ODS Seminar Series

Variety of dietary supplement tablets and pills

The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) hosts webinars on research relevant to dietary supplements and related topics. The seminar series is available by webinar only. Contact ODS for viewing information: ODS@nih.gov

2023-2024 Seminar Schedule

September 13, 2023, 11 am ET
Updates from the FDA Office of Dietary Supplement Programsexternal link disclaimer
Cara Welch, Ph.D.— Office of Dietary Supplement Programs, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD

October 11, 2023, 11 am ET
Dietary Supplements and Neurological Resilience in Agingexternal link disclaimer
Lukasz Ciesla, Ph.D. — University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

November 8, 2023, 11 am ET
Botanical Use for Health in the Caribbean and Mexican Diasporasexternal link disclaimer
Ina Vandebroek, Ph.D. — University of the West Indies Mona, Jamaica

December 13, 2023, 11 am ET
Circadian Rhythms and Time-Restricted Eating in Health and Diseaseexternal link disclaimer
Satchidananda Panda, Ph.D. — Rita and Richard Atkinson Chair, Regulatory Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA

January 10, 2024, 11 am ET
Using Dietary Supplements and On-line Databases to Enable Precision Nutritionexternal link disclaimer
David S. Wishart, Ph.D., FRSC — Faculty of Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

February 28, 2024, 11 am ET
Immune System-Microbiome Interactions and Healthexternal link disclaimer
June L. Round, Ph.D. — University of Utah School of Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Salt Lake City, UT

March 13, 2024, 11 am ET
Dietary Supplements: Interactions with Taste and Smellexternal link disclaimer
Paule V. Joseph, Ph.D. — Chief, Section of Sensory Science and Metabolism, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), NIH

April 10, 2024, 11 am ET
Vitamin D, the Microbiota and Immune Regulation
Margherita T. Cantorna, Ph.D. — Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA

May 22, 2024, 11 am ET
Effects of Soluble Corn Fiber on Bone Metabolism in Children
Cristina Palacios, M.S., Ph.D. — Florida International University, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Miami, FL

June 12, 2024, 4 pm  ET (Please Note Time Change)
Botanical Dietary Supplement Safety
Joanne Barnes, Ph.D. — Deputy Head of School, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Auckland, New Zealand
 



Previous years: 2022-2023 |2021-2022 | 2020-2021 | 2019-2020 | 2018-2019 | 2017-2018 | 2016-2017 | 2015-2016 | 2014-2015 | 2013-20142012-2013 | 2011-2012 | 2010-2011 | 2009-2010 | 2008-2009 | 2007-2008 | 2006-2007 | 2005-2006 | 2004-2005 | 2003-2004 


2022-2023 Seminars

Defining the Public Health Threat of Dietary Supplement Fraudexternal link disclaimer
John W. Spink, Ph.D.—School of Packaging, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI.

Exploring Compound Interactions in Botanical Supplements using NP Analystexternal link disclaimer
Roger G. Linington, Ph.D.—Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada

Patient Nutrition and the Electronic Health Recordexternal link disclaimer
Sandra W. Citty, Ph.D., ARNP-BC, CNE—Department of Family and Community Health Systems, University of Florida College of Nursing and North Florida South Georgia Veterans Health System, Geriatrics Research Education Clinical Center (GRECC), Gainesville, FL.

The Use of Comparative Nutrigenomics to Select Human-relevant Animal Modelsexternal link disclaimer
Harry Dawson, Ph.D.—Research Chemist, Nutritionist; Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory; Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements for the Prevention of Child Malnutritionexternal link disclaimer
Kathryn Dewey, Ph.D.—Distinguished Professor Emerita, Department of Nutrition, Institute for Global Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA.

