Amy Biddle

Department of Animal and Food Sciences

Amy Biddle

Associate Professor of Animal Science
 302-831-2642

Office location:
531 S. College Avenue
034 Townsend Hall
Newark, DE 19716

Resources

Education

  • Ph.D. Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • M.Ed. Education, Antioch New England
  • B.S. Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire

Current courses

  • ANFS 241: Introduction to Equine Nutrition
  • ANFS 426: Equine Management Capstone
  • ANFS 100: Animals and Human Culture
  • Equine Science Minor

Research

The equine microbiome in health and disease. Current projects include: correlating bacterial community profiles with blood markers in lean and obese horses, identifying differences related to age and metabolic diseases, and identifying bacteria associated with small strongyle parasites.

Cianci, J., Stefanovski, D., Biddle, A.S., Boyle, A. 2021. Lack of association between barometric pressure and incidence of colic in equine academic ambulatory practice. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 97:103342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103342

Tavenner, M., McDonnell, S., Biddle, A.S. 2020. Development of the Equine Hindgut Microbiome in Semi-feral and Domestic Conventionally-Managed Foals. Animal Microbiome. 2:43. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-020-00060-6

Effects of a chemical additive on the fermentation, microbial communities, and aerobic stability of corn silage with or without air stress during storage. 2020. da Silva ÉB, Savage RM, Biddle AS, Polukis SA, Smith ML, Kung L. J Anim Sci. Aug 1;98(8):skaa246. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa246

Blair, J and Biddle, A.S. 2020. Stimulating Duddingtonia flagrans chlamydospore production through dehydration. Parasitology Research. 119:123-128.

Biddle, AS. 2018. Diet and the Equine Microbiome. Proceedings of the Minnesota Nutrition Conference, Minnesota Extension, St Paul, MN

Biddle, A.S., Tomb, J.-F., Fan, Z. 2018. Microbiome and Blood Analyte Differences Point to Community and Metabolic Signatures in Lean and Obese Horses. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 5:225.

Janabi, A. D., Biddle, A. S., McKeever, K. 2017. The Effects of Acute Strenuous Exercise on the Fecal Microbiota in Standardbred Racehorses. Comparative Exercise Physiology, 13(1), 13–24.

Janabi AHD, Biddle AS, Klein D, McKeever KH. 2017. Exercise training-induced changes in the gut microbiota of Standardbred racehorses. Comparative Exercise Physiology. 12(3): 119-130.

Janabi AH, Kerkhof LJ, McGuinness LR, Biddle AS, McKeever KH. 2017. Comparison of a modified phenol/chloroform and commercial-kit method for extracting DNA from horse fecal material. Journal of Microbiological Methods. 129: 14-19.

Petit E, Coppi MV, Hayes JC, Tolonen AC, Warnick T, Latouf WG, Amisano D, Biddle A, Mukherjee S, Ivanova N, Lykidis A, Land M, Hauser L, Kyrpides N, Henrissat B, Lau J, SchnellDJ, Church GM, Leschine SB, Blanchard JL. 2015. Genome and transcriptome of Clostridium phytofermentans, catalyst for the direct conversion of plant feedstocks to fuels. PLoS ONE. 10(6): e0118285. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118285.

 

Biddle AS, Leschine S, Huntemann M, Han J, Chen A, Krypides N, Markowitz V, Palaniappan K, Ivanova N, Mikhailova N, Ovchinnikova G, Schaumberg A, Pati A, Stamatis D, Reddy T, Lobos E, Goodwin L, Nordberg HP, Cantor MN, Hua SX, Woyke T, Blanchard JL. 2013. The complete genome sequence of Clostridium indolis DSM 755. Standards in Genomic Sciences. 9(3). doi:10.4056/sigs.5281010.

Biddle AS, Black SJ, Blanchard JL. 2013. An in vitro model of the horse gut microbiome enables identification of lactate-utilizing bacteria that differentially respond to starch induction. PLoS ONE. 8(10): e77599. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0077599.

Biddle AS, Stewart L, Blanchard JL, Leschine S. 2013. Untangling the Genetic Basis of Fibrolytic Specialization  by Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae in  Diverse Gut Communities. Diversity. 5(3), 627-640; doi:10.3390/d5030627.

