Department of Nutrition (NUTR)
JUNE STEVENS, Chair
Professors
Linda S. Adair (34) Maternal and Child Nutrition, International Nutrition, Child Growth, Long-Term Effects of Early Childhood Nutritional Exposures
Alice S. Ammerman (41) Community-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Intervention and Policy/Environmental Change for Chronic Disease Prevention (Obesity, Cancer, Heart Disease, Diabetes) Addressing Health Disparities; Healthy Food Access through Local, Sustainable Food Systems
Melinda Beck (70) Antioxidant Nutrition and Infectious Disease, Obesity and Infectious Disease, Nutritional Status and Immune Function
Margaret Bentley (67) Nutritional Anthropology, Infant and Young Child Feeding, Growth, and Development, HIV/AIDS and Breastfeeding, Pediatric Obesity
Cynthia M. Bulik (98) Twin and Molecular Genetic Studies of Eating Disorders and Weight Regulation, Information Technology-Aided Approaches to Treatment of Eating Disorders and Overweight, Eating Disorders and Reproduction, Parenting Assistance for Women with Eating Disorders, Eating Disorders Clinical Trials
Stephen G. Chaney (43) Mechanism of Action of Platinum Anticancer Agents, DNA Repair, HPLC Methodology
Rosalind A. Coleman (39) Diabetes: Lipid and Carbohydrate Metabolism, Obesity, Partitioning of Energy between Triacylglycerol Storage and Fatty Acid Oxidation, Regulation of Triacylglycerol Synthesis, Fatty Acid Metabolism and Cardiac Function
Anthony C. Hackney (50) Endocrine and Metabolic Responses to Physical Stress, Physiology of Exercise
Mark Koruda, Surgery, Parenteral and External Nutrition
Pauline K. Lund (69) Insulin-Like Growth Factors, Intestinal Development, Nutrient and Cytokine Interactions in Intestinal Inflammation, Injury and Repair, Intestinal Stem Cells
Nobuyo Maeda (77) Animal Models of Hyperlipidemia, Atherosclerosis and Cardiomyopathy
Elizabeth J. Mayer-Davis (33) Nutrition and the Etiology and Treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Children and Adults, Epidemiology of Diabetes, Diabetes Self-Management for Individuals Living in Medically Underserved Communities
Daniel Pomp (90) Obesity: Genetic Predisposition for Components of Energy Balance, Gene x Diet Interactions, Fat as a Risk Factor for Cancer
Barry M. Popkin (17) The Nutrition Transition: Patterns and Determinants of Dietary Trends and Body Composition Trends (United States and Low Income Countries), Obesity Dynamics and Their Environment Causes, Dietary and Physical Activity Patterns, Trends and Determinants, Creation of Large-Scale Program and Policy Initiatives to Address Nutrition-Related Noncommunicable Diseases
Anna Maria Siega-Riz (62) Maternal Nutrition and Birth Outcomes, Infant and Child Dietary Habits, Obesity Development in Women of Reproductive Age, Infants and Children, Gestational Diabetes, Diet Methodology and Reproductive Epidemiology
June Stevens (56) Epidemiologic Studies of the Causes and Consequences of Obesity, Intervention Trials to Prevent Obesity, Obesity Trends, Risk Factors and Consequences among Ethnic Groups, Long-Term and Short-Term Effects of Obesity and Weight Change on Health, Impact of State Level Obesity Policies
James Swenberg (55), Chemical Carcinogenesis and Toxicology, DNA Damage and Repair, Oxidative Stress, Biomarkers and Mass Spectrometry
Dianne Ward, (79) Child- and Family-Based Interventions to Prevent Obesity; Assessment of Child Care and Home Environments; Assessment of Physical Activity and Diet
Steven H. Zeisel (38) Nutrients and Brain Development, Choline Metabolism and Requirements in the Human, Nutrigenomics, Computer-Assisted Instruction
Associate Professors
Ramon Bataller
Myles Faith (75) Familial Influences on the Development of Child Eating Patterns and Obesity
Penny Gordon-Larsen (78) Obesity Epidemiology, Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk, Longitudinal Studies, Gene by Environment Interactions
Ka He (96) Nutritional Epidemiology, Dietary and Nondietary Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Diseases, Cerebrovascular Disease, Obesity, Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome, and Cancer
Miroslav Styblo (72) Biochemistry and Molecular Toxicology of Essential and Toxic Trace Metals and Metalloids
Andrew Swick (65) Obesity and Diabetes, Gut Regulation of Body Weight, Energy Expenditure and Metabolism, Effects of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals on Body Weight and Metabolic Health
Deborah F. Tate (95) Obesity Prevention and Treatment in Adults and Adolescents, Application of New Technology and the Internet to Behavioral Treatments for Overweight, Obesity Treatment in Worksites and Community Settings
Assistant Professors
