Dr. Vanessa Leone

Biography

Vanessa Leone is an Assistant Professor in Animal Biologics Metabolism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences. She obtained her B.S. in Animal Sciences in 2003 and completed her Ph.D. in Animal Sciences Nutrition under the guidance of the late Mark E. Cook. Her research primarily focuses on examining the effects of maternal dietary supplements, specifically conjugated linoleic acid, on avian embryogenesis in laying hens. As a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Chicago, she shifted her research focus towards understanding the trillions of microbes residing in the intestine and their impacts on complex metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Leone joined the University of Wisconsin in 2020, enhancing her research on host-microbe interactions through preclinical models and germ-free mouse technology. She holds the National Institutes of Health's K01 Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award, investigating how diet-induced gut microbes shape and maintain host circadian clock function with a particular emphasis on mucosal health. Leone's broader research goals include identifying innovative microbiome-derived strategies to improve metabolic health in humans and companion animals, as well as enhancing agricultural animal immune health and production outcomes.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards