Research areas
View a list of faculty research publications.
Smiti V. Gupta, Ph.D., associate professor
Research
The interdisciplinary approach to Dr. Smiti Gupta's research encompasses and connects metabolomics to the study of nutrition and disease. Dr. Gupta's lab is investigating the effect of bioactive dietary agents (garcinol, curcumin, tocotrienols, oil palm phenolics) in the potential prevention and/or treatment of disease progression (cancer – lung, pancreatic; cardiovascular disease).
Metabolomics, coupled with the strength of multivariate analysis, has been inculcated into my research matrix to evaluate the efficacy of these bioactive compounds in disease prevention. In addition, it serves as a sophisticated tool for the development of potential non-invasive, early risk biomarkers of disease or its progression.
Ahmad R. Heydari, Ph.D., Professor and Interim Chair
Research
Our research focuses on understanding the effect of nutrition intervention (i.e., caloric restriction, folate deficiency) on the molecular mechanisms of aging and cancer. We hope to accomplish this by investigating DNA damage and DNA repair in mammalian systems (i.e., laboratory rodents) using recombinant DNA technology.
The immediate goal of our research is to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which folate deficiency increases tumorigenicity. Specifically, we are to determine whether genes in DNA base excision repair pathway are involved in susceptibility to cancer of the colon as a result of folate deficiency.
K-L. Catherine Jen, Ph.D., professor
Research
My research is focused on obesity and diabetes. More specifically, we study the effects of different dietary fats on body weight regulation and metabolism in animals. We are also engaged in research projects investigating the diet patterns in minority population in metro Detroit area.
Pramod Khosla, Ph.D., associate professor
Research
Our research focus is on how different dietary constituents (e.g. fatty acids) interact with each other to modulate key parameters related to plasma lipoprotein metabolism. We have found that in vivo, specific dietary fatty acids raise plasma HDL levels, while maintaining low levels of LDL. In order to understand the underlying mechanism, studies are underway both in vitro and in vivo to identify cellular targets (i.e. enzymes and receptors) and how these are affected by the fatty acids in question.