Liza Makowski Hayes (64) Glucose and Fatty Acid Transport, Metabolism, Inflammation and Lipid Mediators in Immune Cells in Obesity, Liver Disease, and Cancer
Michelle Mendez, Dietary Exposures and Health Outcomes such as Obesity and Related Disorders, Neurodevelopment, and Cancer
Mihai Niculescu (97) Epigenetics in Nutrition, Transgenerational Inheritance, Role of Maternal Diet in the Epigenetic Regulation of Development in the Offspring
Research Professor
Martin Kohlmeier (53) Nutritional Genetics, Online Nutrition Guidance, Biomarkers in Nutritional Epidemiology, Lipoprotein Metabolism, Vitamin K Transport and Function, Nutrition Education in Medical Schools, Computer-Assisted Instruction
Philip May, The Prevalence and Characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), Maternal Risk Factors for FASD, Prevention of FASD and Other Alcohol-Related Problems, and Epidemiology Research on Public Health Problems with Major Behavioral Components
Research Associate Professor
Wenhong Cao, Hepatic Gluconeogenesis, Hepatic Lipogenesis, Insulin Resistance, and Their Associations with Obesity, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disorders.
Research Assistant Professors
Marlyn Allicock (66) Cancer Prevention and Control, Dissemination Research and Evaluation, Health Disparities
Patrick Bradshaw (92) Identification of Lifestyle Characteristics such as Diet, Body Size, and Physical Activity that Influence the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer and, Once Diagnosed, Survival
Karen Corbin, Understanding Nutrition Requirements in Common Chronic Disorders including Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, and Obesity
Kerry-Ann da Costa (58) Choline, Folate, and Metabolism
Zuzana Drobna (68), Epigenetics of Nutrient-Carcinogens Interaction, Isoflavonoids and Food Components, Leukemia, Metabolism of Metalloids
Shufu Du, How Underlying Factors (such as Education, Income, and other SES) Affect Dietary Behaviors and Physical Activity/Inactivity and Then Health Outcomes (Cancer, Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes, and Obesity)
Kiyah Duffey (76) Determinants and Consequences of Overweight in U.S. Adults, International Dietary Intake Patterns and Trends
Leslie Fischer (87) Human Choline Requirements and Sequelae of Choline Deficiency, Choline and Brain Development
Derek Hales (61) Measurement, Physical Activity, and Determinants of Physical Activity Behavior
Xuesong Han, Impact of Dietary Factors on Cancer Etiology and Survivorship, As Well As Gene-Environment Interaction
Kristine Kelsey (71) Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Prevention of Childhood Obesity, Health Behavior Change, Women’s Health
Mihai Mehedint, Choline Metabolism, Genetic and Epigenetic Mechanisms Altering in Utero Development
Shu Wen Ng (74) Economic and Socio-Demographic Determinants of Diet, Physical Activity and Weight Gain, Nutrition Epidemiology, Food and Nutrition Policy, International and US Nutrition Transition
Carmen Samuel-Hodge (86) Interventions in Diabetes Self-Management Education, Weight Loss and Lifestyle Behavior Change Interventions, Peer Counselors/Lay Advisors in Community-Based Nutrition Interventions
Patricia Sheridan (52) Nutrition and Neuroimmunology; Obesity and Neuroinflammation; Nutrition and Infectious Diseases
Meghan Slining, Obesity Epidemiology, Maternal and Child Nutrition, Evaluation of Program and Policy Initiatives to Address Nutrition-Related Noncommunicable Diseases
Kimberly Truesdale (73) Obesity Epidemiology, Causes and Consequences of Obesity, Effect of Weight Maintenance on Health, Minority Health
Shucha Zhang
Clinical Associate Professor
Suzanne Havala Hobbs (40) Health Management Education, Distance Education, Health Care Leadership, Dietary Guidance Policy, Food and Nutrition Policy (Domestic and International), Cultural Proficiency in Health Services Delivery, Health Journalism and Communication
Clinical Assistant Professor
Amanda S. Holliday (99) Professional Development, Clinical Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition Management, Nutrition and Aging
Janice Sommers (44) Interested in Bridging the Gap between Research and Practice in the Areas of Nutrition, Physical Activity, Obesity, and Chronic Disease Prevention
Adjunct Professors
John J. B. Anderson, Calcium, Isoflavones, Other Nutrients and Bone Indices in Women, Osteoporosis, Physical Activity and Body Composition, Diet and Aging
Bernard Gutin, Exercise, Diet, and Body Composition in Youths
Robert McMurray, Effect of Exercise on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors, Insulin, and Adipokines in Children
Rudolf Salganik, Oxidative Stress, Apoptosis and Cancer
