Dr. James (Jamie) Matthews has established a cutting-edge research program in mineral nutrition and physiology at the University of Kentucky using commercially-relevant experimental models. His research program has elucidated novel understandings of selenium and amino acid transport and metabolism that expands both production-animal and biomedical knowledge databases. His genomic and protein findings about how the expression and function of nutrient transporters and enzymes are coordinated is highly relevant to both the production animal and biomedical sciences. Importantly, 14 Ph.D., 7 postdoctoral, 13 M.S., and 22 undergraduate students have received significant to extensive training with Dr. Matthews in whole animal, biochemical, and molecular biology research techniques. Because of the extensive use of industry-relevant animal models, his basic research has the potential to have a rapid impact on development of nutritional regimens that optimize the performance of developing and mature animals.