CHICAGO— Amlan International, a global leader in feed additives that improve intestinal health, today announced the opening of its Richard M. Jaffee Laboratory for Applied Microbiology located at the company’s Innovation Center in Vernon Hills, Illinois. The investment includes advanced microbiologists, research instruments and equipment dedicated to accelerating Amlan’s technical expertise and new product development.
The Company also announced the hiring of two Senior Research Microbiologists, Dongping Wang, Ph.D. and Shalaka Shinde, Ph.D. The new teammates are experienced microbiologists with specialized expertise and will help advance the company’s efforts in Life Sciences research.
The Biosafety Level 2 lab enables the examination of materials, such as animal feed, intestinal tissue and feces, and their interaction with bacteria or fungus. Pathogen identification, biotoxin diagnosis and bacterial strain enumeration can now be achieved with the lab’s technical and diagnostic capabilities such as the analyses of DNA and RNA proteins (PCR), antimicrobial assays (MIC & MBC), cellular and morphological analyses (Optical Microscopy) and tissue culturing.
Dr. Ron Cravens, President of Amlan International, a Nevada corporation, stated “We are excited that the new lab will allow us to further our understanding of how our products support intestinal health from within the microbiota. Additionally, we aspire to leverage our expertise and new tools to collaborate with our customers by offering diagnostic testing and technical support. I am confident that the new lab will allow us to optimize our existing product offerings and take product development to new heights.”
The lab was named after Richard M. Jaffee, Chairman of Amlan’s parent company, Oil-Dri Corporation of America. His pioneering spirit and vision for Oil-Dri to conduct research in life sciences has been influential in the development of Amlan’s value-added animal health products. In addition to the previously discussed initiatives, the lab will be used by all facets of Oil-Dri’s business and its development is an investment in the future of the company as a whole.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Reagan Culbertson
(312) 706-3256
reagan.culbertson@amlan.com
ABOUT AMLAN INTERNATIONAL
Oil-Dri Corporation of America (NYSE: ODC), a Delaware corporation and doing business as “Amlan International,” has grown its product offering across the intestinal health and AGP-alternative market, driven largely by the research conducted in its laboratory campus in Vernon Hills, IL. In 2013, the company’s global reach expanded with the establishment of its China subsidiary in Shenzhen. Further information on Amlan International is available at amlan.com.
