Teaching Faculty

Perspective Students: Please inquire with specific faculty about your interest and possible openings in their lab.

Gregory W. Aponte The dietary nutrient "sensing" system is an important component of the gut-brain axis that establishes the role of organic nutrients as signal molecules. It has significant implications to human health because of its involvement in the development of diseases related to diabetes, obesity, immune function, and food intake behavior. Read More
Leonard F. Bjeldanes Our primary research objective is to isolate and characterize the efficacy and modes of action of beneficial phytochemicals from plants and microorganisms. Our attention is focused on substances from food plants and herbs, and on substances from filamentous fungi and bacteria. Read More
John E. Casida Research in the Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Laboratory emphasizes pesticide mode of action and metabolism. This information is important to optimize pesticide use, improve their selectivity and environmental characteristics, and minimize the hazards of exposure for humans, domestic animals and other nontarget species. Recent research involves six closely related topics. Read More
Danica Chen One of the most fundamental questions in biology is how we age. The past decade has witnessed a significant revision of a traditional view that aging is simply a random and passive process that is solely driven by entropy. In fact, the aging process is regulated genetically and lifespan can be extended by single gene mutations. Our research aims to understand signal transduction that regulates the aging process and explore therapeutic targets to slow down aging. Read More
Marc Hellerstein Who studies metabolic regulation these days - the flow of metabolites through competing pathways in complex biological networks, the anabolic and catabolic processes that determine tissue composition, adaptations to environmental stresses and how their failure leads to disease? Not most Biochemistry or Molecular Biology departments. It is our belief that the study of physiologic chemistry (metabolic regulation) using modern tracer techniques and metabolic control concepts can be seized by nutrition researchers interested in making fundamental contributions to biochemistry and medicine (and in being funded). Read More
Isao Kubo Our group has been searching for ecologically sound pest control agents based on natural products (including biopolymers such as enzymes) that fundamentally regulate nature. Our studies have focused on developing alternative insect control agents, but the scope has now extended to microorganisms and weeds. Read More
Joseph L. Napoli, Department Chair Retinoids are autacoids that regulate energy balance, weight, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, stem cell differentiation, and nervous system function. This lab studies the mechanisms of retinoid action in the nervous system, in modulating energy balance, and regulating pancreas function, thereby affecting memory, appetite, insulin resistance, glucose tolerance and adiposity. Read More
Daniel Nomura Research in our group focuses on discovering and functionally characterizing dysregulated metabolic networks in disease using functional proteomic and metabolomic platforms, in order to identify enzymes that represent nodal points of control for pharmacological intervention and therapy. Read More
Barry Shane The major research efforts of my laboratory are in the area of biochemical nutrition and, in particular, the control of one carbon metabolism. We investigate experimental nutrition problems at a basic molecular or cellular level to obtain a better understanding of factors that influence nutritional requirements and how this varies among the population. Read More
Martyn Smith Dr. Smith has expertise and a broad background in molecular epidemiology, toxicology and genomics, aimed at finding the causes of chronic disease including lymphoma and leukemia. His interest in the subject of benzene toxicity began in the mid-1980s and he has published extensively on this topic, most recently as a review for the 2010 Annual Reviews of Public Health. Dr. Smith is working with collaborators internationally to explore study of the emerging field of exposomics. Read More
Andreas Stahl The main focus of the Stahl laboratory is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity-related disorders, such as diabetes, hepatobiliary diseases, as well as certain cancer, and to explore novel routes for the treatment of these debilitating chronic diseases. Read More
Hei Sook Sul Adipocytes are highly specialized cells that play a crucial role in the energy balance most vertebrates by providing ability to synthesize and deposit fat during times of positive energy balance in preparation for periods of food deprivation. In modern society, however, excess adipose tissue leading to obesity is a major health problem. There is an increase in lipogenesis and storage of fat in adipose tissue causing hypertrophy. Read More
Chris Vulpe My group is currently working in three areas of nutrition and toxicology: 1. Eukaryotic copper and iron metabolism including a) Hephaestin and Zyklopen, related mammalian ferroxidases, which are involved in cellular iron export; b) Genetic modifiers of iron homeostasis in mice and humans. 2. Genomic approaches to identify conserved toxicity pathways in eukaryotes using S. cerevisiae with a focus on a) Metals and metalloids b) Benzene and metabolites. 3. Ecotoxicogenomics using the water flea, Daphnia magna and the Fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas as model organisms to develop new sensitive tools for a) Toxicant identification in freshwater ecosystems; b) Screening for chemical toxicity; c) Determining mode of action of environmental contaminants. Read More
Jen-Chywan (Wally) Wang Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones that affect many aspects of mammalian physiology. Because of their potent anti-inflammatory activity glucocorticoids are also frequently used to treat various inflammatory diseases. The long-term goal of our research is to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the effects of glucocorticoids on energy homeostasis and inflammatory response. Read More

Adjunct Faculty

Dale Johnson Dr. Johnson is CEO of Emiliem, Inc. a privately-held biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel molecular targeted therapeutics. The company’s research conducted in collaboration with NHLBI of NIH is focused on mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a central controller of cellular and organism growth that integrates nutrient and hormonal signals, and regulates diverse cellular processes. Read More
Ron Krauss Genetic factors influencing plasma lipoprotein profiles and dietary responsiveness in humans. Metabolic behavior, physicochemical characteristics, and functional properties of low density lipoprotein (LDL) subclasses. Role of lipolytic enzymes and cell-surface receptors in lipoprotein metabolism. Gene-environment interactions underlying the cluster of coronary disease risk factors associated with small, dense LDL and insulin resistance. Read More
Robert O. Ryan Heart disease is a major cause of mortality in North America. While it is clear that development of cardiovascular disease is a multi-factorial process, it is evident that aberrations in lipid metabolism represent a significant risk factor. It is widely accepted that exchangeable apolipoproteins function in regulation of plasma lipid levels, yet the molecular basis for this role is not fully understood. Read More
Dale Leitman With the increasing longevity of the population approximately one-third of a woman’s life occurs during menopause. During menopause the levels of estrogens in body drop to very low levels. This can lead to a variety of conditions that occur shortly after menopause, such as hot flashes, mood swings and genital atrophy. Long-term loss of estrogens can be associated with chronic conditions, such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease. Read More

Lecturers

Mikelle McCoin As a registered dietitian and lecturer I have an interest in providing students with the foundation they will need to succeed in their dietetic internships and future practices. I have a special interest in applying lifestyle therapies as a means to prevent and manage chronic disease, especially cardiovascular disease. I continue to pursue this interest by being a workgroup member of the American Dietetic Association Evidence-based Practice Guideline for Disorders of Lipid Metabolism. Read More

Cooperative Extension Faculty

Patricia Crawford My research explores how environmental, family, clinical and policy approaches can address the childhood obesity epidemic in California communities around the country. Read More

Emeriti Faculty

	Nancy Amy Associate Professor		Benito de Lumen Professor
	George Wolf Adjunct Professor		George W. Chang Associate Professor
	Janet C. King Professor		Kenneth J. Carpenter Professor
	Angela Little Professor		Fernando Viteri Professor
	Joanne Ikeda CE Specialist		Susan Oace Associate Professor
	Mary Ann Williams Professor		Elizabeth C. Theil Adjunct Professor
	Sharon E. Fleming Professor		Mary Mead Instructor