Dr. Virág Bánovics-Ács - MATE Research
Overview
She is an Assistant Professor at the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), Hungary, with nearly ten years of research experience in life sciences. Her work integrates quantitative genetics, animal nutrition, and experimental animal biology with strong expertise in biostatistics and data analysis. Her research focuses on Big Data applications in precision livestock systems and molecular responses to in ovo nutritional interventions in poultry. She received the National Excellence Program scholarship in 2018 and 2019 and delivered invited lectures at the University of Veterinary Medicine – Hungarian Dog Academy (2020) and the PREGA Precision Farming Conference (2026). She has participated in several national and international R&D projects, including the successfully completed FIEK_16-1-2016-0008 PigWeb project and a Proof of Concept project.
Research keywords:
Publications
Population genetics, selection process and index-based selection
Ács, V., Kövér, G., Farkas, J., Bokor, Á., & Nagy, I. (2020). Effects of Long-Term Selection in the Border Collie Dog Breed: Inbreeding Purge of Canine Hip and Elbow Dysplasia. Animals, 10(10), 1743. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101743
Ács, V., Bokor, Á., & Nagy, I. (2019). Population Structure Analysis of the Border Collie Dog Breed in Hungary. Animals, 9(5), 250. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9050250
Ács, V., Szendrő, K., Garreau, H., Donkó, T., Matics, Z., & Nagy, I. (2018). Application possibilities of selection indices in Pannon White rabbits’ breeding programme. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 17(4), 884–889. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2018.1436007
Animal nutrition, immune system related gene expression, epigenetics
Ács, V., Szeli, N., Nagy, J., Áprily, S., Tischler, A., Csötönyi, O., ... & Halas, V. (2025). Effects of early feeding technologies providing methionine supplementation on performance, lipid oxidation, and some immune-related gene expression in broiler chicken. Poultry Science, 104(8), 105335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2025.105335
Halas, V., Áprily, S., Nagy, J., Turbók, J., Tischler, A., Szeli, N. K., Petneházy, Ö., Csötönyi, O., Enyezdi, J., & Ács, V. (2025). Impact of Threonine Supply in Early Ages on Gut Tissue Morphology, Liver Histology, and the Possible Changes in Leukocyte Numbers of Broilers. Animals, 15(3), 370. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030370
Ács, V., Áprily, S., Nagy, J., Kacsala, L., Tossenberger, J., Szeli, N. K., & Halas, V. (2022). Multiple Effects of Egg Weight, in Ovo Carbohydrates, and Sex of Birds on Posthatch Performance in Broilers. Veterinary Sciences, 9(9), 491. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9090491
Data-drivel modelling, predictive statistical methods in animal breeding
Csóka, Á., Kovács, G., Ács, V., Matics, Z., Gerencsér, Z., Szendrö, Z., ... & Donkó, T. (2022). A general technique for the estimation of farm animal body part weights from CT scans and its applications in a rabbit breeding program. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 196, 106865. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2022.106865
Joó, K., Trúzsi, R. L., Kálmán, C. Z., Ács, V., Jakab, S., Bába, A., & Nielsen, M. K. (2022). Evaluation of risk factors affecting strongylid egg shedding on Hungarian horse farms. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports, 27, 100663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2021.100663
Projects
