Blog

2026

Decoding the piglet’s gut microbiome

Kevin Jerez‑Bogotá’s scientific journey began in Colombia, where he earned a degree in Animal Science before moving to the United States where he completed a master’s in animal science and a master’s in data science at South Dakota State University. Later, at Aarhus University, he completed a PhD in Food Science, focusing on how biofunctional plant compounds could help prevent diseases in pigs and chickens, such as post-weaning diarrhea in piglets. Today, as a postdoc in the GHH group (Gut and Host Health), his work has shifted toward the microbiome—a hidden ecosystem that shapes animal health in profound ways.

New interview: Microbial insights powered by collaboration

How can understanding bacterial behavior help improve animal welfare and reduce antibiotic use in livestock farming? This question lies at the heart of the PIG-PARADIGM project, where Professor Jeppe Lund Nielsen from Aalborg University plays an important role. With his expertise in molecular microbiology and microbial physiology, he contributes to uncovering what happens in the pig’s gut during weaning—a critical period often associated with diarrhea and inflammation, which frequently lead to antibiotic treatment.

PIG‑PARADIGM: A One Health approach to reducing antibiotic use in livestock

Even though the PIG‑PARADIGM project is not formally labelled a One Health initiative, the perspective has proved essential — for its scientific direction. Senior researcher Dr. Nuria Canibe from Department of Veterinary Science, Aarhus University, explains that the project’s impact reaches far beyond the barn.

“Most of our work is about having robust pigs so they don’t need so much antibiotics. If we reduce the use, we’ve already achieved something important,” she says.

Breaking boundaries: How collaboration shapes the future of pig health

"Collaboration is always an essential component of any research project," says Andrew Williams. He is originally from Australia and now a professor at University of Copenhagen, and he has spent over a decade in Denmark leading a research group dedicated to understanding how diet composition regulates the host response to infectious disease in the intestine.

At first glance, his work might seem highly specialized—nutrition, immunity, pathogens—but the story behind the Pig Paradigm project reveals something much broader: the transformative power of collaboration.

“Collaboration is what makes it work”: An interview with Hauke Smidt on the power of teamwork

“Collaboration is what makes it work”: An interview with Hauke Smidt on the power of teamwork in PIG PARADIGM
Collaboration is the backbone of the Novo Nordisk Foundation–funded PIG PARADIGM project. Few know this better than Hauke Smidt, co PI and head of the microbiome pillar, based at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. After nearly four years in the project, he reflects on how teamwork—across borders, disciplines, and career stages—has shaped the project’s success.

Halfway there: Mohak Gujare’s fight against a global health threat

When Mohak Gujare left the humid streets of Mumbai, he carried with him a deep curiosity about life at its smallest scale. Today, halfway through his PhD at Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands; Mohak is tackling a challenge that resonates far beyond the pig farms of Europe: reducing antibiotic use in livestock to safeguard global health.

Growing with PIG-PARADIGM: A conversation with Shya Navazesh

Huge congratulations to Shya Navazesh, who has officially submitted her doctoral dissertation at UC Davis!

While her submission marks the end of a major chapter, it also concludes an incredible journey as a vital part of the PIG-PARADIGM team. We asked Shya what it’s like to conduct research within a large-scale collaborative project and how this experience has shaped her as a researcher.

2025

Meet Chrysoula Dimopoulou – A new postdoc in PIG-PARADIGM

Meet our new postdoc researcher, Chrysoula Dimopoulou!

This year, Chrysoula joins the PIG-PARADIGM team at the University of Copenhagen. Read more about her research background and her study within PIG-PARADIGM in our latest article.

Iron will, microbial thrill: A dissertation that digs deep

What happens when you tweak iron levels in a pig’s diet?

You don’t just change growth rates - you shift microbial ecosystems, alter metabolic pathways, and potentially influence pathogen virulence. That’s the premise behind Shya Navazesh’s PhD dissertation, a four-chapter investigation into the complex relationship between dietary iron and gut health in swine.

As a PhD candidate at the Peng Ji lab at UC Davis, Shya's work spans cell culture, in vivo studies, metagenomics, and whole genome sequencing, offering a multi-layered view of how iron interacts with intestinal biology.

From California to Denmark: A PhD Exchange That Sparked Collaboration and Friendship

In PIG-PARADIGM, we are dedicated to supporting the development of our young researchers. This is why the project has dedicated resources to fund exchange visits, fostering learning, collaboration, and personal growth. This time, we spoke with Amara Benn, who recently completed an exchange visit from California to Denmark. She shares her experiences, insights, and reflections on how this opportunity enriched her research and personal development.
Read the full interview to hear her story and discover the impact of international collaboration on early career researchers in PIG-PARADIGM.

A Healthy Gut: A Key Piece in the Green Transition

From Research to Revolution: How Gut Health Shapes Sustainability. The story behind the PIG PARADIGM project as seen through the lens of Professor Knud Erik Bach Knudsen

Nopal Cactus Leaf Powder: A Nutritional Boost for Piglets and Mothers

Weaning marks a crucial phase in a piglet’s development, often causing stress and diarrhea, which can jeopardize their health. Incorporating dietary fiber into the mother’s diet may indirectly mitigate post-weaning diarrhea by supporting intestinal health and development.

PIG-PARADIGM ECR Feature: Ruben Grosso

Meet Ruben Adrián Grosso, a Postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Aarhus University. Within PIG-PARADIGM, Ruben's research focuses on the interaction of dietary fiber, microbiota, and gastrointestinal mucosal immunity during post-weaning infections in pigs.

The impact of microbial-derived metabolites on gut function in weaned piglets

Within PIG-PARADIGM, PhD student Li Hsuan Chen's research investigates the impact of dietary protein levels and amino acid supplementation on pig gut health, focusing specifically on the metabolite compositions of the digesta samples from the ileum, colon, and cecum.

Learn more about his work in this article.

The microbial mystery: exploring bacteria in inflamed tissues

PhD student Stine Karstenskov Østergaard is a member of the Nutrition Pillar within the PIG-PARADIGM project. In this post, she tells us about her research focusingon the bacterial populations present in the intestinal tissues of patients suffering from chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

The oinkcredible sowperfood - Nopal

Within PIG-PARADIGM, professor Carolyn Slupsky (UC Davis)'s team is investigating how maternal diet shapes piglet outcomes. In our latest article, Dr. Slupsky shares why the group is exploring nopal, the prickly pear cactus pad, as a potential feed ingredient for sows.

Grown in arid regions, nopal is a climate-resilient, fiber-rich plant that could help support a more robust gut microbiome in sows and, in turn, healthier outcomes for their piglets. The team’s work highlights the importance of complex carbohydrates in nurturing beneficial microbes, strengthening immune resilience, and reducing vulnerability to infection.

Collaboration, Growth, and New Beginning - interview with Sangwoo Park

As PIG-PARADIGM’s journey continues, we’re thrilled to see our Early Career Researchers grow and reach new career milestones. Today, we celebrate Sangwoo Park, who has recently embarked on an exciting new chapter as Assistant Professor at Gyeongsang National University in South Korea. We asked him to reflect on his experience in PIG-PARADIGM and how it shaped his next steps.

Sangwoo’s story reflects the heart of PIG-PARADIGM - building connections, advancing knowledge, and empowering the next generation of researchers to make an impact - read the full interview and learn more.

Gut feeling: reimagining pig health with microbes, diet, and science

“We’re part of a global community working to preserve antibiotics for future generations. We don’t want to return to a time when infectious disease was the leading cause of death.”

At the 2025 PIG-PARADIGM Annual Meeting, we sat down with Professor Maria Marco from UC Davis to talk about microbes, diet and her work within PIG-PARADIGM.

Read the full article and learn more.

Start with the “why”: Lessons in scientific communication from Stephane Duval

In PIG-PARADIGM, we don’t just talk about science, we also talk about the skills that bring science to life. At this year’s Annual Meeting, Stephane duval, Global Innovation Science Lead for Monogastrics at dsm-firmenich and member of our Industry Advisory Board, shared why communicating your research can be just as important as the results themselves. Read the full article to discover Stéphane’s perspective on blending scientific depth with down-to-earth communication.

