Education

  • BS, Texas Tech University, Kinesiology, 2019
  • MS, Texas Tech University, Kinesiology, 2021
  • PhD, Texas Tech University, Exercise Physiology, 2025

Research Interests

Dr. Christian Rodriguez is a T32 fellow in Clinical Science at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. His previous research at Texas Tech University focused on evaluating best-practice protocols for conducting body composition and metabolism assessments in multifarious populations. Currently, under the mentorship of Dr. Eric Ravussin and Dr. Steven Heymsfield, he has received rigorous training in advanced body composition and metabolism methodologies. His long-term research goal is to improve the assessment and understanding of body composition and metabolic phenotypes across the spectrum of obesity to inform more precise and equitable interventions. He would like to specifically focus on evaluating energy metabolism, body composition, and metabolic health in individuals with extreme obesity, a rapidly growing yet historically under-studied population. The long-term goal of Dr. Rodriguez’s work is to improve physiological characterization and risk stratification in individuals with extreme obesity by applying rigorous metabolic phenotyping methods that can inform targeted clinical and public health interventions.

Selected Publications

  1. Heymsfield, S.B., Rodriguez, C., Yang, S. (2026). Suggested Improvements to Clarity of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Publications. Cell Metabolism. Letter to the Editor. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2026.01.018
  2. Tinsley, G. M., Hefner, M., Sapp, P., Townsend, J., Rodriguez, C., & Florez, C. (2026). Sex differences in nutrient gaps among active adults. Journal of nutritional science, 15, e5. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2025.10070
  3. Tinsley, G. M., Mota, J. A., Conner, M. J., Jesko, A., Wohlgemuth, K. J., & Rodriguez, C. (2025). Reference Values for Body Composition, Graded Exercise Testing, Hemodynamics, and Pulmonary Function in Male and Female Firefighters. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003444. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000003444
  4. Tinsley, G. M., Rodriguez, C., Florez, C. M., Siedler, M. R., Tinoco, E., McCarthy, C., & Heymsfield, S. B. (2024). Smartphone three-dimensional imaging for body composition assessment using non-rigid avatar reconstruction. Frontiers in medicine, 11, 1485450. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2024.1485450
  5. Rodriguez, C., Mota, J. D., Palmer, T. B., Heymsfield, S. B., & Tinsley, G. M. (2024). Skeletal muscle estimation: A review of techniques and their applications. Clinical physiology and functional imaging, 10.1111/cpf.12874. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpf.12874
  6. Rodriguez, C., Stratton, M. T., Harty, P. S., Siedler, M. R., Boykin, J. R., Green, J. J., Keith, D. S., White, S. J., DeHaven, B., Brojanac, A., Tinoco, E., Taylor, L. W., & Tinsley, G. M. (2023). Effects of a ready-to-drink thermogenic beverage on resting energy expenditure, hemodynamic function, and subjective outcomes. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 20(1), 2211958. https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2023.2211958
  7. Rodriguez, C., Florez, C. M., Prather, J., Zaragoza, J., Tinnin, M., Brennan, K. L., Taylor, L., & Tinsley, G. M. (2023). Influence of Upper-Extremity and Lower-Extremity Resistance Exercise on Segmental Body Composition and Body Fluid Estimates. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 37(5), 1042–1051. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004367
  8. Siedler, M. R., Rodriguez, C., Stratton, M. T., Harty, P. S., Keith, D. S., Green, J. J., Boykin, J. R., White, S. J., Williams, A. D., DeHaven, B., & Tinsley, G. M. (2023). Assessing the reliability and cross-sectional and longitudinal validity of fifteen bioelectrical impedance analysis devices. The British journal of nutrition, 130(5), 827–840. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114522003749
  9. Rodriguez, C., Harty, P. S., Stratton, M. T., Siedler, M. R., Smith, R. W., Johnson, B. A., Dellinger, J. R., Williams, A. D., White, S. J., Benavides, M. L., & Tinsley, G. M. (2022). Comparison of Indirect Calorimetry and Common Prediction Equations for Evaluating Changes in Resting Metabolic Rate Induced by Resistance Training and a Hypercaloric Diet. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 36(11), 3093–3104. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004077
  10. Tinsley, G. M., Rodriguez, C., White, S. J., Williams, A. D., Stratton, M. T., Harty, P. S., Smith, R. W., Dellinger, J. R., & Johnson, B. A. (2021). A Field-based Three-Compartment Model Derived from Ultrasonography and Bioimpedance for Estimating Body Composition Changes. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 53(3), 658–667. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002491

Christian Rodriguez - NCBI