UA B DEPA RTMEN T OF N U TRITION SCIENCES 2 0 1 9–2 02 0
CHAIR’S REPORT
uab.edu/nutrition
SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
[ C H A I R ’S L E T T E R ]
Hello, Friends of the Department of Nutrition Sciences (DNS), Welcome to our DNS Chair’s Report – which is really a look back at our successes over the past couple of years. Since I joined the department in late 2018, we’ve seen many positive changes, and we’ve experienced the challenge of quarantining during COVID-19. I’m happy to report that we haven’t slowed down, thanks to our faculty, staff, and students’ dedication to our mission.
James O. Hill, PhD Professor and Chair UAB Department of Nutrition Sciences
Our goal is simple: To become the best nutrition department in the country.
The department’s focus has always been on nutrition as it relates to disease, as evidenced by our involvement with the Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC), the Diabetes Research Center (DRC), and the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB. Now we’re taking our mission further and incorporating a holistic approach to wellness. When we look at overall health, it isn’t just about our weight or our diet and exercise patterns. It’s about how we feel – mentally, emotionally, physically. We’ll be incorporating wellness more and more into our research, clinics, and curriculum. To help us meet our goals and grow as a department, we have been working hard on a visioning process that will set the stage for the next several years. We also have exciting plans to renovate the Webb Building to support our leading-edge science and scholarship. In the following pages, you’ll get a glance at what our faculty, staff, and students have been up to – and see the progress we’re making toward becoming the best nutrition department in the country. I wish you health and wellness,
— JAMES O. HILL, PHD
➤ Visit uab.edu/nutrition for more news and information about our department.
CONTENTS
BY THE NUMBERS Faculty and students are working together to further the science of nutrition through research and outreach.
04 | EDUCATION Teaching the science of nutrition and the art of research
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RD Master’s Students
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08 | RESEARCH Studying obesity, diabetes, and nutrition’s roles in chronic metabolic disease
12 | COMMUNITY
Grants with Faculty PIs
PhD Students
165+
New Publications
Taking nutrition sciences and lifestyle wellness beyond UAB
16 | AWARDS & HONORS Celebrating and honoring faculty and student successes
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Postdoctoral Fellows
18 | ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT u a b . e d u /n u t r i t i o n
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EDUCATION
JOSÉ FERNÁNDEZ, PHD Vice Chair for Education
W
hen Jim Hill called me to ask about how we were going to educate our students in the midst of COVID-19, my answer was, “Not to worry… we’re ready.” Even before the pandemic, our department was committed to online education. We have been successfully delivering distance education to our MS and PhD students for a while now. This was one of those times when we were prepared and we didn’t even know we needed to be ready!
Even though we enjoyed the satisfaction (and the pride) of being ready for the unexpected, our job is to continue to move forward, anticipating the needs, challenges, and opportunities ahead. Our online education, which last year made us unique, is the “modus operandi” of most universities today. Our need to attract the best students, staff, and faculty to our department is more important now than ever. This is a time for us to come together to create a shared vision that will allow us continue to build a world-class program recognized nationally and abroad. The time to be ready is starting again; the only difference is that this time, we know we are getting ready to be the best. We invite you to be part of the new vision of our department. ■
NEW Undergraduate Program in Fall 2021
Just Announced: Douglas R. Moellering, PhD, will lead a new BS in Biobehavioral Nutrition and Wellness program that delves into the relationships among human health, mindfulness, nutrition, and medicine. ■
Master’s Degree Programs Clinical Track/ Dietetic Internship (CT/DI)*
Dietitian Education Program Track (DEP)*
Lifestyle Management & Disease Prevention Track (LMDP)
One-year online program, includes an in-person dietetic internship.
Sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitian Nutritionists in 5 semesters.
Learn to provide basic nutrition education to the community.
*leads to RDN eligibility
Research Track (RT)
Blended program that prepares students for an exciting career in nutrition research.
Clinical Track/ Prior Learning Option (CT/PLO)
RDs earn an MS degree online around other life commitments.
➤ Learn more about our education programs at uab.edu/shp/nutrition/education.
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Internship Opportunities UAB offers a number of unique opportunities for student learning, including internships within UAB Athletics and with researchers in a metabolic kitchen. CONTROLLED FEEDING STUDIES Led by UAB Research Dietitian and Preceptor Kelly Berg, MS, RDN, LDN, and in collaboration with Samford University, our dietetic interns were able to gain unique learning experiences through three exciting new controlled-feeding studies that tested:
◗ whether a ketogenic diet can enhance neurorecovery after spinal cord injury ◗ the effects of a fruit-rich diet on blood sugar levels and liver fat in adults with type 2 diabetes ◗ the effects of daily intermittent fasting (time restricted eating) in people with prediabetes We welcomed 24 dietetic interns into the research kitchen in 2020. ■
DEP dietetic interns, Meghan Busky, Olivia Krantz, and Morgan Finely prepare fruit smoothies & salads in the Metabolic Kitchen.
