62 - Ty Mitchell: The benefits of innate immune system modulation for weaned piglets

Weaning involves various stressors that affect the intestinal tract of pigs, cause immunological and behavioral changes, and expose the animals to pathogens, new diets, and social interactions. Such impacts of early-life stressors can have lasting effects on the health of the pigs, but it may be possible to strengthen their immune system by modulating it. With that in mind, Mitchell discusses in this episode his research on trained immunity, which involves reprogramming innate immune cells in prenatal pigs to respond differently to subsequent challenges following an endogenous insult.

Meet the guest

Ty Mitchell

Experience

      ○ Current: Undergraduate Research Assistant at Texas Tech University

Background

      ○ B.Sc., Animal Science (Texas Tech University)

Hobbies: hiking, biking, and collecting art (particularly southwestern art).
Favorite book, movie or TV series: My favorite book is To Shake the Sleeping Self, by Jedidiah Jenkins; my favorite TV show is House of Cards; and my favorite band/singer are Spacey Jane and SZA.
Favorite quote: “Watch carefully, the magic that occurs when you give a person just enough comfort to be themselves” – Atticus
A tip for success: “A sign of intellect is the ability to change your mind in the face of new facts. A mark of wisdom is refusing to let the fear of admitting you were wrong stop you from getting it right. The joy of learning something new eventually exceeds the pain of unlearning something old.” - Adam Grant

Connect with our guest on Social Media: LinkedIn