Researcher Spotlight : Jorge Peinado
Published: 31 January 2019
For this weeks Researcher Spotlight, Jenni McIntyre has tracked down MANNA Student JORGE PEINADO. Jorge is a first year PhD student who has arrived at IBAHCM to study proteins in broiler chickens, driven by a desire to improve animal nutrition…
Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
I studied the Biotechnology Bachelor´s Degree as well as a Cellular and Molecular Biology Master´s in my hometown Zaragoza. During that time, through different internships and my Final projects I had the opportunity to do research in Veterinary Reproductive Biology and Plant Biotechnology, being able to learn about a wide range of skills and research techniques and orientating myself towards an agri-food profile. I then found out about the MANNA EJD-ITN and got really excited about the possibility to learn more about animal nutrition through modern techniques such as the “OMICS” approaches. Before the start of my PhD, I was able to visit Chile for an internship in the Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP).
What is the focus of your research and why is it important?
My focus is the development of a heavy water based protocol that, paired with high throughput proteomic analysis, could allow the measurement of individual proteins Fractional Synthesis Rate (FSR) in growing broiler chickens. Broiler protein FSR will be studied not only in healthy broilers but also in broilers infected with E. coli LPS in order to study the effect of this challenge to broilers growth and immune response. In addition, the response of challenged broilers to the intake of novel feed compounds will be studied and compared with the response to antibiotics intake.
What has been the most positive aspect so far?
The possibility to meet the rest of the MANNA consortium, a network integrated by Early Stage Researchers, Supervisors and Industrial partners from a large number of countries with a common objective, developing the Animal Nutrition field of knowledge. And, of course, the opportunity to be part of IBAHCM. My project is just starting and belonging to these communities makes me feel extremely encouraged to achieve my goals and deal with whatever difficulties that may appear.
What has been the most challenging aspect so far?
Paperwork. As part of MANNA we have to fulfil deliverables and deadlines not only from our main university (University of Glasgow in my case) but also from our co-supervisor university (University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice) and from the MANNA ITN. Getting used to all of this paperwork is quite challenging at the beginning.
What advice would you give to anyone doing or considering a PhD?
Do you want to help developing knowledge in a field of your interest? Do you want to meet extraordinary people with similar interests to yours? Do a PhD. And if you are already in it, keep calm, listen to every possible advice and enjoy it.
Tell us about your plans for the future
My only plan is to finish my PhD, trying to learn the most that I can during the process in order to be ready to face any future challenge that I may go for.
Jorge will be speaking on “Measuring protein FSR on broiler chickens. Why and how?” on Friday 15th February in Graham Kerr LT1. Come along and join in! His twitter name is @Jpeini and his project twitter is @MANNA_EJD
First published: 31 January 2019