Dr. Stephanie Lam

Image Stephanie Lam
Post-Doctoral Researcher

Dr. Stephanie Lam is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Lacombe Research and Development Centre. She obtained her M.Sc. (2016) and Ph.D. (2020) at the University of Guelph, Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, where she studied feed efficiency in beef and dairy cattle using high-throughput -OMICs technologies. Stephanie is currently working under the supervision of Dr. Manuel Juárez in the Livestock Phenomics program. Her current projects involve improving the understanding of the transformation of muscle tissue to meat at the molecular level, using molecular methods for improved phenotyping for muscle fibre type composition, comparison of technologies to measure meat quality and carcass traits, and evaluation of factors influencing carcass primal cut-out composition. Her aim is to improve the sustainability, profitability, and efficiency of the Canadian livestock and meat industry and continue to transfer and translate research knowledge.

Current research and/or projects

  • Use of functional genomics to better understand meat and muscle biology
  • Evaluation of factors influencing meat compositional traits
  • Comparison of technologies used for measuring meat quality and carcass traits
  • Use of molecular methods for improved phenotyping of meat traits
  • Integration of -OMICs technologies for systems biology approaches to optimize the study of meat quality and carcass traits

Research and/or project statements

  • Meat quality, carcass, and production traits
  • Functional Genomics
  • Transcriptomics and RNA-Sequencing

Professional activities / interests

  • Accelerating research knowledge transfer and translation through extension work
  • Reviewing research articles for peer-reviewed scientific journals
  • Improving public speaking and professional communication
  • Volunteering and taking opportunities to contribute to the community

Education and awards

Education

  • Ph.D. Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, 2020
    • Thesis: “Improving cattle feed efficiency using ‘–OMICs’ technologies and functional genomics”
  • M.Sc. Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, 2016
    • Thesis: “Associations of rumen function and structure with feed efficiency in beef cattle”
  • B.Sc. (Hons.) Animal Biology, University of Guelph, 2014

Awards

Conferences awards

  • 2019 3rd place in Ontario Agricultural College 3-Minute-Thesis Competition
  • 2018 1st place poster award at 3rd Annual Canadian Beef Industry Conference
  • 2017 Sponsorship to the Advancing Women in Agriculture Conference
  • 2016 2nd place poster award at 7th Annual Livestock Gentec Conference

Scholarships and fellowships

  • 2016-2020 Graduate Tuition Scholarship
  • 2018-2019 Ontario Graduate Scholarship
  • 2016-2017 Mary Edmunds Williams Scholarship
  • 2016-2017 Ontario Graduate Fellowship
  • 2015-2016 Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology
  • 2014 Undergraduate Research Assistant: NSERC Scholarship