In her role, Dr. Luhman encourages the team to take the animal to the next level and prove nutrition products work. “Sometimes, my most important task is to discourage our team from quitting too soon. A good idea takes time to grow and mature. It’s important to know when it’s time to throw a concept or idea away and when it’s time to put it in your back pocket for another day.” Dr. Luhman enjoys the challenge of continually learning about animal nutrition and finding ways to incorporate that knowledge into new products. “Animals provide us with so many things — food, clothing, friendship, joy, humor and the opportunity to learn. It’s important to provide the right nutrition for them. They deserve it,” says Dr. Luhman. Her love of animals was born early. When she was 12, her father bought her a small buckskin-colored horse of questionable ancestry that took her for a joy ride on the first test run.  “But by the time I left for college, he knew all kinds of tricks. And he taught me how to control a horse that bolts,” said Dr. Luhman. “He also taught me how to be patient, quiet under pressure and kind to other living things.” Dr. Luhman joined Purina in 1992 and has earned eight patents and published 20 abstracts and 10 articles. She earned a bachelor of science from Iowa State University, a master’s degree in reproductive physiology from South Dakota State University and a Ph.D. in nutritional physiology from Iowa State University. Her doctoral research focused on the effects of feeding animal fats and protein on cholesterol and bile metabolism.

Effects of feeding animal fats and protein on cholesterol and bile metabolism.