A division of West Virginia Universitys Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences will begin a new year with a new name. The Division of Animal and Veterinary Sciences will now be known as the Division of Animal and Nutritional Sciences.

The change has been under consideration since the Davis Colleges program in human nutrition and foods joined the division in 2005.

This move provided an excellent opportunity for enhancement of the academic programs in both units,said Paul Lewis, director, noting the significant crossover of research interests among the different disciplines.

An equally significant component for restructuring the unit is the identity within the name of the division that would now represent the various undergraduate and graduate programs, animal and veterinary sciences, human nutrition and foods, registered dietetics program and agricultural biochemistry.

The division offers undergraduate majors in animal and veterinary sciences (with B.A. and B.S. options), agricultural biochemistry and human nutrition and foods. It offers two undergraduate minors, equine management and food science and technology. It is also home to the Davis-Michael Scholars Program, a rigorous preparatory program for students planning to pursue continuing education in veterinary medicine.

Masters-level programs include animal and nutritional sciences and reproductive physiology. Doctorates are available in animal and food sciences and reproductive physiology, and several faculty members work with students in the interdisciplinary genetics and developmental biology program.

Research projects focus on major areas of biochemistry, food sciences, nutrition, physiology, reproductive physiology and biotechnology. This restructuring has expanded the impact of the Colleges research program to include human health and well-being, food safety and niche markets of food production systems for West Virginia and the region.