Aging – Immunology - DO-HEALTHexternal link disclaimer
Heike Bischoff-Ferrari, Prof. Dr. med., Dr. PH—University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Diet and the Microbiome: An Ecological and Evolutionary Biology Perspectiveexternal link disclaimer
Aspen T. Reese, Ph.D.—University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA

Food Politics 2023: Supplements, Diet, Food Systemsexternal link disclaimer
Marion Nestle, Ph.D.—New York University, New York, NY 

Anemia: Report Developed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Advancing Nutrition Anemia Task Forceexternal link disclaimer
USAID Advancing Nutrition Anemia Task Force, Washington, DC
Omar Dary, Ph.D.—United States Agency for International Development, Washington, DC
Dan Raiten, Ph.D.—National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD
Gary Brittenham, M.D.—Columbia University, New York, NY
Parmi  Suchdev, M.D., M.P.H.—Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Cornelia Loechl, Ph.D.—International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
Lindy Fenlason, M.D., M.P.H.—United States Agency for International Development, Washington, DC

NOTE: This seminar was postponed. Date to be announced later.  
Dietary Supplements: Interactions with Taste and Smell
Paule V. Joseph, Ph.D.— National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD

2021-2022 Seminars

Immune-Boosting Noise: Supplements and Misinformation in Pop Culture
Timothy Caulfield, LLM, FRSC, FCAHS — Health Law Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada

Getting the Whole Picture – New Methods for Capturing Food, Beverage, and Supplements Intake
Carol J. Boushey, Ph.D., M.P.H., RD — University of Hawai’i Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI

A Guide to Designing Studies of Diet-Microbiome Interactions
Abigail Johnson, Ph.D., RDN — Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN

Supplement Use Among Hispanics/Latinx Living in the United States: Evidence from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) and other cohort studies
Anna Maria Siega-Riz, Ph.D. — University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Amherst, MA
Kim Faurot, PA, Ph.D., M.P.H. — University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine and Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC

Nuisance Compound Behaviors in Biological Assays with Natural Products and Dietary Supplements
Jayme L. Dahlin, M.D., Ph.D., FASCP — National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Preclinical Evaluation of Interactions Between Dietary Botanicals and Drugs
Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D. — Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Center for the Study of Human Health, and Curator of the Herbarium, Atlanta, GA

Communicating Complex Information about Benefits and Harms – Literacy, Numeracy, and Dietary Supplements
Steven Woloshin, M.D., M.S. — Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, NH

Slowing Down Fibrosis in the Aging Heart – Anti-Inflammatory Approaches with Supplements and Other Compounds
Mark Entman, M.D., Katarzyna A. Cieslik, Ph.D., George E. Taffet, M.D. — Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

2020-2021 Seminars

Frailty and Protein Supplementation
Shalender Bhasin, M.D. — Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

Causality Assessment for Liver Injury Associated with Dietary Supplement Use
Paul (Skip) Hayashi, M.D. — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD

Dietary Fiber, Gut Microbiome Ecology, and Causality
Jens Walter, Ph.D. — Department of Medicine, University College, Cork, Ireland

Laboratory Quality Assurance Challenges for Nutrition-related Diet and Clinical Measurements
Christine Pfeiffer, Ph.D. — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA

Curcumin Effects on Behavioral Resilience
Nesha Burghardt, Ph.D. — Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY

Vitamin D and Chronic Disease
Anastassios Pittas, M.D. — Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA

Uric Acid Metabolism and Purines in Diet and Dietary Supplements
Stephen P. Juraschek, M.D., Ph.D. — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA

Plant Flavonoids and Human Health
Guido F. Pauli, Ph.D. — University of Illinois, Chicago, IL

Gut Microbiome and Personalized Nutrition
Purna Kashyap, M.B.B.S. — Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Rochester, MN

Dietary Supplement Use by Breast Cancer Patients
Christine Ambrosone, Ph.D. — University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

2019-2020 Seminars

Evaluating Botanical Dietary Supplement Safety: Lessons Learned and Future Directions
Nigel Walker, Ph.D. — National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), NIH, Durham, NC

Gene-Diet Interactions in Fatty Acid Metabolism and the Potential for Individualized Dietary Recommendations
Floyd (Ski) Chilton, Ph.D. — University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Coffee Compounds Protect Synergistically in Neurodegenerative Disease Models
M. Maral Mouradian, M.D. — Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

Point-of-Need Assays for Measuring Micronutrient Concentrations in Biological Samples
Saurabh Mehta, M.B.B.S., M.S., Sc.D. — Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Ascorbic Acid Physiology and Pharmacokinetics: Pathways to Prevention of Diabetic Microvascular Disease
Mark Levine, M.D. — Molecular and Clinical Nutrition, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Beta-Glucan Degradation Shapes the Structure and Function of Gut Microbiota and Impacts Host Health
Chenthamarakshan Vasu, Ph.D. — Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

