Current “Dridies”

Dr. Sami Dridi

Dr. Dridi received his Accreditation to Supervise Research (HDR) in Structural Biology, Biochemistry and Cell Signaling from the University of Paris XI. He got his PhD and Master degrees in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the National Polytechnic Institute of Lorraine (INPL) and National Institute for Agronomic Researches (INRA), France. He joined several international teams such as UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Kentucky, University of Leuven (Belgium), ENITA Bordeaux (France), ENV Nantes (France) and West Virginia University as a post-doctoral fellow, contractual professor or main investigator. He joined the UofA in 2013 and he strive to consistently produce significant research that will bring both fundamental understanding, as well as practical solutions to ongoing poultry problems.

Elizabeth S. Greene

Elizabeth S. Greene is a program associate in Dr. Dridi’s lab. She received her Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of Florida where she studied the effects of long-chain
fatty-acids on metabolism in cultured hepatocytes. Dr. Greene has since worked in several different fields, including exercise physiology, bone physiology, and cardiovascular research, where she gained experience in a wide variety of laboratory techniques and animal models. In her spare time, Dr. Green enjoys training for marathons and spending time outdoors with her husband and daughter.

Alison Ferver

Alison Ferver is a Ph.D. student in Dr. Dridi’s lab. She received her bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the Pennsylvania State University with a minor in Poultry and Avian Sciences. As an undergraduate, Alison interned with the primary broiler breeder, Cobb-Vantress, in research and development. With Cobb, she studied growth curve analysis, semen preservation, disease resistant selection, and conducted a genome wide association study of bacterial chondronecrosis and osteomyelitis (BCO). Her interest in molecular genetics and physiology brought her to Dr. Dridi’s lab where her research focuses on a mechanistic understanding of metabolic disorders in the modern broiler. Currently, she is researching the potential role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathology of BCO and its implications for the industry. In her free time, Alison enjoys rock climbing in the Ozark mountains with her future husband and attending 4-H events with her stepson.

Wafa Youssfi

Wafa Youssfi is a Ph.D student in Dr. Dridi lab. In July 2017 she earned her engineering degree from Higher Agronomic Institute of Chott Meriam. She received two master degree in biostatistics applied to health sciences and public environmental health from the Faculty of Medicine of Sfax. As a trainee Wafa interned with several teams such as Autonom University of Barcelona, Sfax regional veterinary research center and National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet. From 2017 to 2021 wafa has worked as a quality auditor with different companies in Algeria and Tunisia. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball and cooking. Currently, her research with Dr. Dridi focuses on the use of herbal extracts to mitigate the effects of heat stress in broilers.

Maryam Afkhami Ardakani

Maryam is a graduate (MS) student in Dr. Dridi’s lab. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Isfahan University, Iran.

Her interest in molecular biology brought her to join Dr. Dridi’s lab in 2022. Currently, she is investigating the mode of action of herbal adaptogens and their underlying molecular mechanisms on broiler growth performance under heat stress conditions.

Garrett Mullenix, Ph.D.,

Garrett has a bachelor’s in agricultural business with a minor in poultry science from the University of Arkansas. He recently completed his doctorate of philosophy in poultry science, with a focus on nutrition. He has experience conducting research trials with broilers, pullets, and breeders. His research includes microalgae (Spirulina platensis), low crude protein, amino acid density, energy density, ingredient digestibility, molecular nutrition, gut health, meat quality and environmental impact assays. He is the lead author on two peer-reviewed manuscripts and has co-authored thirteen others.

Former students:

Jie Bai
Adil Al-Ogaili
Peter O Ishola
Stephanie Khaldi
Nguyen Hieu Phuong
Alissa Piekarski
Rinalda Proko
Marco Zampiga
Joshua Flees
Callie Shawhan
Guillermo Tellez
Shady Afrin Jeesan
Shaimaa Kamal Hamad
Nima K. Emami
Hossein Rajaei-Sharifabadi
Nedra Abdelli
Giorgio Brugaletta
Michael Kidd Jr.
Craig W. Maynard