 

PRESENTATIONS

 

2019    University of Massachusetts Microbiology Retreat, Amherst, MA

            Presentation: Microbes and horses: the view from the other side of the fence

 

2019    Kemin Industries, Naples, FL

            Presentation: Insights from the Equine Microbiome Project

2019    World Alliance of Equine Osteopaths, Ocala, FL

Presentation:  The equine microbiome: factors shaping structure and function

2018    Minnesota Nutrition Conference, Mankato, MN

            Presentation:  Diet and the Equine Microbiome

2018    Southern States Advanced Feedmaster, Glenn Allen, Virginia

            Presentation:  Gut Health and the Equine Microbiome

2018    CHS Nutrition: Equine Nutrition Workshops

            Presentation:  The Equine Microbiome Project

2018    Animal Microbiome Congress, Kansas City, KS

            Presentation:  Insights from the Equine Microbiome Project

2017    Delaware Veterinary Medical Association, Dover, DE

            Presentation:  Feeding the Gut Microbiome of the Horse

2017    Hassler Dressage Seminar Series, Chesapeake City, MD

Presentation:  Equine Gut Microbiome Project

2017    MidAtlantic Nutrition Conference. Hunt Valley, Maryland

Presentation:  Equine Gut Microbiome Update

2016    Microbial Systems Symposium. University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware

Presentation:  Understanding the Equine Gut Microbiome

2016    Delaware Cooperative Extension, New Castle, Delaware

Presentation:  Why care about mud? Delaware Extension Pasture Walk Series

2016    Delaware Ag Week, Equine Pasture Management Session Harrington, DE

Presentation:  The Inside Story of the Horse Gut

2016    Rutgers University Seminar Series. Rutgers University

Presentation:  Understanding the Equine Microbiome in Health and Disease.

2016    New Bolton Center Seminar Series, Penn Vet

Presentation: The Equine Microbiome in Health and Disease.

 

2015:   Congress on Gastrointestinal Function, Chicago, IL

Presentation:  Gene expression of Streptococcus bovis JB1 in response to monensin

Poster:  Gene expression of Streptococcus bovis JB1 in batch and continuous culture at high and low growth rates

ABSTRACTS

Johnson AJ, Biddle AS. 2020. Reemergence of cyathostomin species demonstrates anthelmintic resistance following drug administration in horses. American Society of Animal Science, Virtual Annual Meeting

Weinert JR, Biddle AS, Williams CA. 2020. Fecal microbiome of horses grazing integrated warm and cool season grass rotational pasture systems. American Society of Animal Science, Virtual Annual Meeting

Johnson AJ, Biddle AS. 2019. Microbiome effects on metabolic efficiencies in easy and hard keepers. Congress of Gastrointestinal Function, Chicago, IL

Capelo, J.C, Biddle, AS. 2019. Equine Microbiome Project Database. Equine Science Symposium, Asheville, NC. Poster Presentation

Davis RK, Biddle AS. 2019. Climate factors driving equine cyathostomin species distribution in the USA. Equine Science Symposium, Asheville, NC. Poster Presentation

Johnson AJ, Biddle AS. 2019. Microbial differences in easy and hard keepers point to differences in nutrient access. Equine Science Symposium. Asheville, NC. Poster presentation

Stone T, Babiarz K, Garcia G, Biddle AS. 2019. The impact of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the equine gastric microbiome. Equine Science Symposium. Asheville, NC. Poster presentation

Wagner AL, Medina BM, Girard ID, Biddle AS. 2019. The impact DigestaWell® Buffer on the equine gut microbiome of healthy horses. Equine Science Symposium. Asheville, NC. Poster presentation

Johnson AJ, Biddle AS. 2019. Microbial differences in easy and hard keepers point to differences in nutrient access. Equine Science Symposium. Asheville, NC. Poster presentation

Chazi Capelo J, Biddle, AS. 2019. Unearthing hidden patterns in the horse gut microbiome using a machine learning approach. ISMB/ECCB 2019. Basel, Switzerland

Davis RK, Nelson HG, Biddle AS. 2018. Climate factors driving equine cyathostomin species distribution in the USA. American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists, Denver, CO. Poster Presentation

Blair J, Biddle AS. 2018. Predatory fungus capture efficiency for equine cyathostomin larvae in the presence and absence of freeliving soil nematodes. American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists, Denver, CO. Poster Presentation

Pompetti A, Biddle AS. 2018. Reemergence patterns of equine cyathostomins following deworming with moxidectin. American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists, Denver, CO. Oral Presentation

Cianci J, Boyle A, Stefanovski D, Biddle AS. 2018. Determining the Relationship Between Barometric Pressure Changes and the Incidence of Equine Colic. MidAtlantic Nutrition Conference. Hunt Valley, MD. Poster Presentation

Nelson, H.G, Chambers, B., Biddle, A.S. 2017. Taxa distribution of small strongyles across New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Pacific Western regions of the United States. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 52, 62-63. (Equine Science Symposium Abstract)

Chambers, B.M., Nelson, H.G., Berg, J.T., Biddle, A.S. 2017. Optimization of molecular techniques for the identification of small strongyles. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 52, 59. (Equine Science Symposium Abstract)

Berg, J.T., Chambers, B., Siegel, H., Biddle, A. 2017. Equine microbiome project: Understanding differences in the horse gut microbiome related to diet. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 52, 94. (Equine Science Symposium Abstract)