We recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Isaac Hyeladi Malgwi about his paper “Genes Related to Fat Metabolism in Pigs and Intramuscular Fat Content of Pork: A Focus on Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics”, which was published in 2022 and has since been cited over 50 times.

The following is an interview with Dr. Isaac Hyeladi Malgwi:

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your current research?
I completed this research during my Ph.D. studies at the University of Padua. Currently, I am with the Department of Research and Development at Kometa, a major pork-processing company in Hungary, where my focus is on optimizing pig product processing. I continue to collaborate with the University of Padua, as I collected substantial data during my time there, which I am now analyzing and preparing for future publications.

2. What inspired you to conduct this research?
The concept of nutritional genomics has traditionally been applied in the context of personalized human nutrition to address health issues based on individual genetic profiles. This established framework inspired me to explore its application within production animals, aiming to optimize health and productivity through genotype-specific nutritional strategies.

In this study, we applied nutritional genomics to swine nutrition to modulate intramuscular fat (IMF), or marbling, within pork, a trait crucial to meat quality attributes like juiciness, flavour, and tenderness.

Understanding the factors that influence IMF deposition in pork is complex, as it requires an interdisciplinary approach that integrates nutrition and genetics to unravel nutrient-gene interactions across multiple genes and mutations. Despite these challenges, I am confident that synthesizing this knowledge is achievable. With the complete pig genome now available, we can leverage genomic insights to precisely quantify nutrient requirements, enabling the design of targeted dietary plans for individual animals to achieve optimal metabolic outcomes.

3. What do you think made the academic community respond so well to your research?
From a scientific perspective, this work added significant value by elucidating the functions of several multi-trait genes, a challenging task, and by showcasing the practical potential of nutritional genomics in genetic applications. Demonstrating this potential has likely inspired researchers across various fields to explore similar approaches within their species of interest. Although this study focused on marbling in pigs, many recognized the broader applicability of this approach.

Future research could leverage nutritional genomics to design interventions aimed at combating disease and optimizing economically relevant traits, such as growth performance, nutrient efficiency, and production emissions. My hope is that researchers globally will be encouraged to adopt nutrient-matching strategies to achieve specific targeted responses in animals. This framework, I believe, is essential for advancing precision livestock nutrition in the future.

4. What challenges did you encounter during your research, and how did you overcome them?
This research requires exceptional collaboration and expertise within your team due to its high complexity and interdisciplinary nature. One of the most challenging aspects is pinpointing the molecular mechanisms involved in fatty acid synthesis and unraveling these intricate details. Furthermore, the complexity of harmonizing and optimizing quantitative trait loci is rarely tackled, presenting a significant challenge that demands the dedication and hard work of a skilled research team to address it effectively.

5. What would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment?
I consider my greatest achievement to be completing my Ph.D. with Summa Cum Laude at the University of Padua. I was the first Nigerian to earn this distinction in my department, a significant accomplishment, especially given the challenges in accessing knowledge and navigating the academic system as someone from an African background. This success was particularly meaningful as it allowed me to share a special moment with my daughter—I took her to Galileo’s lecture rooms when she was just two months old, which brought me great joy. I am also proud that my achievements have inspired young people worldwide in their own Ph.D. journeys.

6. Why did you choose Animals as the best platform for your work?
After reviewing numerous publications in my field, I was highly impressed with the quality of Animals. Given that many respected mentors and prominent researchers have published in this journal, achieving a publication in Animals felt like a significant milestone. The experience of publishing with Animals has been enjoyable, and I’ve chosen it as the outlet for several of my papers. Publishing in a reputable, accessible journal is essential, and I cannot recommend Animals highly enough!