Department of Nutrition
Current Research
There are three signature areas of research in Nutrition:
1) obesity, energy balance and chronic disease (Drs. Brown, McIntosh,
Morrison, Lovelady);
(
download a Dept. of Nutrition Research brochure here)
2) bioactive food component effects on cell function and prevention of disease processes (Drs. Loo, McIntosh,
Erikson, Kipp, Taylor); and
3) nutrition risks and needs of underserved/limited resource populations (Drs. Haldeman, Savoca, Taylor)
Current studies include:
Regulation of fat cell differentiation and metabolism
Nutrient-gene regulation of bone metabolism
Micronutrients and brain development and function
Nutrient needs during lactation and exercise
Nutritional risk and education needs of older adults
Nutrition interventions for low-income families
Molecular mechanisms mediating hyperplastic obesity and cancer
Cellular/molecular functions of phytochemicals in chronic disease prevention
Research Facilities and Equipment
Department facilities include modern nutrition science laboratories, The Dickson/Harris Teeter Cellular and Molecular Nutrition Laboratory, and The Cemala Foundation Human Nutrition Research Laboratories. State of the art equipment includes HPLC, gas chromatography, flow cytometer, radioisotope detection units, atomic absorption spectrophotometer, microtiter plate readers, fluorometer, luminometer, an imaging system, high-speed and ultracentrifuges, UV-visable spectrophotometers, standard cell culture and molecular biology equipment, and inverted and direct light microscopes with fluorescent capabilities. The Human Nutrition Research Labs include exercise testing equipment, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometer (DEXA) and Minnesota Data Base software. Computer facilities are conveniently located in multiple campus computer centers. The library collection and support personnel enhance the research environment.
Departmental Research Staff
Paula Cooney
Robin Hopkins, Ph.D.