UAB ATHLETICS INTERNSHIPS
Aston Dommel, MS, RD PhD Student, Sports Dietitian, and Dietetic Intern Preceptor “Athletics is the perfect combination of the three disciplines in nutrition: community, clinical, and food service. On any given day, an intern could be doing all three. For clinical, they could be sitting in and watching a counseling on a variety of topics like weight loss and weight gain or more serious topics like eating disorders. For community, they may be giving a team talk or taking a team through a grocery store tour. For food service, they may be looking over the budget for our fueling station, ordering food, and practicing ServSafe principles. In Athletics, the experience is wide, with a variety of activities and interactions on any given day, making for an interesting and well-rounded experience.” ■
Dylan Carson MS, CPT Graduate Student and Athletics Intern “I interned with the previous founder and director of UAB Performance Nutrition, Christian Behrens, the fall of 2018. I knew that I wanted to intern with UAB Football to get a different experience than my last, and it has been great! I think the thing I am enjoying most about the internship is building relationships and meaningful connections with the staff and players. In athletics, the acuity of nutrition is not as high or broad as in clinical nutrition. So it’s been a lot of fun getting to know the guys and find out their story.” ■
MAKE AN IMPACT Become a preceptor to a DNS dietetic intern in Alabama or
out of state and help shape the future our profession! Contact Tara Harman, MS, RDN, at tharman@uab.edu for more information.
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PhD Program
PhD in Nutrition Sciences POSSIBLE AREAS OF STUDY: ◗ Experimental Design ◗ Nutritional Biochemistry ◗ Obesity & Body Composition ◗ Diabetes ◗ Cancer ◗ Disease Prevention
The UAB PhD in Nutrition Science program provides training and research experiences in basic and translational nutrition science. Students have the opportunity work alongside experts in the field and in two NIHfunded research centers: the Nutrition Obesity Research Center and the Diabetes Research Center. PhD students learn the science of nutrition as it relates to maintaining the health of individuals and populations, as well as the biochemical basis and application of nutrition to promote health and prevent disease. Our students are required to publish manuscripts during their training and are strongly encouraged to submit research and training grant proposals. At least four of our students have successfully received research funding in their own names in 2019–20: Valene Garr Barry, Allyn Abadie, Katie Ellison, and Maggie Jerome. ■ ➤ Learn more about our PhD program at uab.edu/shp/nutrition/education/phd-in-nutrition-sciences or contact Paula Chandler-Laney at pchandle@uab.edu.
2019–20 PHD PROGRAM GRADUATES ◗ Ashley Delk Licata, PhD, RD, CSSD (2019) Assistant Professor at Winthrop University ◗ Camille Schneider-Worthington, PhD, RD (2019) Postdoctoral fellow, Preventive Medicine, UAB ◗ Yenni Cedillo Juarez, PhD (2019) Postdoctoral fellow, Nutrition Sciences, UAB ◗ Christian Behrens, PhD, RD (2020) Assistant Professor at Appalachian State University ◗ Lizzy Kroeger, PhD, RD (2020) Assistant Professor, Nutrition Sciences, UAB
Student Highlights Valene Garr Barry, MS PhD Student Valene Garr Barry earned her MS in Nutrition Sciences through the Research Track in 2018 and is currently pursuing her PhD. She investigates methods for early detection of disease risk and the association between body composition and risk for cardiometabolic disease in women. In addition to her other awards and honors, in September 2020, Valene was awarded the BBVA Compass Mortgage Financial Services Endowed Award from the UAB National Alumni Society for academic excellence and leadership. ■
I chose UAB Nutrition Sciences because of the strong reputation for scientific rigor and collaborative science. The Department of Nutrition Sciences provided a unique opportunity to train in obesity and physiology with renowned experts in the field. 6
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Harleen Kaur PhD Student Harleen enrolled as a master’s student in the Research track in the fall of 2019 and is now in her first year as a PhD student in the department. For her master’s thesis, she is conducting a secondary analysis to explore differences in the consumption of fruits and vegetables among older cancer survivors living in rural and urban areas of Alabama. One of her main interests for her PhD research is to explore the impact of diet and physical activity on biomarkers related to cancer survivorship and prevention in underserved areas. ■
After my first year of my master's, it was clear that pursuing a PhD would be my ultimate goal — the MS Research Track helped guide me when deciding to pursue research as a career.