Overlooked and Underappreciated: Oft-Neglected Aspects of Clinical Botanical Supplement Studies
Bill Gurley, Ph.D. — University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS

Conflicting and Controversial Health Information in the Media: Content, Exposure, and Effects
Rebekah Nagler, Ph.D. — University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

2018-2019 Seminars

Choline: Exploring the Growing Science on its Benefits for Moms and Babies During the First 1,000 Days
Marie Caudill, Ph.D., R.D. — Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow and Professor, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Defining Natural Product Similarity Using Bioactivity and Chemistry
Cynthia V. Rider, Ph.D. — National Toxicology Program, NIEHS, NIH, Durham, NC

Horse Models of Vitamin E Nutrition
Carrie Finno, D.V.M., Ph.D. — Director, Center for Equine Health, University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA

Pleiotropic Effects of Dietary Phosphorus
Orlando Gutierrez, M.D., M.M.Sc. — Hilda B. Anderson Endowed Chair in Nephrology, Associate Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

Food Fortification with Folic Acid—Good or Bad?
James Mills, M.D., M.S. — Senior Investigator, Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, NICHD, NIH,  Bethesda, MD

Current Directions in Nutrition Research: Potassium
Connie M. Weaver, Ph.D., R.D. — Professor, Department of Nutrition, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

VITAL Trial Results
JoAnn Manson, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H. — Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; and Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

Testing the Effects of Botanicals on Healthspan
Mahtab Jafari, Ph.D. — Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Vice Chair, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA

Future of Nutrition Research
Dennis M. Bier, M.D. — USDA/ARS, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

2017-2018 Seminars

Improving Laboratory Animal Diets to Increase Relevance to Human Populations
Korry Hintze, Ph.D. — Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT

Approaches for Identification of Metabolic and Nutritional Vulnerabilities in One-Carbon Metabolism
Patrick J. Stover, Ph.D. — The Janet and Gordon Lankton Professor of Nutrition, Director, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Vitamin D Status and Requirements, with Particular Focus on Special Populations
Kevin Cashman, B.Sc., Ph.D., R.Ph.Nutr. — Professor, Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College, Cork, Ireland

Deciphering Interactions Between Diet and Dietary Supplements, Gut Microbes, and Host Physiology
Jeremiah J. Faith, Ph.D. — Assistant Professor, Immunology Institute, Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY

Phytochemicals and Cardiovascular Disease
Naomi M. Hamburg, M.D. — Associate Professor, Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA

Biomarkers of Diet and Dietary Supplements in Cancer Research: Empty Promises or Forward Scientific Progress?
Marian Neuhouser, Ph.D., R.D. — Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA

Mechanisms Linking Dietary Methionine Restriction to its Metabolic Effects
Thomas W. Gettys, Ph.D. — Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

Crafting Evidence-based Guidance – What Goes into the Mix?
Alice H. Lichtenstein, D.Sc. — Gershoff Professor of Nutrition Science and Policy, Director and Senior Scientist, Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory, Tufts University, Boston, MA

Lutein and Zeaxanthin and Eye Health Throughout the Lifespan: Is it Time for Dietary Guidelines?
Julie A. Mares, Ph.D. — Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

2016-2017 Seminars

Cancer-Related Challenges and Issues Affecting Diet and Nutrition in Breast Cancer
Cheryl L. Rock, Ph.D., R.D. — Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, CA

Desirable Concentrations and Requirements of Vitamin D in Children: Current Concepts
Kumaravel Rajakumar, M.D., M.S. — Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Challenges of Assessing Multiple Dietary Supplements in Heterogeneous Mitochondrial Diseases
Michio Hirano, M.D. — Chief, Neuromuscular Division; Co-Director, Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) Muscular Dystrophy Association Clinic; Director, H. Houston Merritt Center for Muscular Dystrophy and Related Diseases
John L. P. (Seamus) Thompson, Ph.D. — Departments of Biostatistics and Neurology, CUMC, NewYork, NY

The USDA’s National Agricultural Library and Its Human Nutrition Information Resources: An Overview and Exploration of Future Directions
Paul Wester, M.L.S. — Director, National Agricultural Library, USDA

