Alison Ward

Alison Ward is an Associate Professor in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. Her research focuses on nutritional epigenetics, developmental programming, and molecular genetics in livestock, particularly examining how maternal nutrition affects fetal development and long-term health outcomes in beef cattle. She integrates multi-omics approaches, including transcriptomics and metabolomics, to study nutrient-gene interactions and improve precision agriculture practices.

• PhD (Animal Science), University of Saskatchewan
• MSc (Animal Science), University of Saskatchewan
• BSc (Animal Science), University of Saskatchewan

Ward’s work bridges molecular biology, physiology, and genomics to address how maternal micronutrient and one-carbon metabolite supplementation during critical gestational periods alter fetal organ development, placental function, and epigenetic gene regulation. Her recent publications emphasize fetal liver programming, mitochondrial function, and transgenerational effects of maternal nutrition, with a strong focus on sustainable livestock production.

Her research has been supported by grants from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, North Dakota Beef Commission, and other agricultural research bodies. She teaches ANSC 313 – Animal Breeding and Genetics, and has received teaching excellence awards from the University of Saskatchewan Students Union.

• 2024 Open Resources Initiative Award
• USSU Teaching Excellence Award