Extraordinary Students Doing Extraordinary Research - Fatemeh Mohammadian

Welcome to the "Extraordinary Students Doing Extraordinary Research" podcast series, which highlights students from the UM's RBC Scholars in Sustainable Agriculture Program and their research.

In this episode, host Peter Frohlich, research development coordinator with the National Centre for Livestock and the Environment talks with RBC Scholar Fatemeh Mohammadian, a student in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences. In her research, she is exploring innovative strategies for managing infectious diseases on swine farms, with a focus on post-weaning diarrhea in piglets.

Transcript

Peter Frohlich: 0:04

Hello, and welcome to the Extraordinary Students Doing Extraordinary Research podcast. This podcast explores how students at the University of Manitoba are contributing to research that enhance the sustainability of food production in the province and beyond. My name is Peter Frolich, and I am the research development Coordinator for the National Center for Livestock and the Environment (NCLE). Located right here at the University of Manitoba. Today I am joined by Fatemeh Mohammadian, who is working on our master's program in animal science. Fatemeh is also one of 11 students, both graduate and undergraduate, who are recipients of research funding through the RBC Scholars in Sustainable Agriculture Program. This program in its first year at the University of Manitoba provides opportunities for students to carry out research and receive hands-on training at the University of Manitoba's state-of-the-art, livestock, and cropping facilities. During the program, the students also engaged with producers and industry organizations, and recently Fatemeh and RBC Scholars met with representatives from commodity groups at the University of Manitoba GlenLea Research station, just south of Winnipeg. And this is where I had a chance to listen in as Fatemeh provided an update on her project along with other students in the RBC program. Fatima is working with Dr. Hooman Derakhshani, who is an assistant professor at the Department of Animal Science at the University of Manitoba. Welcome, Fatemeh. Before we discuss animal science and piglets, please tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get interested in this area of study?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 1:32

Growing up with pets during my childhood , gave me a strong sense of responsibility towards them , which led me to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine at one of the top universities of my country.

Peter Frohlich: 1:47

And bringing up your biography, I actually read that you are a doctor in veterinary medicine, right ?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 1:52

Yeah.

Peter Frohlich: 1:52

Cool. Very cool. So why did you choose to work with piglets?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 1:56

To be honest , I chose to work with piglets, since in my country there isn't much focus on studying them. I have been always curious about these cute creatures. So I decided to pursue a master degree related to swine. What's more , swine industry is one of the Canada's top livestock industries, especially Manitoba. Which is among the top 3 provinces producing pork in the country.

Peter Frohlich: 2:25

That's a great answer. So, what made you apply to the RBC Scholars program?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 2:29

Well , I spent most of my time during the last 2 years of my studies in our faculty's mastitis lab , which involved me in various research projects. And this experience improved my understanding of sustainable farming practices. Considering how important a livestock production is to the public health and food security. My main goal for continuing graduate studies was to support the sustainability of livestock production. This really aligns well with the main objective of the RBC program which is to train the next generation of AgriFood scientists. With expertise in promoting sustainability and communicating the importance of the subject with the general public.

Peter Frohlich: 3:22

That's a really cool program. So let's get into the study. What are the objectives of this really cool study that you're working on this summer?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 3:28

Let's start with the definition of post-weaning diarrhea , which is the topic of my thesis and my research. Well post-weaning diarrhea is a complex condition , which typically occurs within the first 2 weeks after weaning of piglets. And this disease can cause diarrhea and depression, and in severe cases it may lead to sudden death . So put it simply, it's a major animal welfare issue.

Peter Frohlich: 3:56

What causes PWD?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 3:58

It is caused by a variety of infectious and non-infectious agents. But inogenic issue coli is the most significant one.

Peter Frohlich: 4:08

Is it transmitted through the air or is it transmitted through contact?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 4:12

Well , it's not an airborne disease. It's typically transmitted through fecal oral route, for example, by ingestion of a contaminated food or contact with contaminated surfaces. And that's the reason a farm biosecurity is the most important factor in controlling this disease.

Peter Frohlich: 4:30

So, if this happens to a farm, what is the impact of a farm when PWD occurs?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 4:36

The impact of this disease on a farm can be significant since it affecting both the health of piglets and the farm's overall productivity and profitability. For example , this disease leads to a slower growth rate in piglets and the cost of treating, post-weaning diarrhea , including veterinary consultations and medications can be substantial.

Peter Frohlich: 5:01

So are those the only thing that the farmer can do when he sees PWD on his farm?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 5:07

To prevent the spread of disease among piglets? It's better to first isolate infected piglet from the rest of the group. This helps constrain the infections and minimize the risk of it spreading to other animals. once the infected piglet is separated , uh, treatment can then begin.

