The Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Animal Science and Texas A&M AgriLife Research faculty have secured the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the most recent edition of Research.com’s ranking of the best scientists in “Animal Science and Veterinary.”
Fuller Bazer, Ph.D., is highlighted as the top researcher in the world in the ranking with a D-index of 132. Ranking at spot No. 2 in the world is Guoyao Wu, Ph.D., with a D-index of 131. The two have independently and collaboratively led the way in determining how nutrients such as amino acids, metabolites like lactate and signaling proteins are essential for optimal growth, development and health in both animals and humans.
Bazer is credited with discovering uteroferrin, a phosphatase produced in response to progesterone that transfers iron to the developing embryo and stimulates blood cell and platelet development. This discovery clarified the biological mystery of signaling between embryo and mother to maintain pregnancy, with profound effects on the efficiency of animal production systems.
Wu’s animal science research focuses on amino acid biochemistry and nutrition, including the arginine-nitric oxide pathway, as well as the syntheses of the arginine family of amino acids and glycine in mammals, birds and fish.
