Joel Caton

Professor

Faculty

Animal Sciences

headshot of Joel Caton

Joel Caton was born in central Missouri and raised on his parents’ livestock and grain farm. He received his B.S. from New Mexico State University (NMSU) and his M.S. from the University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC). He received his Ph.D. in 1987 from NMSU. In 1988, he accepted an appointment as Assistant Professor at North Dakota State University (NDSU), with emphasis on ruminant nutrition and digestive physiology. He was promoted to Associate and Full Professor 1994 and 2000, respectively. In 2013, Joel received the Engberg Presidential Professorship at NDSU. Joel has conducted sabbatical leave research at the University of Reading, England and the Rowett Institute for Nutrition and Health in Aberdeen, Scotland. Topical areas during his sabbaticals included visceral protein metabolism and strategies to rescue pregnancies compromised by poor maternal nutrition. Joel recently served as a National Program Leader while on a developmental assignment within USDA-NIFA. Joel has received NDSU’s Eugene R. Dahl Award and the Waldron Award for Excellence in Research, the ASAS-AFIA Ruminant Nutrition Research Award, and the ASAS Cromwell Award for Mineral Research. In 2013 Joel was appointed to the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council’s subcommittee to revise the Beef NRC, which was subsequently published in 2016. Joel has served the ASAS in a variety of capacities including as National Board of Directors, ASAS National Program Committee, and as Associate Editor, Division Editor, and Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Animal Science. He currently serves as President for ASAS. Joel also serves on the Coordinating Committee of the National Animal Nutrition Program. During his career, Joel’s highly collaborative research program has used methodologies from the whole animal to multi-omic approaches to understand nutritional, physiological, and metabolic principles that influence whole animal production responses. He has received over 9 million dollars in grant funds and published over 230 refereed manuscripts and book chapters. He has trained 50 graduate students (15 Ph.D. and 35 M.S.), 6 postdocs, and over 38 undergraduate research interns. He currently teaches the undergraduate course Fundamentals of Nutrition and a graduate course in Vitamins and Minerals. Joel and his wife, Kristina, live in Fargo, North Dakota.

Areas of Study & Research

1. Publications: Refereed Articles and book chapters, 230, including 44 Invited Reviews; Proceedings, 97; Abstracts, 367; and Other 104. Over 8500 citations, h-index = 47 (Google)

2. Grants: Over $9 million with collaborators from federal, state, and industry partners.

3. Invited Presentations and Lectureships: Over 130, including international venues in 15 different countries.

4. Core Teaching: Fundamentals of Nutrition (ANSC 323; for 28 yrs) and Vitamins and Minerals (ANSC 875; for 25 yrs), developed/co-developed and taught 5 graduate and 3 undergraduate courses since 1988.

5. Major or Co-Major Advisor: 6 postdoctoral fellows, 50 graduate students (15 Ph.D. and 35 M.S.), and supervisor for over 38 undergraduate research experiences.

Courses Taught

ANSC 323 Fundamentals of Nutrition
ANSC 875 Vitamins and Minerals

Previous Work

2002-2012, Co-Director, Center for Nutrition & Pregnancy, NDSU
2000-Present, Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, NDSU
1994-2000, Associate Professor, Department of Animal and Range Science, NDSU
1988-1994, Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Science, NDSU

Awards & Honors

2020, Waldron Excellence in Research Award, NDSU
2018, Eugene Dahl Excellence in Res. Award: Ag, Food Sys & Nat Res, NDSU
2013-2015, Engberg Endowed Professor, NDSU
2013, Cromwell Award for Mineral Research in Livestock, ASAS
2004, National ASAS-AFIA Ruminant Nutrition Award
2003, Eugene Dahl Excellence in Res. Award: Ag, Food Sys & Nat Res, NDSU

Professional Associations

2022-Present, President Elect 2022, President 2023-24, American Society of Animal Science
2021-2022, IPA serving as NPL USDA-NIFA Sabbatical Developmental Leave
2020-2022, Organizing committee: 12th International Sym. of Selenium in Bio. and Medicine
2020-Present, Organizing committee: International Symposium Ruminant Physiology-2024
2019-2022, Nation Program Committee, ASAS, Overall Program Chair 2021-2022
2019, International Advisory Committee, The 6th International Conference on Selenium in the Environment and Human Health. Yangling/Xian China, October 27-30th
2018-2020, ASAS Board appointed reviewer and editor for the Ag Guide 4th Edition; Lead author Beef Chapter
2017, Phi Kappa Phi Faculty Lectureship; NDSU
2016-present, National Animal Nutrition Program-National Research Support Program-9; Coordinating, Summit, Strategic Planning, and Project Rewrite Committees
2016-2019, Board of Directors, American Society of Animal Science (ASAS)
2015-2017, International Scientific Advisory Team Member, 200 years of Selenium Research, Se2017, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Sweden
2015-2018, Associate Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Animal Science
2013-2016, National Academy of Science-National Research Council, Study and Writing Group for the Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle, 8th revised edition
2013-2015, Division Editor, Journal of Animal Science, Ruminant Nutrition
2013-2017, Vice-President, International Society of Selenium Research (ISSR)
2012-2013, Associate Editor, Journal of Animal Science, Ruminant Nutrition
2009-2010, Research Fellow and Sabbatic, Rowett Inst. of Health and Nut, Univ. Aberdeen, UK
2004-2006, Associate Editor, Journal of Animal Science, Animal Production
2000-2001, ESCOP/ACOP Leadership Development Program; Class 11
1998-1999, Sabbatical, Univ. of Reading, England; Rowett Res. Inst., Aberdeen, Scotland
1997-1999, ASAS., National Ruminant Nutrition Program Committee, Co-Chair, 1999
1992-1994, ASAS. Midwest Ruminant Nutrition Program Committee, Chair, 1994

