Prof. Akos KENEZ

Dr. Ákos Kenéz trained as a veterinarian at the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest (Hungary) and completed his PhD at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Germany). During his PhD, he developed a strong interest in cellular physiology, particularly in molecular mechanisms driving metabolic dysregulation in production animals. Later, as a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Animal Sciences, University of Hohenheim (Germany), he focussed on the comparative mass spectrometry-based characterisation of metabolic disturbances related to inflammation, insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction in livestock and companion animal species. In 2018, he was appointed as assistant professor of veterinary physiology at CityU. His research programme has continued to be centred around issues of metabolic health and identifying molecular targets for addressing them. He is course leader of the multidisciplinary ‘Function and Dysfunction’ course and he is deputy programme leader of the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine programme.

Dr. Kenéz’s research interests are at the intersection of nutrient metabolism and sustainable animal production, with an emphasis on farmed insects as animal feed. His ongoing projects are in the areas of black soldier fly farming and the use of insect-based products as functional feed ingredients:

• Gut health and metabolic effects of dietary black soldier fly larvae provision in chicken and fish
• Nutritional and functional feed value of insect-based products in canine diets
• Food waste recycling by insect farming and the effects of waste composition on product quality
• Antimicrobial properties of black soldier fly larvae-based feed ingredients