Phone
608-262-9705Office Location
1675 Observatory Dr
632 Animal Sciences
Madison, WI 53706
Dr. Laporta is originally from Uruguay, where she received a B.S. degree in Biology and a M.S. degree in Animal Science. She holds a Ph.D. in Dairy Science from UW-Madison (2014) and was a faculty member at the University of Florida for five years. She joined the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at UW-Madison in fall 2020 as an Assistant Professor in lactation physiology.
Her program integrates mammary gland physiology with advances in management and nutrition to overcome challenges dairy cattle face across their lifetime, including increased susceptibility to the environment, metabolic disorders, and immune suppression. Her research incorporates state-of-the-art molecular techniques to investigate how autocrine, systemic, and environmental factors affect the regulation of mammary gland development and function, as well as milk synthesis and composition. She also investigates the underlying molecular mechanisms by which prenatal and postnatal stressors contribute to the programming of offspring’s future potential. By targeting these early life developmental windows, Dr. Laporta aims to develop management practices and therapeutic interventions to improve future health and productivity outcomes. Dr. Laporta’s outreach goal is to generate knowledge that can be translated into practical improvements while training future scientists and educating the community on the importance of the efficient production of sustainable dairy products.
Selected Peer-Reviewed Articles
Laporta J. 2021. Early-life exposure to hyperthermia: productive and physiological outcomes, cost, and opportunities. Journal of Dairy Science. ADSA Foundation Scholar Award. In press
Ouellet V, Toledo IM, Dado-Senn B, Dahl GE, Laporta J. 2021. Critical temperature-humidity index thresholds for dry cows in a subtropical climate. Frontiers in Animal science, Animal Physiology and Management. In press.
Palmer E, Peñagaricano F, Vedovatto M, Oliveira RA, Field SL, Laporta J, Moriel P. 2021. Effects of maternal gestational diet, with or without methionine, on muscle transcriptome of Bos indicus-influenced beef calves following a vaccine-induced immunological challenge. PLOSone. In press
Marrero MG, Dado-Senn, Field SL, Yang G, Driver JP, Laporta J. 2021. Chronic heat stress delays immune system development and alters serotonin signaling in pre-weaned dairy calves. PlosOne. 16(6): e0252474.
Medeiros G, Cangiano LR, Fabris TF, Merenda VR, Chebel RC, Dubeux JCB, DiLorenzo N, Laporta J. 2021. Providing artificial shade to pregnant grazing beef heifers impacts growth and activity. Translational Animal Science. Translational Animal Science. 2021.5:1-11.
Field SL, Marrero MG, Liu L, Penagaricano F, Laporta J. 2021. Histological and transcriptomic analysis of adipose and muscle of dairy calves supplemented with 5-hydroxytryptophan. Scientific Reports. 11:9665.
Asseng S, Spänkuch D, Hernandez-Ochoa IM, Laporta J. 2021. The upper temperature thresholds of life The Lancet Planetary Health. 5(6): E378-E385.
Davidson BD. Rosa Padilla N, Fabris TF, Trevisan L, Ouellet V, Toledo IT, Dahl GE, Laporta J. 2021. Late-gestation heat stress abatement in dairy heifers promotes thermoregulation and improves productivity. Journal of Dairy Science. 104:2357–2368.
Ouellet V, Negrao J, Skibiel A, Lantigua VA, Fabris TF, Marrero MG, Dado-Senn B, Laporta J, Dahl GE. 2021. Endocrine signals altered by heat stress impact dairy cow mammary cellular processes at different stages of the dry period. Animals. 11:563.
Davidson B.D., Dado-Senn B, Ouellet V, Dahl GE, Laporta J. 2021. Effect of late-gestation heat stress in nulliparous heifers on postnatal growth, passive transfer of immunoglobulin G, and thermoregulation of their calves. JDS Communications. 2(3): 165-169.
Collier RJ, Hernandez LL, Laporta J, Lauderdale J, Smith ZK, Vicini JL. 2020. Impacts on Human Health and Safety of Naturally Occurring and Supplemental Hormones in Food Animals. Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) Commentary, QTA2020-4, 28 pp Chair: Robert J. Collier. Hyperlink
Marrero MG, Field SL, Skibiel AL, Dado-Senn B, Driver JP, Laporta J. 2020. Increasing serotonin bioavailability alters gene expression in peripheral leukocytes and lymphoid tissues of dairy calves. Scientific Reports, 10(1):9712.