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, 1988, University of Missouri
  • PhD, 1987, Ruminant Nutrition, New Mexico State University
  • MS, 1983, Animal Science, University of Missouri
  • BS, 1982, Animal Science, New Mexico State University

Publications

1. Caton, J. S., M. S. Crouse, L. P. Reynolds, T. L. Neville, C. R. Dahlen, A. K. Ward, and K. C. Swanson. 2019. Maternal nutrition and programming of offspring energy requirements. Tran. Anim. Sci. (Invited Review). Trans. Anim. Sci. 3:976-990. https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txy127.

2. Reynolds, L. P., P. P. Borowicz, J. S. Caton, M. S. Crouse, C. R. Dahlen, and A. K. Ward. 2019. Developmental Programming of Fetal Growth and Development (Invited Review). In: Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2019 Jul;35(2):229-247. doi: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2019.02.006.

3. Caton, J. S., Matthew S. Crouse, K. J. McLean, Carl R. Dahlen, A. K. Ward, R. A. Cushman, Anna T. Grazul-Bilska, Bryan W. Neville, Pawel P. Borowicz, and Lawrence P. Reynolds. 2020. Maternal periconceptual nutrition, early pregnancy, and developmental outcomes in beef cattle. (Invited Review), J. Anim. Sci. 98:9, 1–3 https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa358.

4. Dahlen, C. R., P. P. Borowicz, A. K. Ward, J. S. Caton, M. Czernik, L. Palazzesse, P. Loi, and L. P. Renolds. 2021. Programming of embryonic development. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Oct 28;22(21):11668. doi: 10.3390/ijms222111668. (Invited Review)

5. Reynolds, L. P., K. J. McLean, K. L. McCarthy, W. J.S. Diniz, A. C. B. Menezes, J. C. Forcherio, R. R. Scott, P. P. Borowicz, A. K. Ward, C. R. Dahlen and J. S. Caton. 2022 Nutritional regulation of embryonic survival, growth, and development. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1354:63-76. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-85686-1_4. (Invited Review)

6. Dahlen CR, Reynolds LP, Caton JS. Selenium supplementation and pregnancy outcomes. Front Nutr. 2022 Oct 31;9:1011850. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1011850. PMID: 36386927; PMCID: PMC9659920. (Invited Review)

7. Reynolds, LP, WJS Diniz, MS Crouse, JS Caton, CR Dahlen, PP Borowicz, and AK Ward. 2023. Maternal nutrition and developmental programming of offspring. Reproduction, Fertility, and Development 35(1-2). 19-26. doi:10.1071/RD22234. (Invited Review).

8. Anas M, Diniz WJS, Menezes ACB, Reynolds LP, Caton JS, Dahlen CR, Ward AK. Maternal Mineral Nutrition Regulates Fetal Genomic Programming in Cattle: A Review. Metabolites. 2023 Apr 26;13(5):593. doi: 10.3390/metabo13050593. PMID: 37233634; PMCID: PMC10223334.

9. Hammer CJ, Caton JS, Dahlen CR, Ward AK, Borowicz PP, Reynolds LP. DOHaD: A MENAGERIE OF ADAPTATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: Large animal models of developmental programming: sustenance, stress, and sex matter. (Invited Review) Reproduction. 2023 Apr 21;165(6):F1-F13. doi: 10.1530/REP-22-0453. PMID: 36951791.

10. Syring JG, Crouse MS, Neville TL, Ward AK, Dahlen CR, Reynolds LP, Borowicz PP, McLean KJ, Neville BW, Caton JS. Concentrations of vitamin B12 and folate in maternal serum and fetal fluids, metabolite interrelationships, and hepatic transcript abundance of key folate and methionine cycle genes: the impacts of maternal nutrition during the first 50 d of gestation. J Anim Sci. 2023 Jan 3;101:skad139. doi: 10.1093/jas/skad139. PMID: 37129588; PMCID: