University of Georgia
UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Department of Poultry Science
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Nirvay Sah

Assistant Professor Poultry Science
Portrait of Nirvay Sah
Contact Information ns26224@uga.edu 706-542-1369
Mailing Address Athens, CAES Campus 120 DW Brooks Drive, Room 244, Athens, GA 30602
Shipping Address Athens, CAES Campus 120 DW Brooks Drive, Room 244, Athens, GA 30602

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Portrait of Nirvay Sah

Summary

Dr. Nirvay Sah is a foreign-trained veterinarian and reproductive physiologist with research experience spanning poultry, livestock (sheep and pigs), and human reproductive systems. The mission of the Sah Laboratory is to enhance the reproductive efficiency and health of laying and breeding hens while advancing fundamental knowledge of egg formation, embryonic development, and chick quality. Using integrated in vivo, in vitro, and in ovo approaches, the laboratory combines molecular, cellular, and systems-level methodologies, including epigenetics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics, to investigate the mechanisms that regulate avian reproduction and development. By understanding how genetic, nutritional, environmental, and management factors influence reproductive processes, the laboratory generates science-based solutions that support sustainable poultry production, flock health, and industry decision-making.

Research Interests

  • Epigenetic regulation of poultry egg formation and embryonic development
  • Metabolic regulation of fertility and development
  • Stem cell and regenerative capacity of poultry oviduct
  • Interaction of epigenetics and nutrient metabolism on embryonic development and chick growth.
  • Cellular and molecular approaches for improving poultry reproduction

Education and Training

  • Postdoc: Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, UC San Diego (2023-2026)
  • Postdoc: Reproductive Physiology, Texas A&M University (2022-2023)
  • PhD: Physiology of Reproduction, Texas A&M University (2019-2022)
  • MS: Animal Science, University of Hawaii at Manoa (2017-2018)
  • DVM: Tribhuwan University, Nepal (2011-2016)

Selected Publications

  1. Morey R, Soncin F, Kallol S, Sah N, Manalo Z, Bui TA, Slamecka J, Cheung VC, Pizzo D, Requena DF, Chang CW, Farah O, Kittle R, Lam K, Meads M, Horii M, Fisch KM, Parast MM. Single-cell transcriptomics reveals differences between chorionic and basal plate cytotrophoblasts and 2D-cultured trophoblast stem cells. Commun Biol. 2026 Jun 10; doi: 10.1038/s42003-026-10460-0. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 42270938.

  2. Sah N, Zheng C, Shaik WB, Stein FH, Rajupalem R, Pizzo D, Meads M, Soncin F. Creatine kinase regulates energy metabolism and growth of trophoblasts. bioRxiv. 2026 May 7; doi: 10.64898/2026.05.04.722786. PubMed PMID: 42146334; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC13174432.

  3. Sah N, Thornburg K, Slamecka J, Soncin F. Metabolism and homeostasis of energy in trophoblast cells of the placenta: from development to disease. Biol Reprod. 2026 Feb 18; 114(2):497-510. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioaf273. Review. PubMed PMID: 41358913; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC13471717.

  4. Calderon RI, Sah N, Huang M, Kallol S, Kittle RH, Shaik WB, Abdelbaki A, Chousal JN, Morey R, Bui T, Mitre A, Fogarty NME, Gerri C, Manalo Z, Zheng C, De Hoff P, Home P, Niakan KK, Cook-Andersen H, Fisch KM, Paul S, Soncin F. VGLL1 contributes to both the transcriptome and epigenome of the developing trophoblast compartment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Dec 2; 122(48):e2508432122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2508432122. Epub 2025 Nov 24. PubMed PMID: 41284866; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12685074.

  5. Stenhouse C, Halloran KM, Hoskins EC, Moses RM, Newton MG, Sah N, Wolpo YE, Tyree MF, Seo H, Johnson GA, Wu G, Bazer FW. Characterization of the expression of XPR1 in ovine utero-placental tissues. Reproduction. 2025 Jun 1; 169(6). doi: 10.1530/REP-25-0072. Print 2025 Jun 1. PubMed PMID: 40310868; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12210183.

  6. Sah N, Stenhouse C, Halloran KM, Moses RM, Newton MG, Seo H, Cain JW, Lefevre CM, Johnson GA, Wu G, Bazer FW. Effect of gestational age and fetal sex on metabolism of creatine by uteri, placentae, and fetuses of pigs. Biol Reprod. 2025 Apr 13; 112(4):728-742. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioaf015. PubMed PMID: 39836382.

  7. Stenhouse C, Sah N, Halloran KM, Moses RM, Newton MG, Cain JW, Seo H, Wu G, Johnson GA, Bazer FW. Characterization of TNSALP expression and activity in porcine utero-placental tissues. Reprod Fertil. 2025 Apr 1; 6(2). doi: 10.1530/RAF-25-0005. Print 2025 Apr 1. PubMed PMID: 40470845; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12177879.

  8. Lopez AN, Olivarez MA, Stenhouse C, Moses RM, Newton MG, Sah N, Seo H, Cain J, Lefevre C, Ross A, Ryan P, Wiegert JG, Wu G, Johnson GA, Bazer FW. Effects of dietary supplementation of creatine on fetal development in gilts at d 60 and d 90 of gestation. J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2025 Mar 1; 16(1):31. doi: 10.1186/s40104-025-01166-0. PubMed PMID: 40022146; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11871691.

  9. Lefevre CM, Cain JW, Kramer AC, Seo H, Lopez AN, Sah N, Wu G, Bazer FW, Johnson GA. Evidence for metabolism of creatine by the conceptus, placenta, and uterus for production of adenosine triphosphate during conceptus development in pigs. Biol Reprod. 2024 Sep 14; 111(3):694-707. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioae088. PubMed PMID: 38836439.

  10. Moses RM, Stenhouse C, Halloran KM, Sah N, Newton MG, Hoskins EC, Washburn SE, Johnson GA, Wu G, Bazer FW. Metabolic pathways of glucose and fructose: II Spatiotemporal expression of genes involved in synthesis and transport of lactate in ovine conceptuses. Biol Reprod. 2024 Jul 12; 111(1):159-173. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioae047. PubMed PMID: 38531778.

  11. Moses RM, Stenhouse C, Halloran KM, Sah N, Hoskins EC, Washburn SE, Johnson GA, Wu G, Bazer FW. Metabolic pathways for glucose and fructose: I synthesis and metabolism of fructose by ovine conceptuses. Biol Reprod. 2024 Jul 12; 111(1):148-158. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioae043. PubMed PMID: 38501845.

  12. Sah N, Soncin F. Conserved and divergent features of trophoblast stem cells. J Mol Endocrinol. 2024 May 1; 72(4). doi: 10.1530/JME-23-0131. Print 2024 May 1. Review. PubMed PMID: 38276878; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11008758.

  13. Stenhouse C, Halloran KM, Newton MG, Moses RM, Sah N, Suva LJ, Gaddy D, Bazer FW. Characterization of TNSALP expression, localization, and activity in ovine utero-placental tissues. Biol Reprod. 2023 Dec 11; 109(6):954-964. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioad113. PubMed PMID: 37676255.

  14. Newton MG, Stenhouse C, Halloran KM, Sah N, Moses RM, He W, Wu G, Bazer FW. Regulation of synthesis of polyamines by progesterone, estradiol, and their receptors in uteri of cyclic ewes. Biol Reprod. 2023 Sep 12; 109(3):309-318. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioad073. PubMed PMID: 37418162.

  15. Sah N, Stenhouse C, Halloran KM, Moses RM, Seo H, Burghardt RC, Johnson GA, Wu G, Bazer FW. Creatine metabolism at the uterine-placental interface throughout gestation in sheep. Biol Reprod. 2023 Jul 11; 109(1):107-118. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioad052. PubMed PMID: 37171613.

  16. Stenhouse C, Newton MG, Halloran KM, Moses RM, Sah N, Suva LJ, Bazer FW. Phosphate, calcium, and vitamin D signaling, transport, and metabolism in the endometria of cyclic ewes. J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2023 Jan 12; 14(1):13. doi: 10.1186/s40104-022-00803-2. PubMed PMID: 36631878; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9835233.

  17. Sah N, Stenhouse C, Halloran KM, Moses RM, Seo H, Burghardt RC, Johnson GA, Wu G, Bazer FW. Creatine metabolism at the uterine-conceptus interface during early gestation in sheep. Biol Reprod. 2022 Dec 10; 107(6):1528-1539. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioac171. PubMed PMID: 36054379.

