A Passion for Research Making new discoveries is an exciting prospect for those who love research. This is true for Ranjith Ramanathan, a meat quality associate professor and Noltensmeyer Endowed Chair in the Oklahoma State University Department of Animal and Food Sciences. "Research always fascinated me." said Ramanathan. "It is always fun to understand the unknown in a systematic approach. If the outcome of the research can help producers or industries, then it is a very rewarding experience." After earning his bachelor's degree, Ramanathan received an opportunity to work on a project determining the effects of gamma rays on meat quality. He soon became fascinated with meat science research. "I thought it's an interesting area," Ramanathan said. "After two years of research, I decided to pursue an M.S. degree in meat science. I was fortunate to get admission at the University of Connecticut. My major professor, Dr. Richard Mancini, offered a Ph.D. position and still in this same area." Now as an OSU faculty member, Ramanathan’s research focuses on understanding the biochemical basis of meat discoloration. His lab utilizes both applied and fundamental 8
SPRING 2020
approaches to improve meat quality and understand meat discoloration. His current research projects include improving the value and appearance of dark-cutting beef and improving the color stability of aged beef. "My research program primarily focuses on limiting food wastage due to meat discoloration," Ramanathan said. "Nearly 15% of beef is discounted in price due to discoloration, leading to a price reduction of whole muscle cuts or grinding of the meat for rapid sale." In addition to his own research, Ramanathan serves as research coordinator for both the department and the Undergraduate Research Scholars (UGRS) Program. For departmental research, his primary responsibilities include enhancing collaboration, sharing research success with administrators and alumni, and building a nationally recognized animal and food science research program. "We have excellent faculty, and it is always exciting to work with them and to learn about their research," Ramanathan said. "As a land grant university, we aim to serve farmers and food and animal industries of Oklahoma and around the world." Faculty in the department conduct various animal and food science
research projects involving animal health and wellness, food safety, genetics, meat science, non-ruminant nutrition, physiology, ruminant nutrition, and sustainability. This allows undergraduate students in the UGRS program to develop their research skills on a wide range of projects alongside faculty and graduate students. "Research programs are essential to developing hands-on experience through cutting-edge research skills and to provide additional opportunities in their career," Ramanathan said. "The research experience helps to reinforce concepts learned in the classrooms. Additionally, students can attend conferences and develop communication skills. Several students have presented their research at national conferences." The students also get access to OSU farms and facilities, like the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center where they can learn from professionals and work on projects ranging from solving industry problems to creating food products. FAPC works on projects for several companies, including Tyson, Cargill, JBS, and Seaboard. "It is really fascinating to see students transition from someone with no research experience into becoming a pro. Several students [from the
