Michael Ballou, Ph.D.

Personal Information

Michael Ballou joined the faculty in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech University in August of 2007 as an Assistant Professor of Nutritional Immunology. Dr. Ballou was promoted to Associate Professor in 2013. His research is primarily focused on how inflammation influences resistance to disease. He is also interested in understanding how energy and protein nutrition as a neonate influence subsequent health and metabolism as an adult.

Dr. Ballou teaches undergraduate Principles of Nutrition and graduate courses in Biostatistics, Intermediary Metabolism, and Academic Principles and Philosophies.

Michael is originally from the Central Valley of California. He completed a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science from the University of California, Davis in 2002. Michael remained at UC Davis and completed a Ph.D. in Nutritional Biology with an emphasis in Immunology in 2007.

He has authored or co-authored 35 peer-reviewed articles, 1 book chapter, and 72 scientific meeting abstracts. Michael has received research support from private foundations, industry, US Embassy in Ethiopia, and the USDA. He serves on both the AHA lipids study section and the ADSA Animal Health section.

Research Interest

• Understanding how inflammation influences resistance to infectious diseases
• Understanding how energy and protein intakes influence the response to and recovery from infectious disease