Innovation & Research Turns Science Into Solutions
Where Real-World Production Challenges Meet The Science Built To Solve Them
NutriQuest's innovation and research program is where production challenges meet the science needed to solve them. The program spans dedicated research facilities across dairy, swine, and poultry, contract research for companies validating new technologies, and active partnerships that have produced licensed feed additives, breakthrough health research, and proven technologies for targeted customer needs.
NutriQuest’s innovation and research work operates across interconnected areas, with each one strengthening the others:
-
Study design and trial execution across swine, dairy, and poultry — production-realistic protocols designed to produce data that holds up to peer review and regulatory scrutiny
-
Efficacy trials that are statistically powered, species-specific, and designed to generate commercially usable results
-
Biomarker development and mode-of-action (MOA) research, building the mechanistic evidence increasingly required for peer review and commercial adoption
-
Natural compound database connects compounds and ingredients directly to health and performance indications, enabling faster candidate selection at the front end of development
-
Technology licensing and co-development by partnering with companies at every stage of the innovation lifecycle, from early validation through commercialization
-
Regulatory data support with research designed in coordination with NutriQuest’s in-house regulatory team, so the evidence supports the regulatory pathway from day one
-
Intellectual property development from day one so IP structures are built to hold up to legal and commercial scrutiny and to support licensing, co-development, or acquisition outcomes
The Principle Behind The Program
NutriQuest’s innovation and research program operates on the principle that the work is designed to produce data you can stand behind. For the companies that work with NutriQuest, whether as contract research clients, co-development partners, or licensing partners, that principle is what makes the data rigorous for peer reviewers, defensible for regulators, and credible for commercial partners and livestock producers.
Research Infrastructure Across Three Species
Eight dedicated research facilities span dairy, swine, and poultry and cover the full research lifecycle from pre-clinical in vitro screening and disease challenge models through commercial-scale performance trials and carcass evaluations at commercial processing plants.
-
Dairy: Lactation Research Center (Hawley, MN) and Calf Research Center (Eastern WI)
-
Swine: Nursery, Grow-Finish, and Sow Research Centers (Woodstock and Jasper, MN) plus a specialized Modeling Center (Fergus Falls, MN)
-
Poultry: Southern Poultry Research Group (Georgia) and Broiler Research Center (North Carolina) providing both performance trial and disease challenge capability
A Track Record Of Results
44
Filed patents globally
8
Dedicated research facilities
4
Active innovation partnerships
ADSA & MWAS
Published research presentations
Recent work that demonstrates the range of NutriQuest’s innovation and research program:
-
Auxion feed additive licensed from Eastman: NutriQuest developed this high-impact feed additive, applying its production-setting research capabilities to validate it for additional livestock applications.
-
Modulant Biosciences co-development: NutriQuest is providing the research infrastructure and species expertise to advance a promising PRRSv drug candidate toward commercialization. PRRSv costs the U.S. pork industry approximately $1.2 billion annually.
-
Agricen Sciences co-development: NutriQuest is co-developing proven biological and biocatalyst technologies from crop production for livestock and poultry applications.
Who We Work With
NutriQuest’s innovation and research program serves a range of companies and organizations at different points in the innovation lifecycle. Some bring promising technology that needs rigorous, independent validation before it can move to market. Some come as co-development partners to bring science from adjacent sectors or early-stage discoveries that need the infrastructure, species expertise, and production-setting credibility NutriQuest provides.
What they share is a need for a partner whose scientific work can withstand the scrutiny of peer reviewers, regulators, and livestock producers. That’s what brings companies to NutriQuest and what keeps the relationships expanding over time.
Meet The Innovation Team
Brooke Humphrey, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer
Brooke leads NutriQuest’s research program with a Ph.D. in Nutrition and Immunology from UC Davis and 20+ years of animal health and nutrition technology development experience. His background includes key leadership roles at Phibro Animal Health and Cargill Animal Nutrition — positions that span the full arc from research discovery to commercial application. Brooke leads NutriQuest’s multi-species innovation product portfolio expansion and oversees the research infrastructure that supports both NutriQuest’s internal program and its contract research partners.
Sarah Schuling, Ph.D.
Director, Ruminant Innovation
Sarah holds a Ph.D. in Animal and Nutritional Sciences from the University of New Hampshire and leads NutriQuest’s ruminant innovation program. Her work spans the full development pipeline — from supporting R&D concept development and designing research protocols through statistical evaluation and reporting. Sarah’s research has been presented at ADSA, making her a credible voice in the peer-reviewed dairy nutrition research community.
Ran Song, Ph.D.
Sr. Director, Monogastric Innovation
Ran holds a Ph.D. in Swine Nutrition from the University of Minnesota and brings 10+ years of experience planning, managing, and summarizing NutriQuest’s swine research trials. Her academic foundation includes undergraduate study at China Agricultural University and an M.S. from the University of Minnesota. Ran provides leadership in technical representation and customer research efforts across the monogastric program.
Sue Knudtson, MS
Swine Innovation Manager
Sue holds an M.S. in Swine Nutrition from South Dakota State University and brings hands-on experience leading swine research projects from design through final report delivery. She collaborates closely with internal and external technical teams and laboratory providers to ensure research is executed with rigor and communicated clearly. Sue’s role sits at the intersection of science and operational execution — the point where a well-designed trial becomes a usable result.
Yssi Entzie, MS
Dairy Innovation Manager
Yssi comes to NutriQuest after serving as the Nutrition Laboratory Manager at North Dakota State University, where she provided leadership and coordination to all laboratory operations. Yssi also earned her M.S. in Animal Sciences from North Dakota State University with a focus in animal production and husbandry.
Mekenzie Whaley
Dairy Research Trial Manager
Mekenzie earned her B.S. in Animal Science from North Dakota State University with a focus in animal production and husbandry. Mekenzie spent three years working at the NDSU dairy facility before joining NutriQuest in 2024 — bringing hands-on parlor, feeding, and calf care experience to the day-to-day execution of dairy research trials.
Jodi Miller
Director, Regulatory Affairs
Jodi has spent more than 20 years managing product registrations across North America and international markets for animal feed and pet food companies. She leads regulatory strategy for new product launches and ongoing compliance programs. In addition, Jodi holds the distinction of being a certified PCQI Trainer to train others in FDA-required Preventive Controls.
Sanjeev Anand, DVM, Ph.D., CSAP
Vice President, Business Development & Alliance Management
Sanjeev leads NutriQuest's global business development and innovation partnerships. He holds a DVM and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology & Immunology from the University of Saskatchewan, with prior roles at Elanco Animal Health, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, and Techaccel LLC. His combination of veterinary science and business development experience supports NutriQuest's technology commercialization and alliance management work.
Kim Friesen, Ph.D.
President
Kim leads NutriQuest with a Ph.D. in Swine Nutrition from Kansas State University and 25+ years of research and innovation leadership in the animal nutrition industry. His career has spanned senior roles at Tyson Foods, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and Elanco — a breadth of commercial and scientific experience that informs how NutriQuest’s research program is designed to produce data companies can actually use. Kim provides overall leadership to NutriQuest’s research and product development efforts across swine, broiler, and dairy species.