Virtual Career Development Seminar Series
Students and postdocs stayed connected during COVID-19 with a series of virtual seminars covering topics voted on by the trainees. SAMPLE OF SERIES TOPICS: ◗ CV & Biosketch Preparation ◗ Academic Career Development ◗ How to Conduct Research Remotely ◗ Salaries & Revenue in Academia
◗ Careers Outside of Academia ◗ Life After Graduation ◗ Communicating Research in Abstracts, Posters and Presentations
MAKE AN IMPACT Interested in presenting a career-development seminar? Contact Dr. Paula Chandler-Laney at pchandle@uab.edu for more information.
Postdoctoral Fellows The department currently has five postdoctoral fellows: ◗ Yenni Cedillo (PI: Fernandez) ◗ Adele Fowler (PI: Gower) ◗ Samantha Martin (PI: Chandler-Laney) ◗ Rogerio Sertie (PI: Garvey) ◗ Felicia Steger (PI: Peterson)
2019–20 POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS:
◗ Sarah Deemer, PhD — Assistant Professor, University of North Texas ◗ Lua Wilkinson, PhD, RD— Medical Science Liaison, Novo Nordisk
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RESEARCH Research in the Department of Nutrition Sciences is designed to probe the mechanisms behind chronic metabolic disease (diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, etc.), particularly as they relate to obesity, diabetes, and nutrition. Our investigators use state-of-the-art techniques for assessing body composition, energy metabolism, and metabolic health in humans and animal models. We also study how lifestyle changes (e.g., diet, exercise, weight loss) impact health. We have two NIH Center Grants (Nutrition Obesity Research Center, Diabetes Research Center) in our department. Our faculty have published more than 165 publications over the past two years and are PIs on 60 grants.
Food As Medicine BARBARA GOWER, PHD Professor, Vice Chair for Research Drs. Barbara Gower and Amy Goss have an active research program that has shown that “what” you eat matters. Rather than focusing on calories and weight loss, the investigators look at diet composition and how it affects risk factors for metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. The investigators found that, even without weight loss, lowering the amount of carbohydrate in the diet can “remodel” the body. Specifically, “bad” fat such as visceral fat and liver fat disappears, while “good fat” (thigh fat) remains. A recent study in children with fatty liver disease showed that when the children reduced their carbohydrate intake to ~100 g per day, liver fat declined. This study
AMY GOSS, PHD, RD Assistant Professor was “family based,” meaning that the whole family changed their eating habits to match those of the children. The children randomized to the lower carb diet also lost more weight than those consuming a “USDA”-type (food pyramid, or “my-plate”) diet. Dr. Goss will soon be conducting a follow-up study in the same population to look at how changes in liver fat affect hepatic insulin sensitivity and risk for type 2 diabetes. On the other end of the age spectrum, Drs. Gower and Goss also recently completed a study in older adults (>65) with obesity. Even without intentionally restricting food intake, those adults randomized to the lower carb diet consumed fewer calories and lost weight. They also lost harmful visceral fat and intermuscular fat. Ongoing NIHfunded research is testing the hypothesis that a weight-maintaining diet with few carbs will help patients with type 2 diabetes gain disease remission by depleting pancreatic lipid and restoring beta-cell function. A second NIH-funded study is determining if “matching” diet composition to metabolic phenotype (insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion) is helpful for both weight loss and weight loss maintenance in African-American women with obesity. ■
Goss AM, Gower B, Soleymani T. et al. Effects of weight loss during a very low carbohydrate diet on specific adipose tissue depots and insulin sensitivity in older adults with obesity: a randomized clinical trial. Nutr Metab (Lond) 17, 64 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-020-00481-9 Goss AM, Dowla S, Pendergrass M, Ashraf A, Bolding M, Morrison S, Amersam A, Soleymani T, Gower BA. Effects of a carbohydraterestricted diet on hepatic lipid content in adolescents with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a pilot, randomized trial. Pediatric Obesity. 2020. Jul;15(7):e12630. doi: 10.1111/ijpo.12630. Epub 2020 Mar 4. PMID: 32128995. 8
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DREW SAYER, PHD Assistant Professor
Drs. Drew Sayer, Holly Wyatt, and James Hill are also testing the hypothesis that “what” you eat matters. However, in this case, they are testing whether red meat is any different from other protein sources when consumed by individuals with type 2 diabetes. This study responds to the comments frequently seen in the popular press regarding the association between red meat and diseases outcomes. Based on epidemiological (observational) data, there is a perception that red meat consumption is associated with adverse health outcomes. However, observational studies can be confounded, leading to incorrect conclusions.
