Kasey Schalich
PhD, Food Science, UC Davis
Department of Food Science and Technology
Kasey’s mission is to advance human and livestock health through precision nutrition targeting of the gut microbiome. Kasey’s research aims to revalorize an abundant dairy cheese production byproduct to promote human health. Through collaborations with the UC Davis Milk Bioactives Group, Kasey is specifically studying how an enriched cheese production byproduct colloquially known as ProCream (a portmanteau of “protein” and “cream”) can modulate Bifidobacteria growth and metabolic circuitry, which holds exciting potential to be applied to promote gut and brain health and development in infants. Application of Kasey’s work could also significantly reduce food waste and offer increased economic returns to dairy producers for their milk.
Kasey brings multidisciplinary academic and industry expertise in biochemistry (B.S., Biola University), wine chemistry (Asti Winery), animal science (Ph.D., Cornell), and pediatric gastroenterology (postdoc, Vanderbilt University Medical Center). Kasey’s enthusiasm for agricultural sustainability, promoting human health, and effective science communication is evident in her social entrepreneurship initiatives. These include spearheading the Cornell Egg-Vengers and founding a 4-H youth program in Ithaca, NY. She is thrilled to be selected as an IIFH fellow and is eager to dovetail her dual passions for science and entrepreneurship to better serve and transform the world through food.