early Career Research Award, the USDA–ARS Early Career Research Award, and the 2023 American Feed Industry Association/ASAS Ruminant Nutrition Research Award. Callaway is the editor in chief of the Foodborne Pathogens and Disease journal, serves on the steering committee for the American Dairy Science Association Discover Conference Series, and is a director at large for ASAS.

Defining intestinal homeostasis as a predictive and mechanistic framework for poultry performance

Mariano Fernández-Miyakawa, PhD

Principal researcher, National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET)
Coordinator, Antimicrobial Resistance and Alternatives Program at INTA
Professor, National University of Lujan (UNLU)
Vice director, Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA)
CONICET Fellow
INTA Fellow
Member, Argentinean National Commission for the Control of Antimicrobial Resistance (CoNaCra)

Mariano Fernández-Miyakawa, PhD, is a senior researcher in animal health and production currently serving as head of research and development in feed additives at Vetanco S.A. He obtained his PhD from the University of Buenos Aires and completed his postdoctoral training at the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on host–microbiota interactions, intestinal physiology, and the immunometabolism regulation of productivity, with particular emphasis on alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters. He has held senior research and leadership positions at INTA and CONICET in Argentina, and has contributed extensively to the scientific literature in clostridial pathogenesis, animal science, and gut health.

Swine gut health and nutrition

Sung Woo Kim, PhD

William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor
University Faculty Scholar, AAAS Fellow
Department of Animal Science
North Carolina State University

Sung Woo Kim, PhD, is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor at North Carolina State University and was recognized as a University Faculty Scholar by the chancellor of North Carolina State University in 2013. Kim is also a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). During his faculty career, Kim has developed a world-class and productive research program in monogastric nutrition. The results of his outstanding research have significantly advanced our knowledge about intestinal health, amino acid nutrition, and functional nutrients in monogastric animals. Together with his graduate students, visiting scholars, and collaborators, he has published more than 300 peer-reviewed papers, 26 book chapters, 77 papers in conference proceedings, 20 popular articles, and 320 abstracts, and has given over 310 invited talks in 23 countries. His publications have been extensively cited by peers—over 26,600 citations, with an h-index of 87 and an i10-index of 246 (as of March 2026). Kim has been serving the animal science community as an associate editor for the Journal of Animal Science, Animal Bioscience, the Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Animal Nutrition, Frontiers in Veterinary Science, Toxins, Stress Biology, and Microbiome Research Reports. His research has been supported with more than US$14 million in grant funding and cash donations. Kim has educated 26 PhD and 32 master’s students as an advisor, 18 PhD and 10 master’s students as a committee member, 56 visiting scientists, and 5 postdoctoral research associates as a supervisor. In recognition of his seminal contributions to swine nutrition, he has received the American Feed Industry Association Award in Nonruminant Nutrition Research, the American Society of Animal Science Early Career Achievement Award and Outstanding Young Scientist Award, the American Society of Nutrition Vernon Young International Award for Amino Acid Research, and the Association of Asian-Australasian Animal Production Outstanding Research Award.

Dates to Remember

  1. June 14, 2026 - Abstract submission closes
  2. July 3, 2026 - Abstract presenters registration deadline
  3. August 1, 2026 - Sponsorship deadline (for all prerecorded advertisements)
  4. July 31, 2026 - Last day for attendee (non-presenter) early registration rate 
  5. September 8, 2026 - Symposium begins