Faculty Candidate Teaching and Mentoring Philosophy Seminar - Chang Cao, PhD

Chang Cao, PhD

Title: From Molecules to Poultry Production: Integrative Teaching and Mentoring in Animal Sciences

Synopsis: Chang Cao, PhD, will present his approach to teaching and mentoring in animal sciences through an integrative framework that links molecular biology, physiology and poultry production systems. He will begin with a brief undergraduate lecture demonstrating how environmental stress influences the microbiota-gut-brain axis to regulate feed intake in poultry. He will then discuss his teaching philosophy, emphasizing active learning, conceptual
synthesis and research-based mentoring that prepares students for careers in agriculture, science and industry.

Candidate Bio: Chang Cao, PhD, is a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Animal Sciences and the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He earned his doctorate in animal and poultry science from Virginia Tech, where he studied hypothalamic mechanisms regulating appetite and stress physiology in poultry. His research integrates molecular physiology, nutrition and systems biology to examine how environmental and nutritional factors influence feeding behavior, metabolic efficiency and stress responses in animals. Cao’s current work uses epigenetic and imaging approaches to identify early molecular signatures that precede physiological or pathological changes. His long-term goal is to develop integrative strategies that improve feed efficiency, health and resilience in modern poultry production systems.

For access to the Zoom link, email Marion Welsh at welsh@purdue.edu.