Dr. Magnuson received a B.S. degree in Animal Science from Cornell University with a distinction in research focusing on laying hen nutrition. This was followed by an M.S. degree in Poultry Nutrition from the University of Arkansas where he determined novel plasma biomarkers for phosphorus metabolism which translate across breeders to their broiler progeny. Next, he returned to Cornell University to pursue a Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition which involved enriching the eggs of laying hens and meat of broilers with various health promoting agents to improve their value for human nutrition. Enriched compounds included the phytochemical astaxanthin, the long chain omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid, and calcifediol. Following this work with lipids in animal products during his postdoctoral training as a USDA chemist he published a method to quantify and speciate sphingomyelin in bovine and caprine dairy utilizing lithium adducts with infusion mass spectrometry. Currently he is continuing his postdoctoral training under Jana Kraft at the University of Vermont where he is researching how agricultural practices and food processing influence lipid related bioactive compounds, such as branched-chain fatty acids, in dairy.

Advisor: Jana Kraft