U of I grad continues passion in swine research

U of I grad takes passion for swine to the next level

Traveling on the road with equipment and tack to show swine was a regular occurrence for Alexis Biasotti growing up in Healdsburg, California. Coming from an agricultural background, Biasotti knew she wanted to stay rooted in her upbringing while expanding her knowledge of agriculture and animal sciences. She began searching all over the Pacific Northwest for schools, asking every school she visited if they had swine on campus and everywhere she looked, there was a dead end.

Biasotti finally landed at University of Idaho after a campus visit introduced her to the swine research opportunities on campus. She got involved early on in her undergrad with the Milk for Infant, Mind and Immunity Lab (MIMI) and Piglet Intervention Center (PInC), expanding on her love for research and swine. Biasotti graduates in May with a degree in animal and veterinary science: pre-vet option and plans to continue her love for research and pigs.

“I’ve always been really involved with pigs growing up and I felt like I had all this knowledge, and I didn’t want to throw it away,” she said. “I came out to U of I for a summer visit after finding out they had pigs and fell in love with the lab.”

A defined passion

Trevor White, Academic Programs, director of retention and student success, heard Biasotti’s interest in swine while on a Zoom call with the eager freshman and soon connected her to Yimin Chen, associate research professor in the Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences. Once Biasotti learned more about Chen’s research, she was instantly hooked and ready to attend U of I.

The MIMI lab and PInC lab have worked hand in hand for the past few years, researching and finding solutions to improve the health and wellness of infants and their mothers. Biasotti’s time in the lab focused on using the neonatal piglet model to run tests to find new solutions to human health. Biasotti started working in the PInC Lab immediately after arriving on campus in fall 2021, doing basic lab upkeep and care. The work wasn’t exactly what she was used to doing back home, but Biasotti knew this coming in and still wanted to get the experience and knowledge from working in the lab. During her first year, Biasotti submitted a grant proposal for her own research project. She continued the role of animal caretaker and took every chance she had to be with the piglets and interact with them. She would soon learn more about research and develop a deeper passion than she thought.

As Biasotti’s junior year approached, her grant proposal was accepted and she began her research comparing systemic inflammatory responses between piglets fed human milk vs. infant formula. Biasotti shadowed Katie Heckathorn, a graduate student studying nutritional sciences, to understand more of the research processes and how to set up experiments. Biasotti ran ELISA tests, which allowed her to read different biomarkers of the piglets and determine the correlation with milk fed.

“One thing we test and one thing I'm interested in is the immunity levels. That was my first time getting hands-on, actually doing my own experiments,” she said.

A continued pursuit

Her work continued as she entered her last year at U of I when she began growing intestinal enteroids and finding ideal conditions for them to live and be analyzed. Enteroids are cell tissue structures that allow researchers to understand the inner workings of the intestine and allow them to perform tests to see how the organ reacts to a variety of different factors. Experimenting with different food mediums and conditions will allow Biasotti to analyze the intestinal functions under different conditions and circumstances.

Coupled with her passion for research and education, Biasotti got involved within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) and U of I and found community in different clubs and organizations. She served as the secretary of the Pre-Veterinary Club for two consecutive years and as a tutor with Vandals Tutoring. After graduation, Biasotti will continue her education at the University of California, Davis, where she will pursue a doctorate of veterinary medicine degree.

"Looking ahead, I am thrilled to attend UC Davis and connect with my new classmates and professors. As a California native, I’m also excited to be closer to home and spend more time with friends and family,” she said.

Ultimately, Biasotti hopes to have a career as a mixed animal veterinarian but is keeping an open mind as she learns more about the different fields within the program. As she looks back at her time at U of I, Biasotti credits CALS with helping her find her love of research and innovation while still staying true to her familial roots.

I can confidently say I would not be where I am today without CALS. From professors to classmates, everyone here has been dedicated to helping each other succeed. Alexis Biasotti

"I can confidently say I would not be where I am today without CALS,” she said. “From professors to classmates, everyone here has been dedicated to helping each other succeed. CALS has prepared me for graduate school in countless ways. Not only have my classes provided a solid foundation in animal science, but they have also offered invaluable hands-on experiences. After building these skills and knowledge over the past four years, I feel ready to take on the challenges of my next program."