2024 IFRG NextGen Funding - Welcome Three Young Scientists!

2024 IFRG NextGen Funding - Welcome Three Young Scientists!
We are proud to welcome three young scientists with the 𝐈𝐅𝐑𝐆 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 this year with the sponsorship of 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘹 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴, 𝘗𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘗𝘭𝘶𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘪 𝘕𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘺. Their dedication and passion for research in incubation and fertility are highly appreciated, and they bring valuable contributions to the future of the IFRG.

 
Catharina Broekmeulen
My doctoral research, conducted under the supervision of Dr. Michael Toscano and Dr. Sabine Gebhardt-Henrich, focuses on poultry welfare. I have been investigating how various environmental factors during on-farm hatching affect the behavioral development and stress responses of laying hen chicks.
As part of my doctoral studies, I have been an active member of the ChickenStress European Training Network, which has provided opportunities for collaboration with leading labs in endocrinology and neurobiology. Additionally, I have gained expertise in adaptation physiology, animal welfare, behavior, and cognition over the years.

 
Arlette Harder
Arlette Harder (Agricultural engineer with a master's degree in horticultural science) works at the Institute for Agricultural and Urban Ecological Projects (IASP) at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin in Germany. Under the supervision of PD Dr. Barbara Tzschentke, she performs incubation studies on mild pre-hatching temperature stimulation of broiler eggs and its long-term effects on health and robustness. Her research work is a focus of the HealthyChick project, which aims to develop innovative methods for minimizing the use of antibiotics in meat-type poultry and is supported by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Germany.

 
Skarlet Napierkowska
The production and use of pesticides have significantly increased worldwide, leading to harmful effects on nontarget organisms like poultry. Poultry can be exposed to pesticide residues from feed, even when these residues are within legally permitted levels. The main goal of this project is to assess the impact of three common pesticides tebuconazole, imidacloprid, and glyphosate on rooster semen quality and fertility. The project will monitor pesticide levels in chicken feed, semen, and blood from farms in Poland and France. Roosters will be fed with pesticide-containing feed to evaluate effects on fertility and testicular functions. In vitro experiments will investigate how these pesticides affect sperm. The results may prompt a reevaluation of current pesticide residue limits in poultry feed.