OSUN Faculty and Research Areas
Martha A. Belury (Ph.D., R.D., University of Texas at Austin)
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Modulation of insulin sensitivity by bioactive components of the diet in conditions such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome; Dietary fatty acid modulation of gene expression to regulate cellular differentiation, metabolism and carcinogenesis; Dietary modulation of signal transduction to modulate hepatic gluconeogenesis and lipid metabolism.
Amanda Bird (Ph.D., University of Newcastle, UK)
Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Nutrient regulation of gene expression using model organisms; Identification of novel non-protein coding RNAs that have roles in nutrient homeostasis; Nutrient-dependent regulation of cellular splicing.
Joshua A. Bomser (Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Nutrition and ocular health; Identification of anticarcinogenic compounds from natural products; mechanisms of carcinogenesis and the role of minor dietary constituents in cancer prevention.
Prosper N. Boyaka (Ph.D., University Dennis Diderot, Paris, France)
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Biosciences.
Research Interests: T helper cells differentiation; Mucosal immunity; Mucosal inflammation /allergy; Adjuvants and vaccines.
Tony Buffington (Ph.D., D.V.M., University of California-Davis)
Position: Professor, Small Animal Medicine Section, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.
Research Interests: Animal clinical nutrition; diet and renal function.
Steven K. Clinton (M.D., Ph.D., University of Illinois)
Position: Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine. Program Leader, Molecular and Cellular Carcinogenesis, The OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Research Interests: Diet and nutrition in the etiology and prevention of cancer. Nutritional interventions to enhance cancer survivorship. Clinical trials for the treatment of prostate and other genitourinary malignancies.
Konrad Dabrowski (D.Sc. Agricultural University, Szczecin, Poland; Ph.D. Agriculture University, Olsztyn, Poland; M.Sc. Agriculture University, Olsztyn, Poland)
Position: Professor, School of Natural Resources.
Research Interests: Nutrition of aquatic animals and comparative nutrition.
Steven T. Devor (Ph.D, University of California, Berkeley)
Position: Associate Professor, Sport and Exercise Science Program, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology.
Research Interests: Skeletal muscle physiology; adaptation of muscle during aging.
Robert DiSilvestro (Ph.D., Texas A&M University)
Position: Professor, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Nutritional biochemistry; clinical nutrition of zinc and copper; antioxidant actions of nutrients and phytonutrients and nutriceuticals.
Maurice Eastridge (Ph.D., Purdue University)
Position: Professor, Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Fat and fiber digestion in dairy cows.
Helen Everts (Ph.D., University of Georgia)
Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Vitamin A metabolism in skin and hair and the role of dietary vitamin A in preventing hair loss.
Mark Failla (Ph.D., Indiana University)
Position: Professor, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Bioavailability and mechanisms of absorption of micronutrients and health-promoting phytochemicals; cellular and molecular roles of phytochemicals and trace metals.
Jeffrey Firkins (Ph.D., University of Illinois)
Position: Professor, Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Sites of nutrient digestion in dairy cows.
Monica Giusti (Ph.D., Oregon State University)
Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology.
Research Interests: Functional foods and the study of non-volatile compounds in fruits and vegetables with potential health promoting properties. Special interest in flavonoids and natural colorants.
Dana Hardin (M.D., Indiana University)
Position: Associate Professor of Pediatrics.
Research Interests: Cystic fibrosis, AIDS, catabolism, and insulin action.
Earl Harrison (Ph.D., Columbia University)
Position: Duhamel Professor of Human Nutrition, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Transport, metabolism, and functions of retinoids (vitamin A) and carotenoids.
Rebecca Jackson (M.D.)
Position: Professor, Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, and Department of Physical Medicine.
Research Interests: General endocrinology; osteoporosis; metabolic bone disease; calcium metabolism; womens health.
Douglas Kniss (Ph.D., The Ohio State University)
Position: Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Bioinformatics.
Research Interests: Understanding the cellular and molecular pathophysiology of pregnancy complications involving the placenta.
Daren L. Knoell (Pharm.D., University of Nebraska)
Position: Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy.
Research Interests: Impact of nutritional deficiencies on innate immune function and the host response to infection; Understanding the role of zinc in the innate host response to systemic infection and how this impacts host morbidity and mortality; Mechanistic studies focused on the regulation of zinc homeostasis through zinc transporters.
David Latshaw (Ph.D., Washington State University)
Position: Professor, Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Energy metabolism in poultry; dietary calcium and skeletal integrity in poultry.
Ken Lee (Ph.D., University of Massachusetts at Amherst)
Position: Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology.
Research Interests: Nutrient alteration during food processing.
Kichoon Lee (Ph.D., University of Georgia)
Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Discovery of genes or proteins that are involved in fat or muscle development using microarray and proteomics technology; functional genomics approaches to study the functions of genes using in vitro and in vivo systems, including cell cultures and transgenic or knockout mouse models; identification of molecular mechanisms of food intake regulation in the brain.
Michael Lilburn (Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University)
Position: Professor, Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Nutrition and development of poultry.
Young C. Lin (PhD, University of Tokyo, Japan; DVM, National Taiwan University)
Position: Professor, Veterinary Biosciences, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Veterinary Clinical Science.