Adjunct Associate Professors
Alvin Berger, Signaling and Nutritional Aspects of Microbial, Plant and Mammalian Lipids
Temitope Keku, Nutritional Epidemiology, Diet and Cancer, Microbiome and Cancer, Health Disparities, Cancer Biomarkers
Boyd Switzer, Nutrition and Cancer
Melicia Whitt-Glover, Identify Effective Strategies to Increase Weight Loss and Weight Gain Prevention among African Americans
Adjunct Assistant Professors
Melissa Daniels, International Maternal and Child Nutrition, Dietary Assessment Methods, Screening of Malnutrition Risk
Sheila Fleischhacker, Examining Environmental and Policy Strategies to Improving Access to Healthy Eating in Underserved Communities
Juhaeri Juhaeri, Obesity Epidemiology, Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Pharmacoepidemiology and Epidemiology Methods
Amy Ries, Nutrition and Physical Activity Behavior Change in Primarily Minority and Low Income Populations
Suzanna Young, Creating Community Based Health Promotion Model Programs to Build Capacity for Chronic Disease Prevention
Adjunct Instructor
Angelo Mojica (94) Food Service Management
Professors Emeriti
Rebecca B. Bryan
Janice M. Dodds
Joseph C. Edozien
MaryAnn C. Farthing
Mildred Kaufman
Robert G. McMurray
Associate Professor Emeritus
Pamela S. Haines
Courses for Graduate and Advanced Undergraduate Students
NUTR
400 Introduction to Nutritional Biochemistry (3). Prerequisites, BIOL 101, CHEM 101 and 102, and NUTR 240. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisites. Function of the human body focusing on nutrient interaction. Review of structure and function of cells and organs. For advanced undergraduates and graduate students needing to enhance background prior to NUTR 600.
600 Human Metabolism: Macronutrients (3). Prerequisite, NUTR 400. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Cell biochemistry and physiology emphasizing integration of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids in whole-body metabolism; regulation of energy expenditure, food intake, metabolic adaptations, and gene expression; and macronutrient-related diseases (atherosclerosis, obesity).
611 Nutrition of Children and Mothers (MHCH 611) (3). Prerequisite, NUTR 400. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Biologic bases for nutrient requirements and dietary recommendations as they vary throughout the life cycle. Covers the nutritional needs of women during childbearing years, infants, children, and adolescents.
615 Nutrition in the Elderly (1). Prerequisite, NUTR 400. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Special dietary and nutritional needs and conditions of the elderly. Includes overview of biology and demography of aging, discussion of nutritional requirements, and assessment of the elderly as well as nutrition in health and various disease states of the elderly.
620 Human Metabolism: Micronutrients (3). Prerequisites, NUTR 400 and 600. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisites. Cell biochemistry and physiology emphasizing metabolism of vitamins and minerals including antioxidant protection, immune function, nutrient control of gene expression, and disease states induced by deficiencies (e.g., iron-deficient anemia).
630 Nutrition Assessment and Counseling Skills (3). Prerequisite, NUTR 240. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Functions of a nutritionist working with individuals, emphasizing interviewing, assessment, nutrition care planning, counseling, and service documentation in prevention and therapeutic situations. Practice in the use of current dietary analysis software programs and development of educational materials included.
640 Medical Nutrition Therapy I: Chronic Disease Management (3). Prerequisite, NUTR 630. Course designed to examine the rationale and implementation of diet therapy and nutrition support in the prevention or treatment of chronic disease.
642 Medical Nutrition Therapy II: Acute Disease Management (3). Prerequisite, NUTR 640. Course designed to examine the rationale and implementation of diet therapy and nutrition support in the prevention or treatment of acute diseases.
644 Medical Nutrition Therapy Case Seminar (1). Prerequisite, NUTR 642. Course designed to introduce the student to clinical nutrition practice. Students learn case-based medical nutrition therapy, professional interdisciplinary communication and documentation skills.
650 Food Science, Production, and Meal Preparation (2). Prerequisite, NUTR 400. Introduction to foods, food composition and properties; factors affecting selection, handling, and prep of foods; food safety; basic food industry knowledge; meal planning. NUTR 650 lab required.
