Tim Kurt

Dr. Kurt is the scientific program director for the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research’s (FFAR) Advanced Animal Systems Challenge Area, a position he has held since October 2016.

At FFAR, Dr. Kurt develops and manages cross-sector, collaborative research initiatives related to animal health, infectious diseases, and the environment. His portfolio includes research consortia focusing on judicious antibiotic use (ICASA), development of sensors (Egg-Tech Prize) and automated monitoring technologies (SMART Broiler), and the prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases (ROAR). He also oversees the FFAR Vet Fellows program for scientific workforce development. His goal at FFAR is to support innovation with real-world impact.

Dr. Kurt completed a combined DVM/PhD degree at Colorado State University, where he studied the molecular determinants of susceptibility to cross-species and zoonotic transmission of infectious diseases. He spent five years as a research scientist at the University of California San Diego, designing and characterizing new transgenic animal models, evaluating protein interactions in vitro and in vivo, and presenting research findings to scientific and medical audiences. He is a recipient of awards from the National Institutes of Health, the Morris Animal Foundation and the American Veterinary Medical Association. He has two children and enjoys the outdoors.