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Gracee Roberson

Gracee Roberson

McNair Scholar 2024

  • Major(s): Animal Science
  • Classification: Senior
  • Anticipated Graduation Date: Spring 2025
  • Career Aspirations: After attaining a bachelor’s degree, Gracee plans to attend veterinary school with the hopes of becoming a specialized veterinarian working in small animal or wildlife medicine. Further down the road, she intends to do non-profit work in other countries to help emphasize the importance of conservation tactics. 

“My favorite part about being a McNair Scholar has been the community and the program’s grad school preparation. The support from the cohort and staff is forever motivating and continues to push me forward to success.”

gracee-roberson

“The Relationship between Telomere Length, Age, Disease, and Performance in Livestock Animals”

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Emilie Baker

The purpose of this study is to identify any gaps within previous literature discussing the correlation between telomere length (TL), age, disease, and performance in various livestock species such as cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, and chickens. A two-stage screening process was implemented to ensure systematic and efficient selection of relevant articles​. Within the first stage, the titles and abstracts of all identified articles were reviewed using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Each article that passed the initial screening went on to an in-depth review which focused primarily on the methods and results sections to ensure relevance and quality. A total of 245 articles were screened with only 31 being included in this review. The general trend across species correlated TL with age, determining that as age increased, TL decreased. Within all other measurements, there were mixed results regarding any correlation whether positive or negative. Across all livestock species, it is evident that more research is needed to determine TL's effects on disease susceptibility and immunity​. With continued research focused on performance traits and immunity, this could lead to improved breeding strategies and enhanced animal health.