Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Catherine Prater Awarded Postdoctoral Fellowship from the American Heart Association

February 5, 2025 · Baton Rouge, LA

Dr. Prater will apply award funds for her research “Examination of Metabolic Characteristics in the Predisposition for Weight Gain”

Dr. Catherine Prater, postdoctoral researcher at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, has received a two-year fellowship from the American Heart Association. The fellowship includes a grant of more than $150,000 that will support research focused on weight gain markers. Her research project, “Examination of Metabolic Characteristics in the Predisposition for Weight Gain,” will reexamine existing clinical trial data with the goal of improving prediction models and uncover metabolic markers that explain individual differences in weight gain.

Dr. Prater’s fellowship will begin in June 2026 and will continue through spring of 2028. The AHA grant funds will be applied to Dr. Prater’s salary and project support. She is part of a research team working to develop machine learning models to better predict which patients are more inclined to gain weight, using these insights to influence the development of personalized, metabolism-based weight management strategies.

“The motto for the American Heart Association is ‘to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives,’ and I am proud to accept this fellowship in the spirit of that motto,” Dr. Prater said. “I have directed my research efforts toward examining completed clinical trials from Pennington Biomedical to answer the question, ‘How do differences in metabolism affect the way people gain weight and body fat?’ This project is an early step to inform science-based custom weight programs that could be more effective for addressing obesity and promoting lasting health.”

While weight gain is a major contributor to heart disease risk, it is also a complex process that varies from person to person. Currently, there are no clear ways to predict which patients are most at risk. Dr. Prater will use data from two different Pennington Biomedical clinical trials to compare how clinical measures and blood markers relate to excess weight, which will identify new traits that explain how different people gain weight. She will then use machine learning techniques to train and test prediction models using machine learning techniques. These machine learning efforts may indicate if the new traits identified can predict weight gain.

“Dr. Prater’s selection for this American Heart Association fellowship is a testament to her dedication and scientific rigor,” said Dr. Jennifer Rood, Interim Senior Vice Chancellor and Executive Director of Pennington Biomedical. “We congratulate her on this accomplishment and look forward to the contributions her research will make to advancing personalized approaches to weight management and long-term health. By applying machine learning to existing clinical trial data, this project has the potential to meaningfully improve how we identify and support individuals at risk for weight-related disease.”

Dr. Prater is a member of Pennington Biomedical’s Adiposity, Lifestyle and Metabolic Health Lab, led by her primary mentor, Dr. Ursula White. Dr. White leads Dr. Prater's mentor team, which includes Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Shengping Yang, Dr. Christopher Newgard of Duke University, and Dr. Leanne Redman, Academic Director of the Charles Perkins Center at the University of Sydney and an adjunct professor at Pennington Biomedical. Dr. Prater is also collaborating with Dr. Sujoy Ghosh, Dr. Eric Ravussin and Dr. Diana Thomas for the fellowship research project.

“Catherine has consistently approached her research with curiosity and a deep commitment to improving cardiometabolic health,” Dr. White said. “By combining clinical trial data with advanced statistics, she is helping translate complex metabolic science into practical insights that can better identify who is most at risk for weight gain. This work moves us closer to more personalized strategies that can make a meaningful difference for individuals and families affected by obesity.”

Dr. Prater joined Pennington Biomedical in July 2024 as a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in Obesity. She also received the Vanderbilt VIBRANT travel award and the NIH Loan Repayment Award. Dr. Prater received her doctorate from the University of Georgia, where she also completed a dietetic internship.