People

Yanhong Liu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science

Hometown: Jiaozuo, Henan, China
Degrees:
Biological Science, BS, 2004, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Animal Nutrition, MS, 2007, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Animal Science, PhD, 2011, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA

GRADUATE STUDENT

Lauren Kovanda (PhD Student)
Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Degree:
Animal Science, BS, 2017, California State University, Fresco, CA
Animal Biology, MS, 2020, University of California, Davis
Research Interests: Feed alternatives to antibiotics
Email: llkovanda@ucdavis.edu

Sangwoo Park (PhD Student) 
Hometown: Daejeon, Republic of Korea 
Degree: 
Animal Science & Biotechnology, BS, 2015, Chungnam National University, Republic of Korea
Animal Science, MS, 2017, Chungnam National University, Republic of Korea 
Research Interests: Monogastric animal nutrition and physiology 
Email: swppark@ucdavis.edu





Robert Hernandez (PhD Student) 
Hometown: Monterey, California
Degree: 
Animal Science, BS, 2018, University of California, Davis, USA
Avian Sciences, MS, 2020, University of California, Davis, USA
Research Interests: Avian nutrition and immunology
Email: rahernandez@ucdavis.edu






Supatirada Wongchanla (Nick name: Jane) (PhD Student) 
Hometown: Udon Thani, Thailand 
Degree: Veterinary Medicine, BS, 2019, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand 
Research Interests: Monogastric nutrition 
Email: swongchanla@ucdavis.edu

Shuhan (Cynthia) Sun (PhD Student)
Hometown: Beijing, China
Degree:
Animal Science, BS, 2022, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
Economics, BA, 2022, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
Research Interests: Monogastric animal nutrition and physiology
Email: wamsun@ucdavis.edu

Yating (David) Zhao (Master Student)

Hometown: Shenyang, China
Degree: Statistics, BS, 2023, University of California, Davis, CA
Research Interests: Monogastric animal nutrition and physiology
Email: zytzhao@ucdavis.edu








ALUMNI

Kwangwook Kim, Ph.D. 
 
Hometown: Cheonan, Republic of Korea 
Degrees: 
Animal Science & Biotechnology, BS, 2014, Chungnam National University, Republic of Korea 
Animal Biology, MS, 2018, University of California, Davis, USA 
Animal Biology, PhD, 2021, University of California, Davis, USA

Working experience: Postdoctoral Research Scholar, 10/01/2021-12/31/2022 
Current position: Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University
Email: kkim@msu.edu  LinkedIN

Cynthia Jinno, Ph.D. 

Hometown: West Hollywood, CA 
Degrees: 
Animal Science, BS, 2017, University of California, Davis, USA 
Animal Biology, MS, 2019, University of California, Davis, USA
Animal Biology, PhD, 2022, University of California, Davis, USA 

Current position: Postdoctoral Research Scholar, Cedars-Sinai, LA, CA
Email: Cynthia.Jinno@cshs.org

Braden Wong (Master Student)
 
Hometown: Sunnyvale, CA 
Degree: 
Animal Science, BS, 2019, University of California, Davis, USA
Animal Biology, MS, 2021, University of California, Davis, USA
Research Interests: Feed alternatives to antibiotics
Email: btwong@ucdavis.edu

Yijie He, Ph.D. 

Hometown: Xinjiang, China
Degrees: 
Animal Science, BS, 2012, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China 
Animal Science, MS, 2015, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, USA
Animal Biology, PhD, 2020, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
PhD dissertation title: Dietary supplementation of Bacillus spp. on performance and disease resistance of weaned pigs
Email: heyijie@cpgroup.cn
Time at UC Davis: September 2017 to December 2020
Current position: Swine Nutritionist at Charoen Pokphand (CP) China

Monika Hejna, Ph.D.
PhD, Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Milan, Italy

Hometown: Słupca, Poland
Degrees: 
Biological Science, BS, 2012, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
Environmental Conservation Science, MS, 2014, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland

Research interests: heavy metals in the enrivonment, plant extracts in pig nutrition
Email: monika.hejna@unimi.it; mhejna@ucdavis.edu
Time at UC Davis: September 2019 to July 2021

Sheena Kim, Ph.D.
PhD, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea of Republic

Degrees:
Animal Science & Environment, BS, 2011, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Animal Science, MS, 2016, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Animal Science, PhD, 2019, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Research interests: Non-ruminant Animal nutrition
Email: snakim@ucdavis.edu
Time at UC Davis: September 2018 to August 2019

Nicole Doan (Master Student)

Hometown: Santa Ana, CA
Degrees:
Animal Science, BS, 2016, University of California, Davis, USA
Animal Biology, MS, 2019, University of California, Davis, USA
Research Interests: Animal nutrition and brain development
Email: nndoan@ucdavis.edu
Time at UC Davis: April 2017 to June 2019

Xia Xiong, Ph.D.
Associate Researcher
The Chinese Academy of Science, Hunan, China
Hometown: Changsha, Hunan, China
Degrees:
Applied Chemistry, BS, 2002, Hunan Normal University, Hunan, China 
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, PhD, 2010, Hunan Normal University, Hunan, China
Research Interests:
Nutrients absorption and metabolism along the crypt-villus axis of small intestine; 
Proteomics analysis in small intestine or enterocytes by non-ruminants;
Feed alternatives to antibiotics.
Email: xiaxiong@ucdavis.edu
Time at UC Davis: June 2017 to June 2018

Minho Song, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department Head of Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Chungnam National University
Hometown: Seoul, Republic of Korea
Degrees:
Applied Animal Science, BS, 2003, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Animal Science, MS, 2007, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN
Animal Science, PhD, 2011, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
Research Interests: Non-ruminant animal nutrition
Email: mhsong@cnu.ac.kr
Time at UC Davis: January 2018 to August 2018

Bi'e Tan, Ph.D.
Associate Researcher
The Chinese Academy of Science, Hunan, China
Hometown: Changsha, Hunan, China
Degrees:
Animal Medicine, BS, 2001, Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan, China
Animal Nutrition, MS and PhD, 2010, Institute of Subtrophical Agricultural, The Chinese Academy of Science, Hunan, China
Research Interests: The signaling pathway of intestinal development and regeneration of piglets; 
Animal acids sensing mechanisms in the intestine of piglets; 
The regulation of bioactivators on intestinal oxidative stress and inflammation of piglets
Email: bietan@isa.ac.cn
Time at UC Davis: December 2016 to December 2017