650L Food Science, Production, and Meal Preparation Lab (1). Concurrent with NUTR 650. This is the laboratory that accompanies NUTR 650. This laboratory applies the basic concepts of meal preparation, food production, and food science. Laboratory fee required. Three laboratory hours per week.
660 Food Service Systems Management (2). Permission of the instructor for nonmajors. Basic concepts of institutional food service systems management applied to small and medium-sized health care facilities in the community.
660L Food Service Systems Management Experience (1). Corequisite, NUTR 660. This is a food service management practicum that applies the basic concepts of institutional food service systems. Two laboratory hours per week.
692H Honors Research in Nutrition (3). Permission of the instructor. Directed readings or laboratory study of a selected topic. Requires a written proposal to be submitted to and approved by the B.S.P.H. Committee and faculty research director. A written report is required. May be taken more than once for credit. Six laboratory hours per week.
695 Nutrition Research (1–9). Permission of the instructor. Individual arrangements with faculty for bachelor’s and master’s students to participate in ongoing research.
696 Readings in Nutrition (1–9). Permission of the instructor. Reading and tutorial guidance in special areas of nutrition.
Courses for Graduate Students
NUTR
700 Nutrition in Medicine (2). Prerequisites, BIOL 252 and NUTR 600. Comprehensive review of nutrition basics with strong clinical perspective. Integrates nutrient biochemistry and metabolism into a framework of nutritional assessment and dietary intervention.
710 Clinical Nutrition Experience (6). Prerequisite, NUTR 644. Students are assigned to medical facilities where, under the supervision of registered dietitians, they participate in the nutritional care of patients. Field fee required. 40 hours per week for 12 weeks.
715 Dietary Change Interventions (2–3). Permission of the instructor for nonmajors. Focus on developing theory-based nutrition interventions at the population level. Addresses levels of interventions such as individual, social network, organizational (e.g., schools and work sites), methods of implementation (including social marketing and mass media), and principles of assessing change.
720 Public Health Nutrition Management I (2–5). Prerequisites, NUTR 630, 640, and 715. Allows student to focus on the roles and functions of the health care team and nutritionist in providing nutrition services at the community level. Includes community assessment and organization, quality assurance and program evaluation, and basic personnel management. Three to five lecture hours and 24-32 hours of field experience per week.
725 Public Health Nutrition Management II (3). Prerequisite, NUTR 720. An overview of the planning and management of local, state, federal, and voluntary public health nutrition programs. Examines legislative and administrative structures.
728 Nutrition Translational Research and Application (2). Prerequisite, NUTR 725. Designed to focus on translational nutrition research and application including grant writing in order to better prepare students to apply evidence-based nutrition interventions (education, counseling, and research) in the clinical, public health, and policy arenas.
730 Advanced Nutrition Field Experience (6). Prerequisites, NUTR 710 and NUTR 720. During a consecutive ten-week block of time, students are assigned to a) hospital or b) state, local, or district health agency or other appropriate agency for their supervised field experience. Field fee required.
735 National Nutrition Issues (1). Prerequisite, NUTR 725. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Three-day in-depth seminar held in Washington, DC on national nutrition issues, policy formulation, and program development with key congressional staff, federal agencies staff, and pertinent public interest/consumer advocacy groups. Paper required. Field fee required.
740 Block Field Research (4). Prerequisites, NUTR 700 and 813. During a consecutive ten-week block of time, students conduct nutrition-related research on topics including cancer, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Supervised by an approved faculty and mentor. Field fee required.
745 International Nutrition (3). Provides a broad overview of international nutrition research issues, programs, and policies. Topics will include micronutrient deficiencies, child feeding and growth, determinants of under- and over-nutrition, chronic disease and nutrition, food fortification and supplementation, and nutrition intervention programs and policy.
750 International Nutrition: Special Topics (1). Prerequisite, NUTR 745. Follow-up in greater detail of selected issues discussed in NUTR 745. Two seminar hours per week.
753 Qualitative Research Methods (HBHE 753) (3). See HBHE 753 for description.
780 Public Health Entrepreneurship (HPM 780) (3). Permission of the instructor (complete application: www.unc.edu/cei/grad). Basic concept underlying commercial and social entrepreneurship applied to public health, including guest lectures by individuals with proven success in these areas.
785 Graduate Teaching Experience (1). Permission of the instructor. Individual arrangements with faculty for a graduate student to serve as a teaching assistant for a nutrition course.