  18. Halloran KM, Stenhouse C, Moses RM, Kramer AC, Sah N, Seo H, Lamarre SG, Johnson GA, Wu G, Bazer FW. The ovine conceptus utilizes extracellular serine, glucose, and fructose to generate formate via the one carbon metabolism pathway. Amino Acids. 2023 Jan; 55(1):125-137. doi: 10.1007/s00726-022-03212-x. Epub 2022 Nov 16. PubMed PMID: 36383272.

  19. Sah N, Stenhouse C, Halloran KM, Moses RM, Seo H, Burghardt RC, Johnson GA, Wu G, Bazer FW. Inhibition of SHMT2 mRNA translation increases embryonic mortality in sheep. Biol Reprod. 2022 Nov 14; 107(5):1279-1295. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioac152. PubMed PMID: 35871545.

  20. Sah N, Kafle K, Paudyal S, Wasti S, Sah GK. Animal Welfare Issues Associated with Rearing Dairy Calves in Nepalese Context. Journal of Applied Animal Ethics Research. 2022 October.

  21. Moses RM, Halloran KM, Stenhouse C, Sah N, Kramer AC, McLendon BA, Seo H, Johnson GA, Wu G, Bazer FW. Ovine conceptus tissue metabolizes fructose for metabolic support during the peri-implantation period of pregnancy. Biol Reprod. 2022 Oct 11; 107(4):1084-1096. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioac144. PubMed PMID: 35835585.

  22. Sah N, Wu G, Bazer FW. Regulation of Gene Expression by Amino Acids in Animal Cells. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021; 1332:1-15. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-74180-8_1. PubMed PMID: 34251635.

  23. Sah N, Kuehu DL, Khadka VS, Deng Y, Jha R, Wasti S, Mishra B. RNA sequencing-based analysis of the magnum tissues revealed the novel genes and biological pathways involved in the egg-white formation in the laying hen. BMC Genomics. 2021 May 1; 22(1):318. doi: 10.1186/s12864-021-07634-x. PubMed PMID: 33932994; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8088581.

  24. Wasti S, Sah N, Lee CN, Jha R, Mishra B. Dietary supplementation of alpha-lipoic acid mitigates the negative effects of heat stress in broilers. PLoS One. 2021; 16(7):e0254936. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254936. eCollection 2021. PubMed PMID: 34310622; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8312949.

  25. Wasti S, Sah N, Singh AK, Lee CN, Jha R, Mishra B. Dietary supplementation of dried plum: a novel strategy to mitigate heat stress in broiler chickens. J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2021 Mar 30; 12(1):58. doi: 10.1186/s40104-021-00571-5. PubMed PMID: 33781340; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8008564.

  26. Wasti S, Sah N, Mishra B. Impact of Heat Stress on Poultry Health and Performances, and Potential Mitigation Strategies. Animals (Basel). 2020 Jul 24; 10(8). doi: 10.3390/ani10081266. Review. PubMed PMID: 32722335; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7460371.

  27. Wasti S, Sah N, Kuehu DL, Kim YS, Jha R, Mishra B. Expression of follistatin is associated with egg formation in the oviduct of laying hens. Anim Sci J. 2020 Jan-Dec; 91(1):e13396. doi: 10.1111/asj.13396. PubMed PMID: 32468659.

  28. Mishra B, Sah N, and Wasti S. Genetic and Hormonal Regulation of Egg Formation in the Oviduct of Laying Hens. Poultry - An Advanced Learning (2019)

  29. Sah N, Kuehu DL, Khadka VS, Deng Y, Peplowska K, Jha R, Mishra B. RNA sequencing-based analysis of the laying hen uterus revealed the novel genes and biological pathways involved in the eggshell biomineralization. Sci Rep. 2018 Nov 15; 8(1):16853. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-35203-y. PubMed PMID: 30443032; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6237962.

  30. Sah N, and Mishra B. Regulation of Egg Formation in the Oviduct of Laying Hen. World’s Poultry Science Journal. 2018. 74, no. 3 (2018): 509–22. https://doi.org/10.1017/S00439339- 18000442.