Brian Bennett, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor - Department of Genetics (CV)
Dr. Bennett joined the NRI in December 2011. Dr. Bennett is focused on integrative genetic studies, also called systems genetics, to elucidate the genetic component of chronic metabolic diseases, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease. The goal of this work is to identify individual genes and/or the interaction of groups of genes, also called biologic networks, contributing to chronic disease. In addition to his appointment at the NRI, Dr. Bennett has an appointment in the Department of Genetics at UNC. (more info)

Jody Albright
Research Assistant, Bennett Lab
Jody Albright, a former business owner from Salisbury, is a 2011 graduate of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College with AS and AAS in Biotechnology degrees. He has recently joined the NRI in Dr. Bennett's lab as a laboratory technician. Jody is excited to use his recent education to develop several new protocols for the laboratory .

Pamela Quizon
Research Technician, Bennett Lab
Pamela graduated from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke with a B. S. in Biology in 2011. As an undergraduate, she joined the William C. Friday group at UNC Pembroke's Biotechnology Research and Training Center where she became a part of a drug discovery team that studied the selective modulation of the endocannabinoid system in the rat model of excitotoxicity. After graduation, Pamela continued this research as technician where her work expanded into studying the beta-Amyloid peptide, which is thought to be a key factor in Alzheimer's Disease. Pamela is originally from the Philippines and has been living in North Carolina for almost 7 years.

Tangi Smallwood
Ph.D. Student
Tangi is a graduate of UNC Charlotte where she majored in Biology and Psychology and worked on research projects in both departments. She divided her free time between studying neuronal mechanisms for locomotor activity using an algorithmic model of motor neurons and identifying how variations in HDL and LDL levels in elementary school-aged children influences obesity. After studying at UNC Charlotte, Tangi pursued her MS in Biology at the University of Central Florida where she worked on a project using P-elements to map genetic loci involved in Rho signaling during Drosophila development. She identified a novel Rho GEF that interacts with the Rho GTPase signaling pathway during both embryonic and larval development in Drosophila melanogaster. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology at UNC Chapel Hill. Tangi is interested in genetic determinants of disease susceptibility and the interplay of genetics and environmental risk factors for complex disease. Her current research is focused on using diversity outbred mice to identify genetic risk factors associated with atherosclerosis.

Wenhong Cao, M.D.

Wenhong Cao, M.D., studies insulin resistance, which is a precursor or key component of many major modern health problems, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders, non-alcoholic fatty liver, Alzheimer’s disease, some cancers (breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer), and aging. Dr. Cao’s lab focuses on the mechanisms of insulin resistance including the following components: hepatic gluconeogenesis, hepatic lipogenesis, production of new mitochondria, autophagy-dependent removal of aged/damaged mitochondria, and insulin receptor isoforms, using various molecular, cellular, and animal models. His ultimate goal is to find new and more effective ways to prevent and reverse insulin resistance caused by the positive energy imbalance due to overeating and/or lack of physical activity. (more info)

Haihua Gu, M.D.
Research Technician, Cao Lab
Haihua Gu, MD, is a project technician in Cao Lab, where he researches insulin resistance and cardiovascular complication. Prior to coming to the United States, Dr. Gu was a clinical doctor in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Second Hospital of Harbin Medical University in China from 1999 to 2002. He received his Master of Biomedical Engineering degree from the Beijing University of Technology in 2005, where his dissertation focused on pregnancy hypertension. These results were published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research. Dr. Gu joined the Department of Physiology at the University of Kansas Medical Center as a research fellow in 2010. His research on hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α/platelet derived growth factor axis in HIV-associated pulmonary vascular remodeling was published in the Journal of Respiratory Research.

Shuang Mei, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Cao Lab
Dr. Mei obtained her Ph.D. in Internal Medicine from the Third Hospital of Beijing University in 2005. She joined the Department of Pathology at the Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, in 2005 as an assistant professor. In 2010, Dr. Mei joined the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics at the University of Kansas Medical Center as a postdoctoral research associate. In 2011, she came to UNC Chapel Hill to work with Wenhong Cao, MD. Her work here relates to molecular and cellular mechanisms of cholesterol ester accumulation on foam cell formation, focusing on the p38 MAP kinase signaling pathway. This cellular activity is an early step in the development of atherosclerosis. Dr. Mei’s research findings were published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The second part of this study investigates the effect of cholesterol intake on mitochondria-derived oxidative stress with prolonged exposure to insulin. These results were published in Endocrinology.