A Healthy Gut: A Key Piece in the Green Transition

We're meeting Charlotte Lauridsen, coordinator of PIG-PARADIGM, at their annual gathering at Konventum in Helsingør, northern Zealand, where she will share her insights and reflections on the event.

Pork-tective Powers: Strengthening Weanling Defenses

Alfredo Chavez-Arroyo, a postdoctoral researcher in the Baumler Lab at the University of California, Davis, is investigating the microbiome pillar of the PIG PARADIGM initiative. His research focuses on how the fecal microbiota of weanling piglets influences their vulnerability to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infections during the critical weaning period.

A PIG-PARADIGM Dialogue on Antimicrobial Resistance

At our 2024 Annual Meeting, PIG-PARADIGM researchers, Yanhong Liu, Associate Professor at University of California, Davis, and Jens Peter Nielsen, Professor at the University of Copenhagen, discuss the pressing challenges in pig health faced by both Denmark and the United States.

Explore their insights into improving swine health and tackling shared issues across borders.

The hidden power of blood: How hematological traits can transform pig production

Jiahong's primary task within PIG-PARADIGM involves the identification of host factors, including resilience endophenotypes. One of the most critical endophenotypes under investigation is the hematological traits, also referred to as blood parameters. These parameters are essential as they reflect the physiological and health status of pigs and serve as biomarkers to describe both pathological and sub-pathological conditions.

Gut Barriers and Beyond: Using AI and Microscopy to Decode Post-Weaning Diarrhea

As a veterinary pathologist, Cecilie contributes to PIG-PARADIGM by providing insights into the internal conditions of the animals.

Read more about Cecilie's work within PIG-PARADIGM in this article.

Baris Ozdinc: On a mission to decode the microbial map of the piglet gut

Halfway through his PhD journey at Wageningen University & Research, Barış is on a mission to uncover how tiny organisms influence animal health.

Working with hundreds of piglet samples and an incredible diversity of microbes, his research within PIG-PARADIGM focuses on mapping the microbial biogeography of the piglet gut — across time, space, and species.

In our latest interview, Barış shares his passion for microbiology, what it’s like to work at the intersection of animal science and microbial ecology, and what keeps him curious through the challenges of a PhD. Read the full story by Shaila and learn more.

Beyond antibiotics: How antioxidants may hold the key to healthier pigs

When PIG-PARADIGM began, Pernille Aagaard Madsen was just starting her PhD journey at Aarhus University, Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences. Now, over three years later, she’s about to become the very first Early Career Researcher to graduate from our project.
We sat down with Pernille to hear her reflections on this journey - what it’s like to grow as a researcher in an international, cross-institutional, and interdisciplinary project tackling antimicrobial resistance.

Her story highlights not only research progress, but also about collaboration, learning, and being part of a community working towards shared goals.

Rethinking pig health - a commentary by Kristian Møller

During the PIG-PARADIGM 2025 Annual Meeting at the Konventum in Elsinore, Denmark, we spoke with Kristian Møller, Director of Veterinary and Quality Services at the Danish Agriculture and Food Council.

In a reflective conversation on the state of Danish pig production, Møller as a stakeholder, shared his perspectives on tackling post-weaning diarrhea and achieving lower antibiotic use while maintaining animal health and farm sustainability.

Read the full article and learn more.

PIG-PARADIGM and the industry’s challenge: A stakeholder’s perspective

Christian Fink Hansen is the Sector Director at the Research Center for Pig Production at the Danish Agriculture and Food Council, and we’re fortunate to have him as a member of PIG-PARADIGM’s Industry Advisory Board. In May, Christian took part in our joint stakeholder event with the EU project AVANT. We had the chance to sit down with him to hear his reflections on the project and the current challenges facing the pig industry.

Read on hear his perspective.

