Dr. Sue DeNise was inducted into the Animal Science Hall of Fame on April 8, 2017. The event took place during the Evening of Excellence recognition program hosted by the Department of Animal Sciences.
Dr. DeNise manages global research and development of genetic tests for livestock with the leading global animal health company Zoetis, with a team located in Kalamazoo, MI. The genetics program is focused on developing genomic test solutions for cattle and sheep, incorporating health and performance traits.
The daughter of Ronald and Jackie Kersey from Wilmington, Ohio, she was raised on a livestock and grain farm. She was active in local 4-H programs in her youth, showing beef cattle, swine, and horses; she continued to show horses later in life. She has two children, Richard and Caitlin DeNise.
Dr. DeNise earned her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees at The Ohio State University and her Ph.D. at Colorado State University. She was an Honors student during her undergraduate program and graduated with Distinction.
She started her career as a member of the faculty of the Department of Animal Sciences and the Interdisciplinary Committee on Genetics at the University of Arizona, reaching the rank of Professor. While at Arizona, Dr. DeNise was recognized as the 1993 Outstanding Professor in the College of Agriculture.
Prior to joining Zoetis, she directed the research and lab operations of MMI Genomics, previously a part of Celera Genomics, and led the development of a number of animal genomic products based on the first whole-genome shotgun sequences in livestock. Notably, she worked with Cargill to develop genomic predictions for feedlot cattle, which won the internal Cargill Innovation Award and Scientific American 50 Award in 2004. Dr. DeNise has been an inventor on nine patent families and published over 60 scientific articles in the field of application of genetic technology to animals.
Since joining Zoetis in 2009, Dr. DeNise has managed a team delivering genomic predictions to beef, dairy, Nelore and Girolando cattle in the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand; she has also worked on sheep genomic predictions in New Zealand. Zoetis works directly with some of the largest livestock producers in the world to provide genetic information on the economically important traits for their livestock businesses. The OSU College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences honored her with the 2004 Distinguished Alumni Award.