Siloam Springs, Ark.: Cobb-Vantress, LLC, a global leader in poultry genetics, is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Cobb Research Initiative (CRI) grants. This year, seven innovative projects have been selected for funding.
The CRI is designed to advance the science of poultry genetics by fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration. These partnerships play a critical role in addressing key challenges—ranging from disease prevention and animal welfare to production efficiency and product quality.
“This year marked a milestone for the CRI, with a record number of proposals submitted,” said Dr. William Herring, Vice President of Research and Development at Cobb. “By combining cutting-edge technology with deep scientific expertise, we’re addressing the most pressing challenges in poultry production and advancing the future of genetics. We’re excited to see the impact these collaborations will have across the industry and beyond.”
With a focus on enhancing the performance and resilience of Cobb breeding stock, the CRI aims to strengthen the global poultry supply chain and deliver long-term value to producers and consumers alike. By engaging researchers from diverse fields, the initiative continues to uncover new insights and develop tools that support genetic innovation.
“At Cobb, our commitment to progress is rooted in strategic partnerships,” said Shelby Watkins, President of Cobb. “By supporting these forward-thinking projects, we’re accelerating discovery, driving genetic progress, and helping provide more innovative solutions for our customers.”
The full list of 2025 grant recipients is available below. To learn more about the Cobb Research Initiative and its research priorities, visit www.cobbgenetics.com/cri.
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2025 Cobb Research Initiative Grant Recipients |
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Researcher |
Project Title |
Institution |
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Marcelo Veiga |
Embryonic and fetal development of Cobb chickens at different incubation temperatures. |
Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil |
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Nilva Kazue Sakomura |
Metabolic evaluation of different temperature programs in Cobb broiler chickens. |
Sao Paulo State University, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences |
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Craig Coon |
Ideal amino acid ratio and optimum digestible lysine intake for breeders in prebreeder and peak production phases using the indicator amino acid oxidation technique. |
University of Arkansas |
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Hui Yu |
Investigating alterations in satellite cell heterogeneity during growth selection and their role in the pathogenesis of wooden breast myopathy. |
The Ohio State University |
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Lonneke Vervelde |
Intestinal organoids as a phenotyping tool to screen genetic lines for microbial resilience. |
Royal GD Animal Health |
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Guoming Li |
Development and validation of an intelligent system for individual tracking and phenotype extraction in group-housed broiler chickens throughout the production cycle. |
University of Georgia |
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Stephanie Richter |
Leg defect digital morphometrics. |
Georgia Tech Research Institute |