We should challenge the dogmas: A Conversation with Hubèrt van Hees

At this year’s PIG-PARADIGM Annual Meeting, we sat down with one of our Industry Advisory Board members for an in-depth conversation. In the interview, Hubèrt Van Hees, Manager of Swine Research at Trouw Nutrition Research and Development shares expert perspectives from industry, diving into functional pig nutrition, antibiotic reduction, and how nature may be the key to revolutionizing animal husbandry.

UC Davis Scientists Explore Probiotic Solutions for Healthier Piglets

"The overall goal of my research is to identify probiotics that can be used to prevent post-weaning diarrhea in piglets," says Mejia-Caballero. "We are trying to find probiotics endogenous from the pigs’ microbiome that have functional properties to prevent diarrhea.

Read more about Alejandra's work within PIG-PARADIGM in this article.

Understanding E. coli infections: The impact of local inflammation

Darya Vodolazska is a postdoctoral researcher at Aarhus University, collaborating with PhD student Stine Karstenskov Østergaard(AAU), she is involved in a project, focusing on identifying the microbial community. Their research primarily targets intestinal inflammation, aiming to generate knowledge that will contribute to the prevention of weaning-induced diarrhea in pigs.

Oxidative stress in post-weaning piglets

Post-weaning diarrhea is a significant issue in the pig industry, caused by various complex factors, including oxidative stress. Pernille Aagaard Madsen's research focuses on the relationship between oxidative stress and post-weaning diarrhea in pigs.

Read more about Pernille's work within PIG-PARADIGM and her recent publication in this article.

2024

From Samples to Knowledge

In an ever-changing world where the digital revolution and artificial intelligence are increasingly integrated into our daily lives, the question arises: how can modern technologies enhance the effectiveness, objectivity, and reproducibility of science?

Read this blog to gain insights into how these technologies are leading the conversion of traditional microscopy to digital image analysis and supporting ECR Cecilie's work in PIG-PARADIGM.

When Art Meets Science

When we talk about art and science, they seem to be two topics so far apart. In this blog, Maria, our talented Ph.D. student and illustrator for the PIG-PARADIGM project, shares her personal story of when art meets science and the chemistry that brings.

Discover how her passion for drawing has seamlessly intertwined with her academic life, and how artistic expression breathes life into complex research topics, making science more accessible and engaging for all.

Connecting Minds, Sharing Insights: PIG-PARADIGM ECRs Join a Summer Course at WUR

Three Early Career Researchers (ECRs) from Aarhus University share their insights and knowledge gained during a one-week intensive summer course at Wageningen University & Research (WUR).

Highlights from PhD Course - Carbohydrates: Nutrition and Intestinal Health of Non-Ruminant Animals

Professor Knud Erik Bach Knudsen, core researcher in Nutrition Pillar, hosted a 2-week PhD course entitled "Carbohydrates with Emphasis on Nutrition and Intestinal Health of Non-Ruminant Animals." at AU Viborg, many PIG-PARADIGM PhD students attended this course.

Influence of soluble and insoluble fibers on piglet gut health

PhD student Antonia Vania Adji's work within PIG-PARADIGM focuses on the influence of dietary fiber on post-weaning diarrhea and gut health in piglets. Specifically, she investigates how soluble and insoluble fibers affect the mucosa, microbiota composition and activity, and nutrient digestibility in the gut of weaned piglets, as well as the progression of diarrhea.

Exploring Microbial Mysteries: Paving the Way for Healthier Humans and Happier Pigs

While many of PIG-PARADIGM researchers are dedicated to advancing fundamental knowledge of the pig gut microbiome and its interaction with nutrition and the host, we also have some participants who are exploring the physiological similarities between humans and pigs in digestive processes and enteric diseases.

In this blog, you will learn more about the parallel investigations into human-pig similarities within PIG-PARADIGM.

My time in Denmark

ECR Mike Loomans (Wageningen University & Research) has just returned from a 4-month cross-institution exchange in Demark. Explore how this invaluable experience not only enhanced his personal growth but also contributed to the progress of the Data Integration Pillar.