Backus takes new role with CASNR’s Department of Animal & Food Sciences
By: Norman Martin
Brittany Backus, an expert in animal welfare and comparative medicine, has taken a 30 percent appointment as a research assistant professor with Texas Tech University's Department of Animal and Food Sciences, according to officials within the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. She officially stepped into her new research post on June. 1.
The Lampasas, Texas native indicated that she is particularly interested in animal welfare and translational research models. One of her primary goals here at CASNR is to increase research awareness of using farm animals and specifically the pig as a research model.
Backus received her bachelor's degree in biochemistry, master's degree in interdisciplinary studies, and doctorate in animal science from Texas Tech. Recent honors include receiving the Distinguished Staff Awards Recipient – Guns Up Team Award (2018). She is a member of the Animal Behavior Society, American Association for Laboratory Animal Science and the American Society of Animal Science.
Prior to taking her new position, Backus served as an instructor and senior research associate with Tech's Department of Animal and Food Sciences, as well as the animal research compliance administrator with the university's Animal Care Services. Backus will continue to spend the bulk of her time with Animal Care Services, which provides for the physical and psychological well-being of animals used in research and teaching.
Responsibilities for Animal Care Services include:
• Animal procurement
• Health surveillance and preventative care
• Comfort and enrichment for animal housing and daily care
• Assisting investigators and their staff with animal procedures
• Ensure animal research is compliant with federal and university research regulations
With the Department of Animal and Food Sciences appointment, Backus will benefit the university and department through increased teaching and research efforts. Her research focus takes an interdisciplinary approach to improve human and animal health through translational research. As well as, using a multidisciplinary target of stress physiology, behavior and immunology to improve animal production practices and well-being.
Earlier this year Backus joined a multidisciplinary research team working toward eliminating peanut allergies through a $3.3 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division of the National Institutes of Health. The treatment will use microneedles to possibly eliminate the peanut allergies.
Simply put, the overall goal is to create an immunotherapy for peanut allergies. Food allergies, including peanut allergies, have no treatment. "My role in the project is to use my expertise in comparative medicine, swine and behavior research to help create a model for peanut allergies," Backus said. "This interdisciplinary approach between Chemical Engineering and Animal and Food Sciences, will develop and validate a much-improved translational model for peanut allergy treatment."
Additionally, Backus is part of another research team with the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center who received a $1.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism division. The goal is complete preclinical trials to acquire FDA approval of a potential investigational new drug to treat Alcohol Use Disorder.
CONTACT: Michael Orth, chairman, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-5653 or michael.orth@ttu.edu
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