Tatiane Fernandes
Tatiane Fernandes
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Location:
School of Animal Sciences3290 Litton-Reaves Hall
175 West Campus Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24061
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Tatiane Fernandes, Ph.D., is a researcher and educator in ruminant nutrition with expertise in amino acid and lipid metabolism, fermentation processes related to animal nutrition. Her formal education includes postdoctoral training in lipid biohydrogenation at the University of Lisbon and in small ruminant nutrition at the Federal University of Dourados. She earned her Ph.D. in Ruminant Nutrition and Forages from the Federal University of Lavras, as well as an M.S. in Ruminant Nutrition and a B.S. in Animal Science from the State University of West of Paraná.
Dr. Fernandes joined Virginia Tech in 2022 as a Postdoctoral Assistant, where she worked with isotopic and modeling techniques to investigate nutrient metabolism in ruminants. She subsequently advanced to a faculty position in the School of Animal Sciences. Her research integrates controlled animal trials, isotopic tracer methodologies, and metabolic modeling to evaluate nutrient utilization and improve the efficiency of ruminant production systems. Dr. Fernandes is actively involved in graduate and undergraduate training and collaborates closely with academic and industry partners to translate fundamental nutrition research into practical solutions for livestock production.
Dr. Tatiane Fernandes’ research focuses on ruminant nutrient metabolism, with emphasis on rumen fermentation processes. Her work integrates controlled animal trials with stable isotope tracer techniques and metabolic modeling to quantify nutrient fluxes and identify regulatory mechanisms influencing animal performance and efficiency. A central objective of her research is the development of nutrition-based strategies that enhance productivity while reducing the environmental footprint of ruminant systems, supporting livestock production.
Undergraduate:
- APSC 3434 -Host-Microbe Interactions (3cr)
Graduate:
- APSC 5114 – Advance Ruminant Nutrition (3cr)
Dr. Tatiane Fernandes approaches teaching as an integrative process that connects fundamental biological concepts to real-world challenges in animal agriculture and environmental sustainability. Her instruction emphasizes a strong conceptual foundation in ruminant nutrition, microbiology, and metabolic physiology, while encouraging students to understand how these principles apply to modern livestock systems. She prioritizes clarity, scientific rigor, and relevance, helping students move from memorization toward critical thinking and problem solving.
- Ph.D., Ruminant Nutrition and Forage, 2018
Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil - M.S., Ruminant Nutrition, 2014
State University of West of Paraná, Marechal Candido do Rondon, Paraná, Brazil - B.S., Animal Science, 2011
State University of West of Paraná, Marechal Candido do Rondon, Paraná, Brazil
Laboratory Specialists
- Daniele Ruocco
- Tara Pilonero
Current Graduate Students
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Rayven Hopkins , bioM.S. Student
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Grace Neller , bioNon-thesis M.S. Student
Visiting Students
- Paola Simoes
- Giuliano Muglia