New chief scientific officer at Alltech
Dr Ronan Power has been appointed chief scientific officer at Alltech following Dr Karl Dawson’s retirement on June 29.
Dr Power joined the Alltech team in 1991 as the European director of research and has been closely involved in the development of Alltech’s product portfolio, said the company. He most recently served as the vice president of Alltech Life Sciences, a division dedicated to researching gut and brain health in humans.
As chief scientific officer, he will oversee more than 100 researchers worldwide, and over 20 research alliances spread over 12 countries, along with four bioscience centers, located in the US, China, the Netherlands and Ireland, where Dr Richard Murphy leads the center’s activities.
Dr Power said the speed at which technological advancements are occurring makes it difficult to determine the ‘next big thing’, but that his team will prioritize the exploration of the biome and products that enhance energy metabolism in production animals.
Dr Karl Dawson is retiring after 20 years with Alltech.
“Dr Dawson has played a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining Alltech’s position at the forefront of scientific discovery, first collaborating with my father and later joining Alltech full-time,” said Dr Mark Lyons, CEO, Alltech.
Prior to his work with Alltech, Dr Dawson spent 20 years as a professor of nutritional microbiology and director of the nutritional microbiology laboratory in the department of animal sciences at the University of Kentucky. He joined Alltech full time in 1999.
In recent years, Dr Dawson provided leadership for nutrigenomics research initiatives, which have led to strategic programs that use epigenetic switches to more effectively control nutrient utilization and improve animal health, said Alltech. Under him, the company fostered and supported the development of more than 200 graduate students at universities around the world, it added.
“Dr Dawson’s team has been responsible for revolutionizing many aspects of nutritional science, publishing more than 400 scientific papers and making over 600 presentations at international scientific meetings.”
Though retiring, the company said he will continue to support Alltech, chairing the company’s scientific advisory board and helping guide its core research areas.
