RESEARCH & FACULTY

RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Research laboratories at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center are divided into 10 program areas (listed below). Click on a laboratory to view more information.

Biomedical Imaging

Brain and Metabolism Imaging in Chronic Disease (BAMIC)
Investigators: Owen Carmichael, PhD

Cancer

William Hansel Cancer Prevention
Investigators: William Hansel, Ph.D., Sita Aggarwal, Ph.D

Diabetes

Antioxidant and Gene Regulation
Investigators: Jianping Ye, M.D., Zhanguo Gao,
John S McIlhenny Skeletal Muscle Physiology
Investigators: Eric Ravussin, Ph.D., Sudip Bajpeyi, , Darcy Johannsen, PhD, RD, Robert Noland, PhD
John S. McIlhenny Botanical Research
Investigators: William Cefalu, M.D., Zhong Wang,
Joint Program on Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism
Investigators: William Cefalu, M.D., Stefany Primeaux,
Oxidative Stress and Disease
Investigators: Krisztian Stadler,

Epidemiology & Prevention

Chronic Disease Epidemiology
Investigators: Gang Hu, MD, MPH, PhD, FAHA
Contextual Risk Factors
Investigators: Stephanie Broyles, PhD
Nutritional Epidemiology
Investigators: Catherine Champagne, Ph.D., R.D.N.
Physical Activity and Obesity Epidemiology
Investigators: Peter Katzmarzyk, Ph.D., FACSM, FAHA

Genomics & Molecular Genetics

Gene-Nutrient Interactions
Investigators: Randall Mynatt, Ph.D., Jingying Zhang,
Genetics of Eating Behavior
Investigators: Brenda Richards (Smith), Ph.D.
Human Genomics
Investigators: Claude Bouchard, Ph.D., Tuomo Rankinen, Ph.D., Mark Sarzynski, Ph.D.
Regulation of Gene Expression
Investigators: Michael Salbaum, PhD

Neurobiology

Autonomic Neuroscience
Investigators: Richard Rogers, Ph.D., Gerlinda Hermann, Ph.D.
Leptin Signaling in the Brain
Investigators: Heike Muenzberg-Gruening,
Neurobiology & Nutrition
Investigators: Hans-Rudolf Berthoud, Ph.D.
Neurobiology of Metabolic Dysfunction Lab
Investigators: David McDougal, PhD
Neurosignaling
Investigators: Christopher Morrison, Ph.D.
Nutrition & Neural Signaling
Investigators: Maria Barnes, Ph.D.

Neurodegeneration

Aging and Neurodegeneration
Investigators: Jeffrey Keller, Ph.D.
Blood Brain Barrier I
Investigators: Weihong Pan, M.D., Ph.D.
Blood Brain Barrier II
Investigators: Abba Kastin, MD
Inflammation and Neurodegeneration
Investigators: Annadora Bruce-Keller, Ph.D.
Nutritional Neuroscience and Aging
Investigators: Donald Ingram, Ph.D.

Nutrient Sensing & Signaling

Nutrient Sensing and Adipocyte Signaling
Investigators: Thomas Gettys, Ph.D., Kirsten Stone, PhD

Obesity

Behavior Modification Clinical Trials
Investigators: George Bray, , Catherine Champagne, Ph.D., R.D.N., Valerie Myers, , Timothy Church, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Frank Greenway, M.D.
Behavior Technology Laboratory: Eating Disorders and Obesity
Investigators: Tiffany Stewart, Ph.D.
Behavioral Medicine
Investigators: Phillip Brantley, Ph.D., Valerie Myers, , David Harsha, , Catherine Champagne, Ph.D., R.D.N.
Infection and Obesity
Investigators: Nikhil Dhurandhar, , Vijay Hegde,
Ingestive Behavior Laboratory
Investigators: Corby Martin, Ph.D.
Pediatric Obesity and Health Behavior
Investigators: Amanda Staiano, PhD
Pharmacology-based Clinical Trials
Investigators: George Bray, , Frank Greenway, M.D., Daniel Hsia,
Reproductive Endocrinology & Women’s Health
Investigators: Leanne Redman, MS, PhD
Women's Health, Eating Behavior, & Smoking Cessation Program
Investigators: Paula Geiselman,

Physical Activity & Health

Exercise Biology
Investigators: Conrad Earnest, , Timothy Church, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Tuomo Rankinen, Ph.D.
Human Physiology
Investigators: Eric Ravussin, Ph.D., Stephanie Taylor, , Darcy Johannsen, PhD, RD, Sudip Bajpeyi,
Inactivity Physiology
Investigators: Marc Hamilton, Ph.D., Robert Newton, Jr., Ph.D., Theodore Zderic, Ph.D.
Physical Activity & Ethnic Minority Health
Investigators: Robert Newton, Jr., Ph.D.
Preventive Medicine
Investigators: Timothy Church, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Neil Johannsen,
Walking Behavior
Investigators: Catrine Tudor-Locke, PhD, FACSM

Stem Cell & Developmental Biology

Developmental Biology
Investigators: Claudia Kappen, Dr. rer. nat., Michael Salbaum, PhD
Epigenetics & Nuclear Reprogramming
Investigators: Kenneth Eilertsen, Ph.D.
Ubiquitin Biology
Investigators: Elizabeth Floyd, Ph.D.