Penn State
 
 John O. Almquist Research Center
(Formerly the Dairy Breeding Research Center)

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WELCOME TO THE ALMQUIST RESEARCH CENTER

                 

Construction of the Dairy Breeding Research Center was completed in 1949. Funds to build the facility were appropriated by the Pennsylvania General Assembly and donated by Pennsylvania's Artificial Breeding Cooperatives. On the 50th Anniversary of the DBRC, it was renamed the "John O. Almquist Research Center" to honor the center's founder, Dr. John Almquist. The Center includes offices and well-equipped laboratories for biochemistry, molecular biology, cell physiology, histology, cell culture and cryobiology. Integral housing and feed storage facilities are available for 24 mature bulls, 28 calves, 40 cows and laboratory animals used in the research program in reproductive physiology. The Almquist Research Center is a unique facility for research on reproduction in farm animals and is one of only three known in the world that provides substantial housing for mature bulls.

The faculty, staff and students at the Almquist Research Center have had a long-standing working relationship with the artificial insemination industry. Research at the Almquist Center has led to development of many of the techniques for semen processing and cryopreservation currently used by the industry. In 1981, the research contributions made by the Almquist Research Center were credited with industry savings and increased food production valued worldwide at more than $600 million.

Current research at the Center is focused on developing a better understanding of male and female fertility. Studies on the male are directed at defining what factors are responsible for differences seen in fertility among bulls. Recently it was discovered that osteopontin and prostaglandin D synthase were proteins in semen that were associated with higher fertility. Much of the work on the cow is focused on understanding how oviduct secretions influence gamete maturation, fertilization and early embryo development. Additional efforts are directed at developing methods for contraception of white-tailed deer. Both fundamental and applied approaches are used in studies that involve molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, as well as whole animal research. Technological developments from these studies may lead to improved fertility of cattle and contraceptives for over-populated wildlife species. Information derived from these studies may also improve reproductive technologies and have applications in correcting human infertility and contraceptive development.

The Almquist Research Center also is used as a teaching laboratory for "hands on" experience with cattle and current reproductive technologies. Students gain proficiency in the technique of artificial insemination in cattle and obtain experience with the methods of in vitro fertilization and in vitro embryo production. In addition, numerous graduate students and foreign visitors have received training at the Center and have gone on to become leaders in industry, academia, medicine and government.

Research and teaching programs involving domestic animals are expensive. The College of Agricultural Sciences and the Department of Dairy and Animal Science provide funds for the basic operation of the Almquist Research Center. However, the research programs also are supported by about $350,000 per year in government and industry grants and contracts.
 
 

                               

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        For more information, please contact Dr. Gary Killian.



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