Timing Is Everything COURTNEY PETERSON, PHD Associate Professor
In addition to “what” you eat, “when” you eat might also affect health outcomes. Some studies have shown that eating earlier in the day is associated with greater weight loss, even when total energy intake isn’t emphasized. Dr. Courtney Peterson is interested in figuring out why eating earlier in the day might make it easier to lose weight. Is it because people eat less? Or does their metabolism change? These questions are the topic of Dr. Peterson’s ongoing research funded by the NIH and DOD. Dr. Peterson has already completed one study on this topic that looked at metabolic factors. She discovered that blood glucose levels were lower in people who ate earlier in the day (rather than later in the day), even when calories were matched. She recently received
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HOLLY WYATT, MD Professor, Vice Chair for Clinical Programs Red meat is an excellent source of dietary protein, which is critical for maintaining a healthy body composition. High-quality protein is particularly important during weight loss, where it can help maintain muscle mass as fat mass is lost. Prospective, carefully controlled studies examining the effect of red meat consumption on body composition and metabolic health are lacking. The Sayer-Hill study, funded by the Beef Checkoff, will determine whether a healthful weight loss protocol is more or less effective in maintaining muscle mass with weight loss and controlling blood glucose if it includes regular consumption of beef. ■
funding from the Department of Defense and the NIH to pursue this line of research. The DOD study is designed specifically to determine whether eating earlier in the day will lead to better glucose control in a population with type 2 diabetes that includes veterans. In this study, Dr. Peterson also will determine whether light therapy, which alters or aligns circadian rhythms, affects glucose control. The NIH study will also look at how meal timing affects metabolic health in individuals with prediabetes, examining three eating “windows”: 8 a.m.–2 p.m., 2 p.m.–8 p.m., and 8 a.m.–8 p.m. The primary endpoint is 24-h glycemic control. ■
Jamshed H, Beyl RA, Della Manna DL, Yang ES, Ravussin E, Peterson CM. Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves 24-Hour Glucose Levels and Affects Markers of the Circadian Clock, Aging, and Autophagy in Humans. Nutrients. 2019 Jun;11(6):1234.
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Cancer: More Than Just Bad Genes LYSE NORIAN, PHD Associate Professor
Although most people think about type 2 diabetes and heart disease as obesity-related diseases, cancer is also a metabolic disease that responds to diet and nutrition. Drs. Lyse Norian and Daniel Smith are working with animal models to understand how diet composition affects cancer outcomes. They are blocking the ability of the body to use dietary starch and seeing if this “low starch” diet improves the effectiveness of cancer
DANIEL SMITH JR, PHD Assistant Professor
treatments. The “starch blocker” is called “acarbose,” and it is currently available as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, where it helps lower blood sugar. The NorianSmith study will determine if acarbose can also be used to improve outcomes in cancer patients. Their study is looking specifically at whether cancer drugs that act through the immune system are more effective in combating cancer when blood glucose is lowered by acarbose. ■
JT Gibson, RM Orlandella, WJ Turbitt, M Behring, U Manne, RE Sorge, and LA Norian. “Obesity-associated myeloid-derived suppressor cells promote apoptosis of tumor infiltrating CD8 T cells and immunotherapy resistance in breast cancer.” 2020. Frontiers in Immunology. Frontiers in Immunology. Oct.6,11:590794. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.590794. PMID: 33123173. RM Orlandella, WJ Turbitt, JT Gibson, SK Boi, P Li, DL Smith, Jr., LA Norian. “The antidiabetic acarbose impedes tumor progression and improves the efficacy of both anti-PD-1 and mTOR inhibition in pre-clinical renal cancer.” 2020. Cancers (Basel). Oct 6;12(10):2872. doi: 10.3390/ cancers12102872.PMID: 33036247.
WENDY DEMARK-WAHNEFRIED, PHD, RD Professor, Webb Endowed Chair Dr. Wendy Demark-Wahnefried’s “Harvest for Health” study showed that vegetable gardening led to a decrease in waist girth and a slowing of the aging process. In addition, her web-based diet and exercise intervention is now being provided to 652 cancer
survivors in Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Dr. Demark-Wahnefried is using a novel method for assessing muscle mass in cancer survivors that can be done remotely with a simple urine test. Cancer causes muscle wasting, and methods for preventing and tracking changes in muscle are needed. The method involves tracking the muscle metabolite creatine through the use of stable isotopes. These studies are likely to revolutionize how we deliver and assess lifestyle interventions and make them available to cancer survivors, as well as others more broadly. ■
Demark-Wahnefried W, Rogers LQ, Gibson JT, Harada S, Frugé AD, Oster RA, Grizzle WE, Norian LA, Yang ES, Della Manna D, Jones LW, Azrad M, Krontiras H. Randomized trial of weight loss in primary breast cancer: Impact on body composition, circulating biomarkers and tumor characteristics. Int J Cancer. 2019 Aug 23. 2020;146: 2784–96 PMID:31442303.
A New International Registry to Study Obesity
Drs. James Hill, Drew Sayer, and Holly Wyatt have helped create the International Weight Control Registry to study obesity. This project involves multiple research groups throughout the world who are combining efforts to collect data from a newly established online cohort of individuals who have attempted weight loss either successfully or unsuccessfully. The hope is to learn from these participants to be better able to produce and maintain weight loss. The Nutrition Obesity Research Center received an NIH grant to accelerate this study.
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Prenatal Programming W. TIMOTHY GARVEY, MD Professor, Director, Diabetes Research Center Although nutrition interventions in patients with obesity and disease are critical, prevention is ultimately the key to health. And it’s never too early to start. Increasing evidence suggests that maternal health affects the developing fetus in ways that cause lasting metabolic effects; a kind of “programming” that occurs in utero. Most of the studies that document these effects have been done in animal models. In a ground-breaking attempt to translate this line of research to humans, Drs. W. Timothy Garvey and Paula Chandler-Laney wrote and received a large grant from the American Heart Association to study the mechanisms through which obesity and diabetes “program” the fetus during pregnancy. The project involves both basic science (rodent) studies and clinical studies. The underlying hypothesis is that epigenetic modifications take place in utero that have a lasting effect on the metabolism of the offspring, ultimately affecting risk for chronic disease. “Epigenetic” changes are modifications to the DNA (genetic material) that affect how genes are transcribed. They are thought to be one of the means through which environmental variables can influence development. In the AHA study, the investigators are looking at maternal-
PAULA CHANDLER-LANEY, PHD Associate Professor
offspring dyads in early childhood (4–10 years) to determine whether the weight status and metabolic health of the child reflect maternal weight and diabetes status during pregnancy. Children will be assessed for body fat mass, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, inflammation, energy balance, and substrate oxidation to identify contributors to obesity. Epigenetic differences associated with obesity-related phenotypes in the high-risk groups (i.e., maternal obesity, with and without diabetes) as compared to the low-risk group (maternal normal weight and no diabetes) will be identified in the 4–10-year-old children and then used to inform a more targeted inspection of relevant genes in the second and third projects. The second project is recruiting a parallel group of pregnant women to prospectively look at the association of weight and diabetes status in pregnancy of offspring outcomes during the first three months of life, and in the third aim, rodent models are used to mimic the human prenatal conditions. Ultimately, investigators hope that information from this study will provide mechanistic insights about how obesity propagates across generations. ■
Genes and Aging MARIA DE LUCA, PHD Associate Professor
Genetic variation also may affect how individuals age. Dr. Maria De Luca studies the syndecan gene, which is involved in the structure of the body’s tissues. Mutations in this gene are associated with increased
body fat, which may contribute to obesity. Mutations are also associated with hypertension, coronary artery disease, and triglyceride levels. Dr. De Luca believes that deficiency of syndecan activity in fat tissue promotes the break down of cells as a protective mechanism. This “protective” strategy is beneficial in the short-term but can lead to tissue dysfunction and accelerated aging in adults. Dr. De Luca was recently funded by NIH to test this hypothesis in mice, where the gene can be manipulated. ■
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COMMUNITY While we’re known for our research and teaching, we also know how important it is to take our mission out into the community — here are some ways we’re reaching out.
Live HealthSmart Alabama
In 2019, Mona Fouad, MD, won the UAB Grand Challenge with her Healthy Alabama 2030: Live HealthSmart initiative to make Alabama a model of healthy living. Department Chair James O. Hill is co-leading the Live HealthSmart Alabama effort at the university level with Irfan Asif, MD, Chair of the Department of Family & Community Medicine. Alabama ranks 46th nationally in obesity, 48th in diabetes, and 49th in high blood pressure. The goal is to lift Alabama into the 30s in key health metrics over the next 10 years. ■
Cooking Well
PhD student Katie Ellison (CT/DI, 2018) is the principal investigator for a study working with Cooking Well, a six-week nonprofit program providing virtual nutrition education and cooking instruction during the COVID pandemic. The program examines how nutrition education, hands-on cooking, and discounts on healthy grocery items affect purchasing decisions and healthy eating choices. Once a week, participants learn about nutrition topics and then prepare a related meal. They receive discounts on “Live HealthSmart Foods” at the Village Market in East Lake – items such as fresh/ frozen/canned produce, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Participants’ purchases are tracked to analyze the effects of nutrition education on food-purchasing behaviors. Katie is also
The Cooking Well launch at the Village Market in East Lake
