Abby Benninghoff

Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences (ADVS)

Department Head | Professor


Abby Benninghoff

Contact Information

Office Hours: By appointment
Office Location: AGRS 248A
Phone: (435) 797-8649
Email: abby.benninghoff@usu.edu

Educational Background

Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Oregon State University, 2009
PhD, Marine Science, (Endocrinology), University of Texas at Austin, 2004
Signal Transduction Pathways Regulating Steroidogenesis in ihe Ovary of Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus)
BS, Biochemistry and Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1997
Leading at USU Certificate, Utah State University, 2021
LEAD21 Leading for the 21st Century Certificate, Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, 2019

Expertise

Toxicology, Cancer and Gene Regulation // Program goals: To understand the influence of environmental factors on mechanisms of gene regulation in determining health and disease in animals and humans; Determinehow some environmental chemicals interact with the genome through nuclear receptor activation or epigenome modification to alter cancer risk.

Biography

Abby Benninghoff is a Professor of Toxicology and the Interim Head of the Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences at Utah State University. Dr. Benninghoff joined Utah State in 2010 and maintains a multidisciplinary research program in toxicology, nutrition, and gut health. From 2018 to 2022, she served as as the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Student Services for the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, and then began her tenure as Interim Head for ADVS in 2022.

Research Interests

Research in Dr. Benninghoff’s laboratory is multi-disciplinary, covering topics ranging from diet and cancer to mechanisms of genome reprogramming and gene regulation to toxicology. A major goal of Dr. Benninghoff’s research program is to understand the influence of environmental factors on mechanisms of gene regulation in determining health and disease in animals and humans. Dr. Benninghoff’s research program is currently supported by funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, the National Institutes of Health.

Awards

Outstanding Graduate Mentor of the Year, 2016

Utah State University

Distinguished Associate Professor of Honors Education, 2014

Utah State University

Sunrise Speaker USU Office of Research and Graduate Studies, 2018

Keynote Speaker Empowering Teaching Excellence Conference, 2016

Award of Excellence to W-3122 Multi-State Research Group, 2016

Western Extension and Research Directors, USDA

Graduate Mentor of the Year, 2015

College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Faculty Researcher of the Year, 2014

Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences

Faculty Researcher of the Year, 2013

Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences

Colgate/Palmolive Grants for Alternative Research Award, 2006

Society of Toxicology and the Colgate/Palmolive Company

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2006

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences


Publications | Abstracts

    An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

      Publications | Book Chapters

    • Walter, R.B, Tilton, S.C, Orner, G.O, Benninghoff, A., Bailey, G.S, Williams, D.E, (2008). Carcinogenesis models: focus on xiphophorus and rainbow trout: Oceans and Human Health. Risks and Remedies from the Seas.

    An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

    Publications | Journal Articles

    Academic Journal

    Professional Journal

    • Hatton, T., Barnett, S., Benninghoff, A., Rashid, K., (2012). Productivity studies utilizing recombinant CHO cells in stirred-tank bioreactors: a comparative study between pitched-blade and backed-bed reactor systems. BioProcessing Journal, 11:2, 29-36.

    An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

    Publications | Other

    An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

    Teaching

    ADVS 1050 - Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Science Academic and Career Orientation, Fall 2023
    ADVS 5650, 6650 - Science Communication, Fall 2020
    ADVS 6650, 5650 - Science Communication, Fall 2020
    HONR 4900 - Honors Thesis/Capstone, Spring 2019
    VM 7508 - Research Orientation, Fall 2018
    ADVS 5650, 6650 - Science Communication, Fall 2018
    VM 7519 - Veterinary Physiology I, Fall 2018
    VM 7509 - Research Issues, Ethics, and Literacy, Spring 2018
    ADVS, BIOL 5630, 6630 - Endocrinology, Fall 2017
    VM 7508 - Research Orientation, Fall 2017
    VM 7519 - Veterinary Physiology I, Fall 2017
    HONR 1350 - Integrated Life Science, Spring 2017
    VM 7509 - Research Issues, Ethics, and Literacy, Spring 2017
    VM 7508 - Research Orientation, Fall 2016
    ADVS 5650, 6650 - Science Communication, Fall 2016
    ADVS, VM 7519 - Veterinary Physiology I, Fall 2016
    VM 7509 - Research Issues, Ethics, and Literacy, Spring 2016
    ADVS, BIOL 5630, 6630 - Endocrinology, Fall 2015
    VM 7508 - Research Orientation, Fall 2015
    VM 7509 - Veterinary Physiology I, Fall 2015
    HONR 1350 - Integrated Life Science, Spring 2015
    VM 7509 - Research Issues, Ethics, and Literacy, Spring 2015
    VM 7508 - Research Orientation, Fall 2014
    ADVS 5650,6650 - Science Communication, Fall 2014
    VM 7509 - Research Issues, Ethics, and Literacy, Spring 2014
    VM 7519 - Physiology I, Fall 2013
    VM 7508 - Research Orientation, Fall 2013
    ADVS 5650,6650 - Science Communication, Fall 2013
    ADVS 5630,6630 - Endocrinology, Spring 2013
    VM 7509 - Research Issues, Ethics, and Literacy, Spring 2013
    VM 7519 - Physiology I, Fall 2012
    VM 7508 - Research Scholars Orientation, Fall 2012
    ADVS 5650,6650 - Science Communication, Fall 2012
    ADVS 6600 - Advanced and Molecular Toxicology, Fall 2011
    ADVS 1090 - New Student Orientation, Fall 2011
    ADVS 6650 - Science Communication, Fall 2011
    ADVS 3910 - ST: ENDOCRINOLOGY, Spring 2011
    ADVS 1090 - New Student Orientation, Fall 2010
    ADVS 2040 - Introduction to Biotechnology, Spring 2010

    Graduate Students Mentored

    Eliza Stewart, Animal, Dairy & Vet Sciences, May 2022
    Mohammed Almatani, Animal, Dairy & Vet Sciences, August 2021
    Daphne Rodriguez, Animal, Dairy & Vet Sciences, August 2018 - May 2023
    Jocelyn Cuthbert, Animal, Dairy & Vet Sciences, January 2014 - April 2020
    Sumira Phatak, Animal, Dairy & Vet Sciences, May 2014 - March 2020
    Daphne Rodriguez, Animal, Dairy & Vet Sciences, August 2016 - May 2018
    Hector Esquer, Animal, Dairy & Vet Sciences, September 2015 - December 2017
    Trevor Fish, Animal, Dairy & Vet Sciences, July 2011 - August 2015
    Stephany Perez Monsanto, Animal, Dairy & Vet Sciences, September 2011 - August 2013