Shawn S Donkin

Associate Director for Ag Research / Professor of Animal Sciences

Department: Agricultural Research Programs
Phone: 765.494.4847
E-mail: sdonkin@purdue.edu

Dr. Shawn S. Donkin was appointed Associate Director of Agriculture Research in August 2011. He is responsible for developing and facilitating activities which enhance the graduate student and post-doctoral experience in the College of Agriculture.

Dr. Donkin joined the faculty of Purdue University in 1995 as Assistant Professor of Animal Sciences following postdoctoral training at The Pennsylvania State University and University of Wisconsin-Madison. He rose through the ranks and was promoted to Professor in 2006 and was named a University Faculty Scholar in 2007.

Dr. Donkin's research program explores the cellular and molecular processes controlling liver function in response to nutritional, hormonal, environmental, and developmental cues. This research has translated to feeding recommendations for dairy cattle and has created knowledge of the underlying molecular and cell biology of nutrient metabolism in mammalian liver. Ongoing fundamental studies explore the role of physiological transitions and stressors on gene promoter control. Ongoing applied research explores the potential of biofuel co-products for ruminants and their impact on animal productivity, animal health, and the environment. Dr. Donkin also applies his expertise in nutritional physiology to determining the impact of nutrition on fetal origins of the metabolic syndrome and the role of vitamin D in energy partitioning, cellular metabolism, and insulin signaling. He has published over 55 scientific articles in refereed journals, over 90 abstracts, several extension articles, and 4 book chapters. He has served on 49 graduate committees and has obtained approximately $8 M in funding from USDA, NIH, industry and private foundations. Dr. Donkin received the Pfizer Animal Health Physiology Award in 2010 and has been recognized as outstanding undergraduate advisor, outstanding teacher, and outstanding graduate mentor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Purdue University. He has served on the editorial boards for the Journal of Animal Science and Journal of Dairy Science, as an expert reviewer for many other journals and as a grant reviewer for several funding agencies.

Dr. Donkin was awarded a doctorate in dairy science from The University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1992 specializing in nutritional biochemistry. His master's degree, awarded in 1987, is in dairy and animal science from The Pennsylvania State University with an emphasis in nutrition. He earned a bachelor of agricultural science degree from McGill University, Montreal in 1982 and associate in agriculture degree from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in 1980.

- Recent Publications

Carrillo, A. E., Flynn, M. G., Pinkston, C., Markofski, M. M., Jiang, Y., Donkin, S. S., & Teegarden, D. (2012). Impact of vitamin D supplementation during a resistance training intervention on body composition, muscle function, and glucose tolerance in overweight and obese adults.. Clin Nutr., 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.03.031.

Donkin, S. S. (2012). The role of liver metabolism during transition on postpartum health and performance. Florida Ruminant Nutrition Conference Proceedings, 97-107.

Donkin, S. S. (2012). Nutrition and hepatic metabolism in periparturient cows.. Formuette.

White, H. M., Donkin, S. S., Lucy, M. C., Grala, T. M., & Roche, J. R. (2012). Short communication: Genetic differences between New Zealand and North American dairy cows alter milk production and gluconeogenic enzyme expression.. J Dairy Sci., 95, 455-459.

Carvalho, E. R., Schmelz-Roberts, N. S., White, H. M., Wilcox, C. S., Eicher, S. D., & Donkin, S. S. (2012). Feeding behaviors of transition dairy cows fed glycerol as a replacement for corn.. J Dairy Sci., 95, 7214-7224.

White, H. M., Koser, S. L., & Donkin, S. S. (2012). Gluconeogenic enzymes are differentially regulated by fatty acid cocktails in Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells.. J Dairy Sci., 95, 1249-1256.

White, H. M., Koser, D. L., & Donkin, S. S. (2012). Regulation of bovine pyruvate carboxylase mRNA and promoter expression by thermal stress.. J. Anim. Sci., 90, 2979-2987.

Zou, M., Arentson, E. J., Teegarden, D., Koser, S. L., Onyskow, L., & Donkin, S. S. (2012). Fructose consumption during pregnancy and lactation induces fatty liver and glucose intolerance in rats.. Nutr Res., 32, 588-598.

Donkin, S. S., & Koser, S. L. (2011). Expression of bovine cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase is regulated by glucagon, glucocorticoids, and propionate to control gluconeogenic capacity in bovine liver.. International Congress On Farm Animal Endocrinology-ICFAE,.

McLamore, E. S., Shi, J., Jaroch, D., Claussen, J. C., Uchida, A., Jiang, Y., . . . Porterfield, D. M. (2011). A self-referencing platinum nanoparticle decorated enzyme-based microbiosensor for real time measurement of physiological glucose transport.. Biosens Bioelectron., 26, 2237-2245.

+ Patents

- Awards & Honors

Associate editor, Ruminant Nutrition (2011). Canadian J Animal Science.

Associate editor, Ruminant Nutrition Section (2011). J Animal Science.

Outstanding Teacher (2010). Department of Animal Sciences.

Pfizer Animal Health Physiology Award (2010). American Dairy Science Association.

Dean’s Team Award (2009). College of Agriculture.

Outstanding Graduate Mentor (2009). Department of Animal Sciences.

Outstanding Undergraduate Counselor (2009). Department of Animal Sciences.

Outstanding Graduate Mentor (2008). Purdue University, Department of Animal Sciences.

Outstanding Undergraduate Counselor (2008). Purdue University, Department of Animal Sciences.

ANSC Outstanding Undergraduate Counselor, 2002 (2005). Department of Animal Sciences.

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