Field SL, Marrero MG, Dado-Senn B, Skibiel AL, Ramos PM, Scheffler TL, Laporta J. 2020. Peripheral serotonin regulates glucose and insulin metabolism in Holstein dairy calves. Domestic Animal Endocrinology, 74:106519.
Dado-Senn B, Laporta J, Dahl GE. 2020. Carry-over effects of late-gestational heat stress on dairy cattle progeny Theriogenology, 154:17-23.
Laporta J, Ferreira FC, Ouellet V, Dado-Senn B, Almeida AK, DeVries A, Dahl GE. 2020. Late-gestation heat stress impairs daughters and granddaughters’ lifetime performance. Journal of Dairy Science, 103: 7555-7568. *Selected as “Editor’s Choice” article for the August 2020 issue.
Selected Popular Press Articles
Davidson BD, Toledo I, Laporta J, and GE Dahl (2021) Pre-fresh heifers need cooling, too. Hoards Dairymen. May 8 issue p. 301. {online access}
McCarville J, Olson A, Lippert M, Laporta J (2020) Dry Cow Heat Stress Management. UW-Madison Extension Resources. Published on Sept. 19, 2020 {online access}
Dado-Senn and Laporta J (2020). Time of calf cooling matters Hoards Dairyman. April 8 issue {online access}
Laporta J, and Dahl GE (2019) Late-gestation heat stress: lingering impacts on milk production for three generations. Hoards Dairyman. April 25 issue. *Re-printed in Hoards Dairyman in Spanish (May 2019, p. 268-270) and Ex-Dairy-Press in Italian (May 2019 p. 49-51)
Dahl GE, and Laporta J (2019) Dry Period Heat Stress Affects Cows’ Granddaughters. Dairy Nutrition Plus newsletter. Vol 15 (3):3.
Dado-Senn B, Dahl GE, Laporta J (2017) Cooled dry cows outperformed heat-stressed herd mates. Hoards Dairyman. August 10 issue.
Laporta J and Miller-Cushon E (2016). Heat stress has prolonged effects on dairy calves. Hoards Dairyman. October 25 issue.
AN SCI/DY SCI 378 – Lactation Physiology (3 credits, Fall). Instructor
AN SCI/DY SCI 875 – Advanced Topics in Physiology (2 credits, Spring). Co-instructor
Animal and Dairy Science Curriculum Committee, member (2020–present)
Animal and Dairy Science Dairy Herd Committee, member (2020–present)
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Badger Dairy Club, advisor (2020–present)
Task Force, Council for Agricultural Science and Technology “Impacts on Human Health and Safety of Naturally Occurring and Supplemental Hormones in Food Animals” (2020)
Associate Editor Frontiers in Animal Science, Animal Physiology & Management (2020–present)
Editorial Board Domestical Animal Endocrinology (2020–present)
Editorial Board Scientific Reports (2019–present)
Ad-hoc peer reviewer for 10+ Journals including, Journal of Dairy Science, PLOS One, Scientific Reports, BMC Genomics, Animals.
Lactation Biology Committee, American Dairy Science Association. Co-chair (2019–2020)
Lactation Biology Symposium, American Dairy Science Association. Conference planning committee: Refining the old to answer the new: “Moving approaches forward to study mammary and lactation physiology” (2019)
Lactation Biology Committee, American Dairy Science Association. Member (2018)
USDA-NIFA-AFRI peer-review panel; Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation Program (2017)
2021 – American Dairy Science Association Foundation Scholar, Dairy Production Award
2019 – University of Florida Dairy Science Club Outstanding Advisor.
2017 – Mentor of the Year Award. Department of Animal Sciences Graduate Student Association.
2016 – Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Award. Oak Ridge Associated Universities.
2015 – Young Dairy Scholar. Midwest Branch of Dairy Science Association.
2012 – Milk Producers Federation. Graduate student oral competition doctoral division, American Dairy Science Association, Joint Annual Meeting.
2009 – Paul F. Randel graduate student competition. Latin American Association of Animal Production, Puerto Rico.