As an Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Coral Kent-Dennis’ lab will focus its efforts on understanding the fundamental and applied gastrointestinal physiology of agriculturally-relevant ruminants. Dr. Kent-Dennis earned her Ph.D. from the University of Saskatchewan where she studied ruminant nutritional physiology and developed a primary ruminal epithelial cell culture model. She then began an ORISE postdoctoral fellowship at the USDA-ARS unit on the University of Kentucky campus, investigating the bioactive properties of secondary metabolites of hemp.
Dr. Kent-Dennis’ lab currently studies epithelial cell immune, absorptive and metabolic function, with a specific focus on identifying and characterizing bioactive compounds with the capacity for modulation of immune function and metabolism. Her lab employs a wide array of molecular methodologies, including immuno-histofluorescence for characterizing protein localization, flow cytometry and targeted gene expression analysis to quantify transcript abundance, accompanied by various cell culture models. Through this work, Dr. Kent-Dennis aims to understand the underlying mechanisms by which cellular function can be manipulated or altered as a response to perturbations such as inflammation or digestive disorders. The combination of these basic methodologies with in vivo models, will both elucidate fundamental physiological processes and develop novel solutions for industry challenges. The ultimate goal of her research program is to support the long-term sustainability of animal agriculture by improving animal health and production efficiency.
Associated Departments