809 Applied Qualitative Research Methods (2). Introduces students to qualitative research methods with an emphasis on their use in nutrition-related programmatic research. Uses a combination of didactic, interactive, and applied techniques to teach qualitative research knowledge and skills. Introductory course; subsequent courses in qualitative methods, particularly for data analysis, is strongly recommended.
810 Physical Activity Epidemiology and Public Health (EPID 810) (3). See EPID 810 for description.
811 Development and Evaluation of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Interventions (HBHE 811) (3). See HBHE for description.
812 Introduction to Obesity: Cell to Society (3). Permission of the instructor. Provides a broad survey of obesity research including measurement issues, biological, social and economic etiologies, health and economic consequences, and prevention and treatment of obesity.
813 Nutritional Epidemiology (EPID 813) (3). Prerequisites, BIOS 600, and EPID 600 or 710. This course introduces basic methods of dietary assessment, reviews various topics in nutrition epidemiology, and teaches the skills needed for critical evaluation of the nutritional epidemiologic literature.
814 Obesity Epidemiology (EPID 814) (3). Prerequisites, BIOS 600, EPID 710, and NUTR 813. Examines epidemiology research on the causes, consequences, and prevention of obesity. Emphasis on methodological issues pertinent to obesity research.
815 Diet and Cancer (EPID 815) (3). Prerequisites, BIOS 600, EPID 600 or 710, 771, and NUTR 813. Examines and critically evaluates epidemiologic research on relationships of diet-related exposures with cancer etiology, prevention, and survivorship. Emphasis on skills for conducting, analyzing, and interpreting diet and cancer epidemiologic studies.
818 Analytical Methods in Nutritional Epidemiology (EPID 818) (3). Prerequisites, BIOS 545, EPID 600 or 710, and NUTR 813. Skills and techniques to study how dietary exposures, physical activity, and anthropometric status relate to disease outcomes. Focus is hands on data analysis using STATA, and interpretation of results from statistical analysis.
820 Advanced Public Health Nutrition Management (3). M.P.H. degree or permission of the instructor. Analysis of policy development and management techniques used in the public and private sectors with relevance to the development and management of nutrition policy and programs.
845 Nutritional Metabolism (3). Prerequisite, NUTR 600. A problem-based approach to examine current topics in biochemistry relevant to nutrition and metabolism. Students interpret data and design experiments related to recent advances in nutritional biochemistry.
851 Advanced Nutritional Biochemistry: Obesity and Body Weight Regulation (2). Prerequisites, NUTR 600 and 620. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisites. Develop a basic understanding of obesity and body weight regulation based on recent scientific advances and concepts. Topics covered will include the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure as well as pharmacological and surgical treatments for obesity.
861 Advanced Nutritional Biochemistry: Nutrition and Immunology (2). Prerequisites, NUTR 600 and 620. Presents an understanding of basic immunology and the role of nutrition in modifying the immune response.
862 Advanced Nutritional Biochemistry: Epigenetics in Nutrition (2). Permission of the instructor for nonmajors. Introduction to epigenetic mechanisms regulating gene expression. Emphasis on the relationship between nutrition and epigenetics, and on related health outcomes.
868 Nutrients and Disease: Brain Function and Development (2). Prerequisites, NUTR 600 and 620. Seminar on nutrients that influence brain and neuron development and function.
875 Nutrition Policy Seminar (1–2). Permission of the instructor. Doctoral seminar to introduce federal policy strategies for monitoring and improving nutritional status of populations. Five policy areas will be covered: national nutrition objectives/planning strategies, dietary guidance, nutrition surveillance/monitoring, economic policy as related to federal feed programs, and policy analysis.
880 Elements of Being a Scientist (3). Permission of the instructor. For doctoral students prepared with Ph.D. aims/focus. Focuses on key elements that contribute to a successful career as a scientific researcher. These include scientific presentations, NIH proposal grant writing, evaluating published manuscripts, sources of funding, peer review, use of animals and humans in research, and scientific ethics.
885 Doctoral Seminar (1). This course is designed for doctoral and master of science students only. Critical review of current literature in nutritional biochemistry, intervention and policy, and population-based nutrition science. Focuses on the development of skills in reviewing and criticizing articles.
910 Nutrition Research (1–9). Individual arrangements with faculty for doctoral students to participate in ongoing research.
920 Research Rotations for Nutritional Biochemistry Doctoral Students (1–3). Three laboratory or research group rotations supervised by nutritional biochemistry faculty. Provides a breadth of research experience for students prior to selecting dissertation advisor. Up to six laboratory hours per week.
992 Master’s Paper (3–6).
993 Master’s Thesis (3–6).
994 Doctoral Dissertation (3–9).