Bielke Cited by ABI for Poultry Health Vaccine Work

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Lisa Bielke

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Lisa Bielke, a poultry health research assistant professor at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, has been presented the 2014 New Investigator of the Year Award by the Arkansas Biosciences Institute for her research on new vaccine technologies for animal health.

Bielke was honored for her research at the Division’s Poultry Health Laboratory studying poultry diseases. Since joining the lab in 2011, she has worked on a project supported by ABI for development of an adjuvant – an agent that enhances a body’s immune response – that has been licensed by a vaccine company through the university. The vaccine has a patent pending while being field tested with multiple domestic and international companies.

Vaccines resulting from Bielke’s research collaborations promote mucosal immunity for hard-to-treat diseases such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, coccidia, avian influenza and necrotic enteritis in which mucosal immunity is important for preventing infection. The vaccines can be delivered to animals through drinking water.

The primary focus of her current research is poultry health with emphasis on enteric diseases and control of food pathogens. Bielke develops tools and assays for assessment of gastrointestinal inflammation to produce poultry in a more sustainable manner that promotes health and well-being while increasing profitability.  

“Dr. Bielke’s research project captures the goals of the ABI and the Division of Agriculture,” said Mark Cochran, UA System vice president for agriculture and ABI board member. “Discovering novel methods of solving current real-world problems is at the heart of the ABI mission. We are always gratified to see our research reaching end users.”  

Bielke earned her Ph.D. degree from the UA studying poultry microbiology, health and alternatives to antibiotics. While completing her post-doctoral work, Bielke was a co-investigator on small business innovation research grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense totaling more than $2 million, and a primary investigator on grants totaling nearly $400,000. Her research collaborations within the UA and other institutions have resulted in industry and academic grants totaling more than $1.2 million.   

Bielke serves on four advisory committees for current students and has served as president of the Southern Conference on Avian Diseases. She is presently a member of the Board of Trustees for the Poultry Science Association Foundation and received the Poultry Science Association Early Achievement Award.