Carol Cheatham, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Psychology (CV)
Dr. Carol Cheatham is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, she earned her Ph.D. in child psychology and neuroscience in 2004. She will be part of the Institute's brain research team. In addition to her appointment with the NRI, Cheatham will also hold an appointment as assistant professor in UNC's department of psychology. She has published research on memory recall in pre-term infants, the role of fatty acids in neonatal brains and how stress impacts brain development, as well as other topics. (more info)

Sheau Ching Chai, Ph.D., R.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Cheatham Lab
Dr. Chai is a Registered Dietitian who obtained her Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from The Florida State University where she studies the role of functional foods and dietary supplements in preventing and/or reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. She extends her research to the area of functional foods and neuroscience by joining Cheatham Nutrition & Cognition Laboratory as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. Currently, she serves as a Chair for the American Society for Nutrition Student Interest Group and is also an Abstractor for the Nutrition Evidence Library at the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.

Kim Adams
Recruiter, Cheatham Lab
Kim Adams joined the Cheatham team in September 2012 as a research assistant. With some training in nursing and a B.S. in Psychology, she is thrilled to be working in the field of Nutrition and Cognition. Kim is currently working on her Masters in Counseling at UNC Charlotte. She thoroughly enjoys the time she spends with participants of the BERRY study and feels fortunate to be working with such a talented and caring group.

Andrea Armer
Recruiter, Cheatham Lab
Andrea is currently working toward a Masters in Health Education and Promotions. She earned her B.S. in Elementary Education from Appalachian State University, then taught third grade for several years in the public school system. In the Cheatham Lab, she is able to combine her love for children with her love for health and nutrition. She is very excited to be in the lab and is eager to learn all she can about the research process.

Grace Millsap
Research Assistant, Cheatham Lab
Grace Millsap is a North Carolina native, currently seeking her second bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in Biology. She obtained her first degree in Psychology from Appalachian State University, and plans to pursue her Ph.D. in neuroscience. Grace spent several years in between degrees teaching kids gymnastics and dance on a noncompetitive level. Her current position as a Research Assistant for the Cheatham Nutrition and Cognition Lab fuses her two loves of teaching children and learning about brain development, and she feels truly lucky to work with such wonderful people.

Julie Stegall
Recruiter, Cheatham Team
Julie Stegall is a recently-returned native of Kannapolis. She is serving as a recruiter for Dr. Cheatham’s research studies. Julie earned a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a Masters in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her work with children and families spans a variety of locations and settings. As the mother of two young children, she is excited about the NRI's research exploring the impact of nutrition on our children's health and development. She enjoys sharing information with other parents about what they can do to help.

Folami Ideraabdullah, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics
Folami Ideraabdullah, Ph.D., joined the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) in January 2013 as an Assistant Professor of Genetics in the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). Her long-term research goal is to understand the role of gene-environment interactions in phenotypic variation and disease. (more info)

Judy Oakes

Bio coming soon!

Martin Kohlmeier, M.D.
Research Professor, Nutrition
Martin Kohlmeier’s expertise is in laboratory diagnostics, nutritional genetics and the use of computers for professional and lay nutrition education, with doctorates in medicine, biochemistry and clinical biochemistry from the universities of Heidelberg and Berlin. He is director of the Nutrition in Medicine project, which provides comprehensive online nutrition education to medical students, physicians and other healthcare providers worldwide. Dr. Kohlmeier searches for small genetic differences that change how much of a nutrient people need for optimal health. He is developing online computer programs that use genetic and other personal information to guide individual food choices in a safe and effective way. He expects that personalized nutrition can make a major impact on the big killer diseases, such as reducing breast cancer risk by a third or more. (more info)

Philip May, Ph.D.
Research Professor
Philip A. May, PhD, joined the NRI on April 1, 2011 as Research Professor and is an expert in the field of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).
Dr. May has conducted extensive research on the epidemiology and risk factors for FASD, including alcohol use and abuse, and how FASD relates to mental health and deviance. Dr. May’s specialty areas also extend to demog¬ra¬phy and med¬ical soci¬ol-ogy, focusing much of his research on community-wide pre¬ven¬tion of the disorder. (more info)

Julie Hasken
Project Manager, May Lab
Julie earned a BS in Health Science from Truman State University and a Masters in Public Health, with a concentration in Health Education and Health Behavior, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a Certified Health Education Specialist, her prior work focused on tobacco prevention and control. At the NRI, Julie works with Philip May, Ph.D., on the administrative and programmatic implementation of community-based Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders studies worldwide.

Mihai Niculescu, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Nutrition (CV)
Dr. Niculescu obtained his M.D. degree from Carol Davila University of Medicine in Bucharest, Romania in 1995. He practiced medicine in Romania and was an assistant professor of Physiology at Transylvania University in Brasov, Romania from 1996 to 2000. In 2005 he obtained his Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research focused on choline and brain development, and he has written numerous articles in this area. His current work studies how high-fat diets alter gene expression. (more info)

Daniel Lupu, M.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Dr. Daniel Lupu studied medicine in Romania and is developing his interest in the relationship between prenatal environmental cues (especially nutrition) and fetal brain development—specifically, the epigenetic imprinting that takes place in utero. His lab skills include histological assessment, nucleotide sequencing, PCR and RT-PCR, and protein labeling.

