People

FACULTY

Peng Ji, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition

Hometown: Jilin, Jilin, China
Degrees:
Animal Science, BS, 2005, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
Animal Nutrition, MS, 2008, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Animal Science, PhD, 2011, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA

LAB MANAGER

Xiaogu (Tina) Du

Hometown: Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Degree: Medical Science, MD, 1985, Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
Working Experience: 
SRA, 2004-current, Department of Nutrition, Department of Animal Science, UC Davis 
Postgraduate Researcher, 2001-2004, Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis
Visiting scholar, 1998-1999, Medical Pathology, School of Medicine, UC Davis 
Researcher/Physician, 1985-1997, Guangdong Province People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China
Email: @ucdavis.edu

GRADUATE STUDENT

Weizhang Wen (PhD Student)

Hometown: Mianyang, Sichuan, China 
Degrees: 
Animal Science, BS, 2019, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
Animal Nutrition, MS, 2022, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Research Interest: Metal overexposure modulates antibiotic resistance in Enterotoxigenic E. coli  
Email: wzhwen@ucdavis.edu



Jungjae Park (PhD Student)

Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Degree:
Biochemistry, BS, 2014, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Research Interests: Iron nutrition; Dietary prebiotics on iron homeostasis, gut microbiome, and host-microbial interaction
Email: jnjpark@ucdavis.edu





Joseph Arballo (PhD Student) 

Hometown: Murrieta, CA
Degrees: 
Science & Mathematics, AA, 2016, Mt. San Jacinto Community College, San Jacinto, CA
Exercise Physiology, BS, 2019, California State University, Chico, CA
Nutritional Sciences, MS, 2021, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
Research Interests: Vitamin A and iron interactions on health, oxidative metabolism, and cognitive development in translational rodent model
Email: jarballo@ucdavis.edu






Shya Navazesh (PhD Student) 

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA 
Degree: 
Animal Science, BS, 2020, University of California, Davis, CA 
Research Interests: The role of dietary iron in shaping the gut microbiome and the development of antimicrobial resistance
Email: senavazesh@ucdavis.edu 

ALUMNI

Vivian Perng (Master Student)

Hometown: Hacienda Heights, CA 
Degrees: 
Animal Science, BS, 2016, University of California, Davis, USA
Animal Biology, M.S., 2021, University of California, Davis, USA
Research Interests: iron metabolism on brain development
Email: vperng@ucdavis.edu  

Chong Li (Visiting student) 

PhD Candidate, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China 
Hometown: Wuhan, Hebei, China
Degree: 
Animal Science, BS, 2014, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
Research interests: Animal nutrition and feed safety
Email: chcli@ucdavis.edu

Byeonghyeon Kim (Visiting student)

PhD, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Degrees:
Animal Science & Biotechnology, BS, 2015, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Animal Science, MS, 2017, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Animal Science, PhD, 2019, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Research interests: Non-ruminant Animal Nutrition
Email: bbhkim@ucdavis.edu
Time at UC Davis: September 2018 to August 2019

Nicole Doan (Master Student)

Hometown: Santa Ana, CA
Degrees:
Animal Science, BS, 2016, University of California, Davis, USA
Animal Biology, MS, 2019, University of California, Davis, USA
Research Interests: Animal nutrition and brain development
Email: nndoan@ucdavis.edu
Time at UC Davis: April 2017 to June 2019

Joslyn Mendez (Master Student)

Hometown: Chino Hills, CA
Degrees:
Animal Science, BS, 2016, University of California, Davis, USA
Animal Biology, MS, 2018, University of California, Davis, USA
Research Interests: Dairy calf nutrition
Email: josmendez@ucdavis.edu
Time at UC Davis: September 2016 to June 2018

Zhaohai Wu, Ph.D. 
Assistant Researcher
The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Pasturage Institute
 
Hometown: Weifang, Shandong, China 
Degrees: 
Animal Science, BS, 2011, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China 
Animal Science, MS, 2014, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China 
Animal Science, PhD, 2018, China Agricultural University, China 
Research Interests: Gut microbiota of Calves, Calf Nutritional Management 
Email: wzh07128@163.com
Time at UC Davis: February 2017 to February 2018