Peter Frohlich: 5:28

So , um, your study looks at contributing factors. Can you tell us what those are?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 5:32

One of the major contributing factors to this disease is the genotype of the piglets. For example , some piglets don't have the cell surface receptors for the bacteria to attach to. So they're inherently less susceptible to this disease. And the pathogen itself has a number of virulence factors that can exacerbate the disease process, including toxins and fibres , which enable the pathogen to attach more effectively to pig's intestinal tract .

Peter Frohlich: 6:03

So you're looking at probiotics in your study, right?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 6:06

Yeah.

Peter Frohlich: 6:07

So is PWD new condition on farms, or has it been around for a long time?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 6:11

Well, it's not a new condition on farms. It has been a longstanding challenge in pig farming. This disease has been recognized for many decades as an common health issue in piglets particularly during the critical transition period after weaning.

Peter Frohlich: 6:28

You talk about genetics and that some pigs are more susceptible to this because of their genetics. So in the future, can the industry breed pigs who are resistant to bacteria that cause PWD ?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 6:39

Yep , that's our hope. The team which we are working with, including scientists from University of Guelph are interested in finding variations in pig genotype that can increase resistance to PWD. Our group at UofM is also interested in finding microbial fingerprints such as a specific beneficial bacteria , that can be used as next generation probiotics, capable of increasing piglets resistance to this disease .

Peter Frohlich: 7:10

So if you can genetically have pigs that are not predisposed to this, is it possible to eradicate PWG in your opinion?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 7:20

Maybe in the future? Yeah .

Peter Frohlich: 7:23

And that's where research comes in, right? So exciting. So what are the highlights of your experience so far at the RBC program?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 7:30

I have been always working in the focus on my research project and improving my microbiology skills. But the RBC program has really provided me the chance to get out of the lab and connect with the main stakeholders in livestock and in industry , like the large number of producer groups in the province of Manitoba, including the Manitoba Pork Producers, as well as representatives from Manitoba Agriculture and other policy makers in this field. This is really a new and unique experience for me to think out of the academic box and communicate the results and significance of my research with the end users.

Peter Frohlich: 8:15

And the end users. Being commodity groups like Manitoba Pork, they're likely really interested in what you... what you're doing and the outcomes of this research. So when will the study be completed, and how will producers and the public find out about the results?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 8:30

The study is expected to be completed in January, 2026. Once we finalize our research the results will be shared with producers through different channels. For example, through academic publications and presentations, conferences and producer meetings. Our goal is to ensure that the findings are accessible to both academia, community, and industry professionals. Helping to advance sustainable practices in swine health management.

Peter Frohlich: 9:03

That's a great answer, so Fatemeh. Why is this work important and how can producers use the results from your work?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 9:09

This work is vital because post-weaning diarrhea is a major challenge in pig farming. Leading to economic losses and animal welfare concerns. Our producers can use the results of this research to effectively control post post-weaning diarrhea in their farms.

Peter Frohlich: 9:29

That sounds really important. Thank you. What skills or new things have you learned while you have participated in the RBC Scholars Program?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 9:37

During my participation in the RBC Scholars Program , I have developed several valuable skills and gained new knowledge. Most importantly, how to communicate my academic learnings with the public. I believe for us in academia, the main challenge is to bridge the gap between the science and the public. And this is all the RBC program is about. We can't promote sustainability in A griFood sector unless we can first convey the importance of this topic to the public and convince producers and consumers that the only way our industry can t hrive in near future is t hrough implementation of sustainable practices.

Peter Frohlich: 10:20

Great answer. So there could be students that are getting going in agriculture... what would be a message to them to potentially entice them into apply into the RBC program.

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 10:33

To students considering this program? I would say that it offers a unique opportunity to make a tangible impact in the field of animal science and agriculture.

Peter Frohlich: 10:43

And what about younger kids? What about kids in like elementary school and junior high school who are just learning where their food comes from and they're getting interested in agriculture? What would be a message for them?

Fatemeh Mohammadian: 10:54

If you are passionate about animal health and agriculture, I encourage you to pursue it with enthusiasm. The field offers exciting opportunities to make a real difference, as I've experienced through my work on sustainable agriculture and animal health .

Peter Frohlich: 11:12

Thank you so much, Fatemeh. It has been a pleasure to meet you and to hear about your project. We're certainly looking forward to hearing more from the UofM researchers about the innovative strategies from managing infectious diseases on swine farms, and projects like yours contribute to creating sustainable agriculture systems in Manitoba and beyond. And thank you all for listening in. Please stay tuned for upcoming podcasts on the University of Manitoba Extraordinary students doing extraordinary research that enhances the sustainability of agriculture and food production.