The mission of the Physiology of Reproduction Program is three-fold: research the fundamental elements of reproductive biology necessary for development of systems to enhance the efficiency of animal reproduction and productivity, teach the latest principles and strategies/practices of reproductive biology to undergraduate and graduate students and through established extension programs, translate the acquired knowledge into reproductive systems to benefit producers and consumers.
The research effort is strong because of the number of nationally recognized scientists who have diverse areas of expertise. Their interests vary from molecular biology to the application of the technologies in a production setting. The program is strengthened by numerous collaborative relationships between the scientists. These relationships are fostered by the Interdisciplinary Faculty of Reproductive Biology composed of over 45 faculty members from 10 departments located in 4 colleges at Texas A&M University, and across four campuses and three off-campus centers of the Texas A&M University system. In addition to reproduction, important areas of animal biology such as growth and animal response to environmental factors (stress) are investigated. Genomic involvement in all the above areas receives high consideration. For specific information regarding research interests, visit the respective sites of the individual scientists.
The teaching effort consists of undergraduate and graduate courses designed to challenge students with “state of the art” information in the areas of animal reproduction, growth, stress and lactation. The courses are recognized in part because of the committed faculty who teach in a clear, caring, yet thought-provoking manner. Members of the teaching faculty have been recognized in many ways for their teaching activities. A distance learning teaching format is being used in one course. Visit the site for the respective courses for specific information.
The dissemination of current strategies for enhancing reproductive efficiency to producers and consumers is facilitated by the system of extension animal science specialists in the Texas AgriLife Extension program. Specialists are based in eight different regions of Texas. The Texas AgriLife Extension activities include the annual beef cattle short course which attracts over 1,000 attendees annually. In addition to the extension specialists, numerous other faculty members contribute in the effort to communicate the latest information to producers and consumers.