The Opposing Roles of Plant- vs. Animal-Derived Sphingolipids in Inflammation, Colitis, and Colon Carcinogenesis
Julie Saba, Ph.D. — John and Edna Beck Chair in Pediatric Cancer Research, Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland; Associate Adjunct Professor in Pediatrics, UCSF, Oakland, CA

The Chronobiology of Dietary Supplements
Michael H. Smolensky, Ph.D. — Professor, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health and University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX

Chemical Discovery in Natural Products and Dietary Supplements
Susan J. Murch, Ph.D. — Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

The Impact of Interpersonal Gut Microbiota and Dietary Variation on Health
Jeremiah Faith, Ph.D. — Assistant Professor, Immunology Institute, Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY

2015-2016 Seminars

Natural Tocopherol Mixtures and Health Benefits
Nanjoo Suh, Ph.D. — Professor, Department of Chemical Biology, Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers, NJ

Evaluation of the Effects of Drugs and Dietary Supplements in Human Cell and Simple Animal Models of Mitochondrial Disease
Marni J. Falk, M.D. — Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Human Genetics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Green Tea and Breast Cancer Prevention: Benefits in Light of Adverse Events
Mindy S. Kurzer, Ph.D. — Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN

What Doesn’t Kill You… Why Some Plant ‘Toxins’ May Bolster Brain Health
Mark P. Mattson, Ph.D. — Chief, Laboratory of Neurosciences, Chief, Cellular and Molecular Neurosciences Section, Laboratory of Neurosciences, NIA, Baltimore, MD

Sichuan Pepper, a Rich Source of Bioactive Compounds
John A. Beutler, Ph.D. — Head, Chemical Diversity Development Section, Molecular Targets Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD

Iodine Supplementation in Mexico: An Overall Success Story, but with Some Caveats
Homero Martínez, Ph.D. — Adjunct Research Staff, Rand Corporation, Santa Monica, CA

Screening for Iron Deficiency Anemia and Iron Supplementation for Pregnant Women and Infants: Issues and Research Gaps
Kathryn G. (Kay) Dewey, Ph.D. — Distinguished Professor, Department of Nutrition, Director, Program in International and Community Nutrition, University of California, Davis

Metabolic Actions of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Michael Miller, M.D., FACC, FAHA — Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Staff Physician, Baltimore VAMC, Director, Center for Preventive Cardiology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD

Nutrition, Inflammation, Immunity, and Health-Span
Simin Nikbin Meydani, D.V.M., Ph.D. — Director, JM USDA-HNRCA at Tufts University, Professor of Nutrition and Immunology, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and Sackler Graduate School at Tufts University, Boston, MA

2014-2015 Seminars

Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Perinatal Health
Maria Makrides, Ph.D., FAA, FAHMS — South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Professor, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA
Robert Gibson, Ph.D. — South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Professor, Functional Food Science, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA

Does Supplementing Children with Hypervitaminosis A at the Vitamin A RDA for 4 Months Cause Bone Metabolism Imbalance?
Sherry Tanumhardjo, Ph.D. — Professor of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin- Madison, Madison, WI

Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation in Young and Old, Caucasian and African American Women
J. Christopher Gallagher, M.D. — Adjunct Professor, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE

Why an Apple a Day Does Keep the Doctor Away
Ilya Raskin, Ph.D. — Distinguished Professor, Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

Nutrigenetics of the Nutrient Choline
Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D. — Professor, Department of Nutrition, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Probing the Effects of Vitamin B6 Deficiency and Supplementation Using Stable Isotopes and Metabolomics
Jesse F. Gregory, Ph.D. — Professor, Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Florida- Gainesville, Gainesville, FL

Leveraging the Food Matrix to Deliver Bioactive Phytochemical Metabolites to Target Tissues
Mario Ferruzzi, Ph.D. — Professor, Department of Food Science, Purdue University, Lafayette, IN

B12, Bugs and Bioavailability
Ralph Green, M.D., Ph.D., FRCpath — Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California- Davis, Sacramento, CA

2013-2014 Seminars

Barriers to Dietary Chemoprevention: the N-3 PUFA Story
Robert Chapkin, Ph.D. — Professor of Nutrition, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

Iodine Supplementation of Pregnant Women in New Zealand: a Necessary Evil?
Sheila Skeaff, Ph.D. — Senior Lecturer, Department of Human Nutrition, President, Nutrition Society of New Zealand, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