developing a four-week Next Steps workshop that will focus on chronic diseases and cooking styles. In addition to lectures and hands-on cooking, it will address participants’ individual needs to increase their understanding of the relationship between nutrition and personal health. ■
On the News
Beth Kitchin, PhD, RDN, is director of Media & Community Engagement for the department as well as director of the Nutrition Sciences Minor and patient educator for the UAB Osteoporosis Clinic. Every Tuesday, Dr. Kitchin chats about nutrition on WBRC’s morning program, Good Day Alabama. She recently launched the Nutrition Trends monthly newsletter, featuring articles, recipes, and informative videos. And, working with Tara Harman, MS, RDN, she produces RD Updates, monthly continuing education video segments for registered dietitians. ■
➤ Learn more about Nutrition Trends at uab.edu/shp/nutritiontrends/ and RD Updates at go.uab.edu/rdupdates 12
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IIn32020, Academy the department started working with the Birmingham-based charter
school I3 Academy to develop and evaluate interventions designed to improve the health and wellness of K-5 students. I3 opened in fall 2020 using all modes of learning for the 425 children enrolled. With guidance from Dr. Jim Hill and in consultation with the I3 faculty, Drs. Paula Chandler-Laney, Marissa Gowey, and Amy Goss and Tara Harman, MS, RDN, are working with DNS graduate students and SHP undergraduate honors students to implement and assess nutrition, physical activity, and mindfulness across the school. ■
My rotation at I3 provided unique educational experiences — I helped create educational materials for students and calculated carbohydrates in meals to assist the RN with insulin dosage for a diabetic student. – MANDI MADOCHE , MS Student, Dietitian Education Program
Clinical: Weight & Nutrition Management The DNS clinical services provide faculty and students opportunities to engage in clinical research and help deliver clinical services to the public. We are committed to providing evidence-based clinical services that improve overall health and well-being, which include programs to help with: ◗ Long-Term Weight Management ◗ Optimizing Nutrition ◗ Getting Better Sleep Introducing the newest members of our Clinical team, Holly Wyatt, MD, and Drew Sayer, PhD. Dr. Wyatt has more than 20 years of clinical experience in weight reduction using behavioral treatment, dietary therapy, physical activity interventions, weight loss medications, and surgery. She was the medical director for seasons four and five of ABC’s TV show Extreme Weight Loss and
has spent much of her research career following over 10,000 “successful losers” in the National Weight Control Registry to investigate what makes people successful during their weight loss journey. Dr. Sayer’s research focuses on identifying factors driving variability in response to weight loss interventions and using pragmatic and adaptive clinical trial approaches to develop personalized obesity treatment strategies for rapid implementation in clinical settings. He is currently working with Drs. Hill and Wyatt to take the National Weight Control Registry international, with support from the NORC. The International Weight Control Registry (IWCR) is an online platform that will allow participants from across the globe to track their weight-loss and maintenance progress and allow researchers to gather a wealth of data. ■
In the Works: Wellness Reimagined
Wellness Reimagined is a new cross-cutting initiative that will incorporate lifestyle wellness more fully into the department's missions. Dr. Sayer is working to create an assessment tool that can be used in research/clinical trials, in clinical settings such as the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic in Family Medicine, and as part of the student curriculum. This assessment will lead to actionable interventions and programs to improve wellness scores across the community. ■ u a b . e d u /n u t r i t i o n
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UAB Nutrition Obesity Research Center The Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) at UAB, under the direction of DNS Chair James Hill, comprises three research core facilities, a pilot/feasibility program, and an enrichment program. Our investigators take a multidisciplinary approach to basic, clinical, and translational research and research training with an emphasis on understanding the causal factors underlying nutrition and obesity-related health problems.
159 investigators
1 of 11 NORCs in the US
58
academic unit collaborators
$56m
in direct funding
The supplemental funding that the NORC has been awarded over the past two years allows investigators to pursue chronic disease research in the Deep South, hold symposiums to identify ways to overcome barriers for minority researchers, and launch the International Weight Control Registry, among other initiatives.
Addressing Chronic
Advancing the Careers of
International Weight
Diseases in the Deep South
Underrepresented Researchers
Control Registry
In 2019, the UAB NORC, along with the DNS-based Diabetes Research Center and several other UAB centers, received supplemental funds to address chronic disease in the Deep South. As part of this supplement, Drs. Drew Sayer, Tim Garvey, Tapan Mehta, and Irfan Asif (Chair of the Department of Family & Community Medicine) are developing a new model for addressing obesity in primary care.
In fall 2020, the UAB NORC hosted five virtual symposiums addressing the barriers and challenges to success of scientists from URiA groups. The goal was to identify actionable strategies to overcome these challenges and provide recommendations to improve equity and inclusion. Vice Chair of Education Dr. José Fernández was among the featured speakers.
