Posted on Mon, Apr. 21, 2008

Ribbon cut at Alltech center

NUTRITION-GENE LINK TO BE STUDIED

HERALD-LEADER STAFF REPORT

Alltech Inc. officials cut the ribbon Sunday for the company's Center for Animal Nutrigenomic and Applied Animal Nutrition at its headquarters in Nicholasville. Research professionals there will study the effects of nutrition on gene expression in animals.

The nutrigenomic center was built in a 20,000-square-foot expansion at the company's existing research facility. Databases generated there will be analyzed to determine the health and performance status of livestock and the best nutritional interventions for peak production potential.

Alltech's founder and president, Pearse Lyons, said the facility is the first built for the study of nutrigenomics.

Last year, Alltech partnered with the University of Kentucky to promote research in this field. The partnership included a $900,000 grant from Alltech to place faculty and staff members from UK's College of Agriculture at the nutrigenomics facility. Alltech expects 40 additional research professionals to work in the new lab.

Alltech is the sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which will be held in Lexington in 2010.

Alltech was founded in 1980. It has 1,800 employees in 85 countries.