Dr. Holly Sellers was named the 2019 Inventor of the Year for her work in poultry science. She was also the first woman to receive the distinction since 2001.

Each year, the University of Georgia names an Inventor of the Year as an honor for an exceptional faculty member who represents innovation at the highest level of excellence. The selection is based on the invention’s originality, innovation, and impact outside the university setting.

Dr. Sellers was a recent online professor for the Master’s of Avian Health and Medicine. She has devoted her entire career to poultry science. Her research emphasis is on clinical and molecular virology research with an emphasis on what causes various diseases in poultry. Additionally, Dr. Sellers mentored graduate and professional students. As a researcher at the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, her discoveries resulted in 12 invention disclosures and five U.S. patents, one application pending, and several foreign patents. Her dedication to this field has led to four commercial poultry vaccines, among other autogenous vaccines that support Georgia’s $22.billion poultry industry.

“The poultry industry has been part of my life for as long as I can remember—I knew early on that I wanted to pursue a career in science that supported this great industry,” Sellers said. “The opportunities at UGA allowed me to do research on issues that are important to the industry. The diagnostic support provided by PDRC provides the industry with science-based information so it can make informed decisions about the health of its flocks. In the end, UGA supports the industry’s goals of securing a safe, sustainable, and quality source of food to feed the world.”

UGA’s Inventor of the Year award recognizes an inventor for a unique and innovative discovery that has made an impact on the community. Sellers received her award at UGA’s 40th annual Research Awards banquet on April 4, 2019.

The full version of this article is available at UGA Today.