In collaboration with Tufts University, University of Colorado, Kansas University, and Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Drs. Drew Sayer, Holly Wyatt, and Jim Hill are leading the International Weight Control Registry initiative, which seeks to discover the best strategies for weight loss using an innovative citizen science approach. This online platform includes questionnaires spanning multiple domains and provides opportunities to gather objective data from participants via their wearable devices and wireless scales. ■
➤ Learn more about the UAB NORC or to support its mission, visit uab.edu/norc/. 14
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UAB Diabetes Research Center Based in the DNS and led by W. Timothy Garvey, MD, the NIDDK-funded UAB Diabetes Research Center (DRC) focuses on developing new methods to treat and prevent diabetes and its complications. The center’s three cores, pilot & feasibility grants, and enrichment program advance the study of diabetes within the context of cardiometabolic disease leading to both metabolic and vascular disease outcomes.
A multidisciplinary center with researchers from UAB's schools of Health Professions, Medicine, and Public Health, the DRC operates in collaboration with the UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center to promote excellence in diabetes research and patient care. In 2020, five UAB researchers were awarded DRC pilot grants to pursue diabetes research.
246
1 of 6
DRC members in 37 different academic units
DRCs to initiate Virtual Seminar Series — now monthly by all DRCs
FIVE pilot awardees each received $50k total direct dollars from the DRC
$838k in direct funding from the NIH
120+ Publications on PubMed (2019–20 publications)
➤ Learn more about the UAB DRC or to support its mission, visit uab.edu/shp/drc/. u a b . e d u /n u t r i t i o n
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AWARDS & HONORS Our faculty, students, and postdoctoral fellows consistently excel in their areas of study and are honored within UAB and at the national and international levels. FACULTY James Annesi, PhD
Barbara Gower, PhD
Professor
Dr. Annesi won the 2019 American Psychological Association’s Excellence in Clinical Health Psychology Award from APA Division 38: Society for Health Psychology. Brenda Bertrand, PhD, RDN Professor, Program Director, MS in Nutrition Sciences
Dr. Bertrand received the 2019 UAB President's Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors South Central Region Outstanding Dietetic Educator Award.
Professor, Vice Chair for Research
Dr. Gower was awarded the Sam Brown Bridge Builder Award 2019, which honors a UAB faculty or staff member who embodies Dr. Brown’s character and bridgebuilding talents – demonstrating a deep and abiding commitment to collaboration across campus and enhancing the research and teaching activities of the University. Lyse Norian, PhD Associate Professor
Dr. Norian was named Co-Director of the new UAB COVID-19 Comorbidities Working Group.
Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, PhD, RD
Professor, Webb Endowed Chair of Nutrition Sciences
Dr. Demark-Wahnefried received the 34th annual Huddleson Award for her article “Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Home Vegetable Gardening Intervention among Older Cancer Survivors Shows Feasibility, Satisfaction, and Promise in Improving Vegetable and Fruit Consumption, Reassurance of Worth, and the Trajectory of Central Adiposity.” Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2018;118(4):689-704).
Carleton Rivers, MS, RDN
Assistant Professor, Internship Director, MS in Nutrition Sciences, CT/DI
Ms. Rivers was accepted into the UAB Healthcare Educators Academy, a two-year strategic partnership designed to strengthen educators through mentorship. She was also awarded the 2019 Outstanding Alumni Award from the Samford University School of Public Health. Drew Sayer, PhD Assistant Professor
Dr. Sayer was named Chair-Elect of the Obesity Research Interest Section for the American Society for Nutrition. Daniel Smith, Jr., PhD Assistant Professor
Dr. Smith was awarded the 2019 Graduate Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentorship for demonstrating exceptional accomplishments as a mentor of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. ■
➤ Visit uab.edu/shp/nutrition/people to learn more about DNS faculty & staff. 16
UA B N UTR ITI O N SC I E N C ES / 20 1 9 –2020 C H A I R ' S R E PO RT
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PHD & POSTDOCTORAL STUDENTS Allyn Abadie, MA, LAT, ATC Ms. Abadie received the National Athletic Trainers' Association Doctoral Grant in June 2020 to investigate ketone utilization following concussion.
Katie Ellison, MS, RDN, LDN Ms. Ellison received the American Society for Nutrition's Herbalife Nutrition Scholarship. She also received the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship to support her work with the nonprofit Cooking Well program and the Village Market in the East Lake neighborhood of Birmingham, with the Live HealthSmart team of the UAB Grand Challenge, to provide financial discounts on healthy food items labeled as "Live HealthSmart foods." Valene Garr Barry, MS In 2019, Ms. Garr Barry was elected president of the UAB Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA), she was awarded the UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Research Center’s Graduate Student Innovator Award, and she was selected to participate in the Endocrine Society’s Future Leaders Advancing Research in Endocrinology (FLARE). She was also awarded the UAB President’s Diversity Champion Award for her work as the director of the BLUEprint Connect mentoring program.