Lutein, From the Eye to the Brain
Elizabeth Johnson, Ph.D. — Scientist, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA), Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA

B Vitamins, Homocysteine and Trajectories of Cognitive Change in Older Adults
Joshua Miller, Ph.D. — Professor and Department Chair, Department of Nutritional Sciences Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Brunswick, NJ

The Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Recall (ASA-24): Current Status, New Features and Evaluation Results
Amy Subar, Ph.D. — Research Nutritionist, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Unraveling Synergistic Biological Activities of Botanical Medicines
Nadja Cech, Ph.D. — Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UNC-Greensboro, Greensboro, NC

Cruciferous Vegetables, Epigenetics and Prostate Cancer Prevention
Emily Ho, Ph.D. — Associate Professor, Nutrition and Exercise Science, Principal Investigator, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

Trimethylamine Nutrients, Gut Microbes, and Cardiovascular Disease
Stanley Hazen, M.D., Ph.D. — Chair Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Vice Chair, Translation Research, Lerner Research Institute, Director, Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH

2012-2013 Seminars

Quality Control and Dietary Supplements: A Survey of Commercial Grape Seed Derived Products
James Simon, Ph.D. — Professor and Director, New Use Agriculture and Natural Plant Products Program, Rutgers University, Rugers, NJ

Mouse Models for Biomarker Discovery and Mechanism Elucidation of Folate-responsive Neural Tube Defects and Intestinal Cancer
Patrick Stover, Ph.D. — Professor & Division Director, Division of Nutrition, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Identification of Anti-Inflammatory Constituents in Species of Echinacea and Hypericum
Diane Birt, Ph.D. — Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Zinc, an Essential but Elusive Nutrient
Janet King, Ph.D. — Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Nutrition & Metabolism Center, Oakland, CA

Evaluating Benefits and Risks of Dietary Supplements with Rare Isotope of Calcium
Connie M. Weaver, Ph.D. — Distinguished Professor and Department Head, Director, Women’s Global Health Institute, Purdue University, Lafayette, IN

Vitamin D, the Microbiome and Immune Mediated Diseases
Margherita Cantorna, Ph.D. — Professor, Molecular Immunology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA

Why Don't We Believe That n-3 PUFA Can Reduce Colon Cancer Risk?
Robert Chapkin, Ph.D. — Professor of Nutrition, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 

Glycomacropeptide Provides a “Whey” Forward for Phenylketonuria
Denise Ney, Ph.D. — Professor of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison,WI

Targeting Cancer Stem cells: Are Natural Products Just Smarter?
Shrikant Anant, Ph.D. — Director Cancer Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS

2011-2012 Seminars

Insights on the Effect of Diet and Supplements on Vision
Stephen Barnes, Ph.D. — Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Chemistry, Co-director, Bio-Analytical Redox Biology Core, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

The Impact of FADS Genetic Variants on ω-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Metabolism in African Americans
Floyd Chilton, Ph.D. — Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC

Americans Do Not Meet Federal Dietary Recommendations
Susan M. Krebs-Smith, Ph.D. — Chief, Risk Factor Monitoring and Methods Branch, NCI, NIH, Behthesda, MD

Are Pregnant Women an At-Risk Group for Vitamin D Deficiency? An Evidence-Based Assessment
Patsy M. Brannon, Ph.D., R.D. — Professor, Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Vitamin A Status: Indicators and Thresholds
Catharine Ross, Ph.D. — Editor, Journal of Nutrition, Professor, Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Ergogenic Aids in Sports
Stella L. Volpe, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.N. — Chair, Department of Nutrition Sciences, Drexel University – College of Nursing and Health Professions, Philadelphia, PA

The Impact of Rare Genetic Variation in SLC30A8 and Zinc Intake on Diabetes Incidence
Jose C. Florez, M.D., Ph.D. — Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Center for Human Genetic Research Diabetes Unit, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA

Impact of Maternal Nutrition on Tumorigenesis in Offspring
Jimmy W. Crott. Ph.D. — Scientist, Jean Mayer USDA HNRCA, Assistant Professor, School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston MA