Tracey (Fuli) He
Graduate Student, Niculescu Lab
Tracey obtained her B.S. degree in Biological Science from Fudan University in Shanghai, China. As a graduate student earning her M.S. in Nutritional Biochemistry from UNC- Chapel Hill, she is currently studying under Dr. Niculescu. He’s studies focus on the epigenetic influence on brain development, specifically on aging of the brain. Other interests include the cause, development, and treatment of obesity on molecular mechanism.

Andrew Swick, Ph.D.
Director of Obesity and Eating Disorders Research
Andrew G. Swick, PhD, an expert in the study of obesity with over 20 years of experience, is the Director of Obesity and Eating Disorders Research at the NRI. Dr. Swick studies the relationship between the digestive system and the regulation of body weight and metabolism. A person’s body weight is a reflection of the amount of calories eaten relative to the amount of energy that is expended. Both food intake and energy expenditure vary depending on genetics and the environment. After food is consumed, it is first sensed by the digestive organs. Dr. Swick studies how those organs sense the food and send signals to control appetite and metabolism. As an important element to his work, he focuses on the influence of genetics on energy expenditure and the effects of diet, exercise and pharmaceuticals on energy metabolism and body weight. (more info)

Annalouise O'Connor, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Swick Lab
Dr. Annalouise O’Connor received her PhD in Nutrigenomics from University College in Dublin, Ireland, where her research focused on the impact of diet on metabolic health in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Her bachelor’s degree is in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland. Before joining the NRI, Dr. O’Connor worked for the Food Safety Authority of Ireland compiling scientific recommendations for nutrition policy. Her work at the NRI involves regulation of gut peptides and their role in food intake and weight management, and exploring individual variability in energy metabolism.

Stephen Oreña
Research Assistant, Swick Lab
Stephen Oreña joined the Swick lab in October of 2011 as a research associate and lab manager. He received his B.S. degree in Zoology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and an M.S. degree from Harvard Medical School, Boston. He went on to do drug discovery research in the areas of diabetes and obesity at Pfizer, Inc. Stephen has extensive experience in cell biology, molecular biology and animal research with expertise in the design and execution of a variety of in vitro and in vivo assays for both screening and mechanistic purposes. Stephen is currently working on the link between intestinal fat metabolism and the release of gut hormones regulating satiety, energy expenditure and fuel selection.

Xiaomeng You
Nutrition Graduate Student, Swick Lab
Xiaomeng obtained her B.S. degree in Nutrition Science from Shanghai Jiaotong University, China. She is currently studying under Dr. Swick lab as a graduate student. Her study involves the interaction between dietary fats, the intestinal innate immune system and the microbiome, and their roles in the regulation of the whole body energy expenditure.

Steven H. Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D.
Institute Director (more) (CV)
Dr. Zeisel is recognized as an international leader in nutrition research. His team's work established the requirement for choline, a newly recognized essential part of our diet. His work on nutrition and brain development, genetic variation and diet requirements, environment and nutrition, and medical education are supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Zeisel directs one of the NIH national centers of excellence in human nutrition research. (more info)

Mihai George Mehedint, M.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Dr. Mehedint studied the impact of maternal choline deficiency on fetal brain development and vision while a postdoctoral fellow at UNC-Chapel Hill. At the NRI, he will study epigenetics and nutrition and how controlling gene expression through diet can potentially allow people to improve health and fight genetic diseases by choosing or avoiding certain foods. He earned a degree in medicine at Transilvania University School of Medicine and completed his residency in Brasov, Romania.

Shucha Zhang, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Shucha Zhang, Ph.D., joined the NRI on January 1, 2012 as a Research Assistant Professor. In this role, Dr. Zhang works on the emerging area of metabolomics in the Zeisel lab.

Karen Corbin, Ph.D., R.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Dr. Corbin is a Registered Dietitian who has devoted her clinical and research career to understanding nutrition requirements in common chronic disorders including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. At the UNC Nutrition Research Institute, she has been instrumental in launching the clinical nutrition research facilities, including the metabolic chamber, metabolic research kitchen, and body composition laboratory. She has collaborated on several studies across the North Carolina Research Campus and Nutrition Research Institute, including two involving the metabolic chamber, which measures energy expenditure and substrate utilization very precisely in humans. She recently completed postdoctoral studies related to the involvement of genetic polymorphisms across one carbon metabolism and other clinical/demographic factors in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and obesity. Her current studies are focused on understanding the mechanisms by which one carbon metabolism intersects with energy metabolism, with particular emphasis on hepatic mechanisms.