In September 2020, Valene was awarded the BBVA Compass Mortgage Financial Services Endowed Award from the UAB Alumni Society for academic excellence and leadership. Maggie Jerome, MS, RD, CNSC Ms. Jerome received the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Travel Award. In 2020, she received a grant to support her research in preterm infants, Prospective Cohort Study: The effect of protein intake of very preterm infants on subsequent health outcomes, funded by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Nutrition Support Dietetics Practice Group. Rachel Lomax, MS, RD, LD Ms. Lomax was awarded a full scholarship to attend the 2019 UNC Nutrition Research Institute’s Nutrigenetics, Nutrigenomics and Precision Nutrition Short Course on the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis, NC. Kelsey Rushing, MS, RDN Ms. Rushing was awarded the Research Voucher Program Award through the UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science in 2019. She completed the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) Associate Teaching Certificate and now teaches Sports Nutrition to undergrad and graduate students. ■
Adele Fowler, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Fowler was selected to present her abstract Influences of Adiposity and Fat Distribution on Insulin Sensitivity by Race/ Ethnicity in US Children at The Obesity Society’s Obesity Week Annual Meeting 2020 (Fowler LA, Fernández JR, Gower BA). She also produced a paper highlighting a novel link between the genetic risk of insulin resistance and limited storage capacity of peripheral adipose tissue in Hispanic-Americans, a finding that sheds light on a potential mechanism contributing to the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes in this population: Fowler LA, Fernández JR, Deemer SE, Gower BA. 2020. Genetic Risk Score Prediction of Leg Fat and Insulin Sensitivity Differs by Race/Ethnicity in Early Pubertal Children. ■
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ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT Our alumni play a pivotal role in the success of our programs and students. We are grateful for these leaders and change agents who choose to give back and make a difference. Without their steadfast support, we could not continue to provide world-class education and prepare our students to excel in their careers. STAYING CONNECTED
Attend Events
Give Back
Serve Others
◗ RD Updates ◗ DEI Training Courses ◗ Webinars ◗ Networking Receptions ◗ Join Us at Upcoming Activities!
◗ Support Student Scholarships ◗ Help Us Establish a Scholarship in Honor of W. Timothy Garvey, MD ◗ Invest in Research Activity ◗ Make a Difference!
◗ Become a Preceptor ◗ Give a Guest Lecture ◗ Host a Breakfast with Blazers ◗ Get Involved!
Learn more at uab.edu/shp/ nutrition/news-events.
Learn more at go.uab.edu/nsgiving, or contact Leann Pelliccio at lneal@uab.edu.
Contact Amanda Sherman at asherman@uab.edu for more details and opportunities.
Alumni Spotlight Gigi Carter, MS, CN, CPT (NS, 2017) Business Consultant and Individual Coach, DNS Preceptor Gigi Carter graduated with a Master of Science in Nutrition Sciences, Lifestyle Management and Disease Prevention Track, and went on to found the consulting and coaching firm My True Self. Her book The Plant-Based Workplace: Add Profits, Engage Employees, and Save the Planet, published in 2018, lays out a plan to help companies improve employee well-being, maximize productivity, and reduce carbon footprints by creating a better workplace food environment. As a graduate of our MS in Nutrition Sciences program, Gigi is now serving as a preceptor for our dietetic interns. She is based in Washington state. ■
➤ Contact Amanda Sherman at asherman@uab.edu to learn more about alumni engagement. 18
UA B N UTR ITI O N SC I E N C ES / 20 1 9 –2020 C H A I R ' S R E PO RT
LOOKING TOWARD
THE FUTURE
WEBB RENOVATIONS IMPROVEMENT PLANS: Metabolic Kitchen • Renovated Research Laboratories • Sleep Lab Two Human Indirect Calorimetry Rooms • Lecture Recording Room Classroom and Meeting Spaces • Large Auditorium
State-of-the-Art Renovations to the Webb Building will ensure that we meet the evolving needs of our students, researchers, faculty, staff, and the community. These improvements are designed to help us produce the best-educated students and strongest investigators who will take Nutrition Sciences to the next level.
More details about how you can help us make the Webb renovations a reality are coming soon! Visit uab.edu/nutrition for project updates, or contact Leann Pelliccio at lneal@uab.edu.
UAB Department of Nutrition Sciences 1716 University Boulevard, SHPB 630 1720 2nd Ave South Birmingham, AL 35294-1212
STAY CONNECTED WITH UAB//DNS uab.edu/nutrition Join the UAB Department of Nutrition Sciences on your favorite media outlet and learn more about ways to get involved, give back, and serve others. @UabNutrition
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