Research Interests: Molecular Progression of Prostatic and Mammary Cancer; Chemopreventive effect of gossypol on hormone-dependent cancers; Reproductive toxicology; Fertility regulation.
Steven Loerch (Ph.D., University of Illinois)
Position: Professor, Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Nutrition of beef cattle.
Donald Mahan (Ph.D., University of Illinois)
Position: Professor, Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Vitamins E & C and selenium for swine nutrition.
Velimir Matkovic (M.D., Ph.D., University of Zagreb)
Position: Professor of Physical Medicine and Internal Medicine, and Director, Bone & Mineral Metabolism Laboratory.
Research Interests: Bone and mineral metabolism; calcium bioavailability.
Lydia Medeiros (Ph.D., University of Wyoming)
Position: Professor, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Development and evaluation of food safety education programs for various groups including the immunocompromised (transplant patients and HIV positive subjects); development and evaluation of nutrition education programs for pregnant and parenting adolescents.
Kamal D. Mehta (Ph.D, McMaster University Medical Center)
Position: Professor, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry.
Research Interests: Understanding the signaling cascades and the mechanisms regulating transcription of lipoprotein receptors involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. The projects in progress will not only help investigate the molecular basis of atherosclerosis but may also provide a link between atherosclerosis, diabetes, and aging.
Hugo Melgar-Quiñonez (Ph.D., M.D., Friedrich Schiller Universität, Jena, Germany)
Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Food security and nutrition in Latino population groups in Ohio.
Carla Miller (Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University)
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Development, implementation, and evaluation of behavior change interventions, primarily for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus, using theoretical models of change.
Mark Morrison (Ph.D., University of Illinois)
Position: Professor, Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Bacterial physiology and metabolism with emphasis on functional genomics of polysaccharide degradation; host-microbial interactions in GI tracts of animals and humans.
Robert Murray (M.D., Indiana University)
Position: Professor of Pediatrics.
Research Interests: Prevention of childhood obesity.
Kwame Osei (M.D., University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana, MB. Ch B.)
Position: Director, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism of The Ohio State University Medical Center.
Research Interests: Diabetes and nutrition; Type II diabetes mellitus; endocrine and metabolism; ethnicity.
Sampath Parthasarathy (Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science; M.B.A., University of Phoenix)
Position: Klassen Chair in Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and Public Health.
Research Interests: Modified lipoproteins in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Electra Paskett (Ph.D., Epidemiology and Health Services, University of Washington)
Position: Marion N. Rowley Professor of Cancer Research, Program, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
Research Interests: Cancer control research including early detection and primary prevention, Etiological studies of cancer, Maternal and child health issues, Compliance with cancer control activities, Women’s health, Cancer survivorship.
Steven Schwartz (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin)
Position: Food Industries Professor, Carl E. Haas Endowed Chair, Department of Food Science and Technology.
Research Interests: Chlorophyll, carotenoid and other health promoting phytochemicals in foods and biological tissues; antioxidant, anti-mutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties of dietary phytochemicals.
Ramesh K. Selvaraj (Ph.D., University of California, Davis)
Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Impact of poultry immune regulatory cells on immune responses in fighting infections or in suppressing excessive pro-inflammatory immune response in order to decrease mortality in chickens; Nutrient interaction with or modifcation of nuclear hormone receptor signals.
Chandan Sen (Ph.D., University of Kuopio, Finland)
Position: Professor and Vice Chairman, Associate Director, Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute Director, DNA Microarray & Genetics Facility.
Research Interests: Molecular medicine; mechanism by which antioxidants and cellular redox status regulate signal transduction and gene expression.
Anne Smith (Ph.D., R.D., University of Illinois)
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Selenium metabolism in health and disease; nutrition and cancer.
Normand St-Pierre (Ph.D., The Ohio State University)
Position: Professor, Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Ongoing research projects are: (1) quantitative methods for evaluating dynamic animal systems, (2) feed cost optimization, estimation of unit costs of nutrients and nutritional economics, (3) management and nutritional strategies to reduce nutrient excretion, and (4) forecasting methods for dairy risk management.
Yael Vodovotz (Ph.D., University of Massachusetts)
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology.
Research Interests: Use of techniques borrowed from polymer and material sciences to understand the physico-chemical and molecular properties of food material at specific time-temperature and moisture conditions.
Helen Wang (Ph.D., University of Minnesota)
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology.
Research Interests: Biofilm formation involving food-borne pathogenic and health-promoting microorganisms; antibiotic resistance gene transfer through the food chain; developing rapid detection systems for foodborne microorganisms.
William Weiss (Ph.D., The Ohio State University)
Position: Professor, Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Nutrition and mastitis; energy balance in cattle.
Macdonald Wick (Ph.D., University of California, Davis)
Position: Associate Professor Department of Animal Sciences.
Research Interests: Muscle growth, development and meat quality.
Lisa Yee (M.D., Yale University)
Position: Associate Professor of Surgery.
Research Interests: Molecular basis of breast cancer development and progresssion.
Ouliana Ziouzenkova (Ph.D., University of Graz, Austria)
Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Human Nutrition.
Research Interests: Nuclear receptor regulation of predispostion to obesity.