2010-2011 Seminars

The Influence of Host Nutrition on Viral Evolution and the Response to Infection
Melinda A. Beck, Ph.D. — Professor and Associate Chair,,Director, Division of Nutritional Biochemistry, Department of Nutrition, UNC School of Medicine and School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC

Preventing Micronutrient Deficiencies Early in Life: Lessons in Supplement Trials in South Asia
Keith West Jr., Dr.P.H., M.P.H. — Professor, George G. Graham Professor of Infant and Child Nutrition, Director, Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

Measurement and Interpretation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D
Karen W. Phinney, Ph.D. — Research Chemist, Analytical Chemistry Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Soy: Panacea or Poison?”
Mindy S. Kurzer, Ph.D. — Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN

Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Small Molecules: Manipulating Host Biology Via the Intestinal Microbiota
Justin Sonnenburg, Ph.D. — Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA

Vitamin E Bioavailability
Maret Traber, Ph.D. — Professor, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

2009-2010 Seminars

Antioxidants and Immune Response: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Implications
Simin N. Meydani, D.V.M., Ph.D. — Professor of Nutrition and Immunology, Friendman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University Boston, MA

Micronutrients for the Prevention of Cancer: A Success Story
Phillip R. Taylor, M.D., Sc.D. — Senior Investigator, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD

The Influence of Host Nutrition on Viral Evolution and the Response to Infection
Melinda Beck, Ph.D. — Professor, Department of Nutrition, Gilling School of Global Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Caffeine and Health: The role of individual genetic variation
Ahmed El-Sohemy, Ph.D. — Associate Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, CA

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Inflammatory Immune Response
Kevin Fritsche, Ph.D. — Professor, Animal Sciences, Nutrition, and Immunology. Program Leader, Food-for-the-21st Century Nutrition Cluster University of Missouri, Columbia, MO

Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with a Chinese Herb (Tripterygium wilfordii)
Raphaela T. Goldbach-Mansky, M.D., M.H.S. — Clinical Investigator, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Folate bioavailability: Implications for establishing dietary recommendations and optimizing status
Marie Caudill, Ph.D. — Associate Professor, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Vitamin C: Working on the Axes
Mark Levine, M.D. — Chief, Molecular and Clinical Nutrition Section, Senior Staff Physician, NIDDK, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Macronutrient Composition of Energy-reduced Diets: Effects on Weight and CVD Risk Factors
Gary D. Foster, Ph.D. — Professor, Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

2008-2009 Seminars

Vitamin D and Beyond: Lessons from the International Space Station and other remote environments
Scott M. Smith, Ph.D. — Nutritionist, Manager for Nutritional Biochemistry, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

Unique Equol Metabolites of Soy Isoflavones--Biological Properties Physiological Behavior and Clinical Significance
Kenneth D. Setchell, Ph.D. — Professor of Pediatrics, Clinical Mass Spectrometry, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

Vitamin D Status of Infants
Ekhard E. Ziegler, M.D. — Professor of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA

PTH and 25(OH) Vitamin D: The Search for an Inflection Point
Christopher T. Sempos, Ph.D. — Nutritional Epidemiologist, ODS, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Efficacy, Effectiveness and Economics
John B. Wong, M.D. — Professor of Medicine and Chief, Division of Clinical Decision Making, Informatics, and Telemedicine, New England Medical Center, Tufts University, Boston, MA

Metabolic and Genetic Control of Folate Metabolism: Can We Handle High Intakes of Folic Acid
Barry Shane, Ph.D. — Professor and Nutritionist, Agricultural Experiment Station, University of California, Berkeley, CA

Health and Healing from the Mediterranean Tradition
Alain Touwaide, Ph.D. — Historian of Sciences, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC

Folate and Reproduction: New Insights beyond Neural Tube Defects
Tsunenobu Tamura, M.D. — Professor, Department of Nutrition Sciences, Division of Nutritional Biochemistry and Genomics, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL

Effects of Flavanols on Insulin Resistance and Endothelial Dysfunction: It’s Tea Time
Ranganath Muniyappa, M.D., Ph.D. — Staff Clinician, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, Division of Intramural Research, NCCAM, NIH, Bethesda, MD

2007-2008 Seminars

SCOOP: A Randomized Clinical Trial of the Effects of Calcium Supplementation on Body Weight and Adiposity in Overweight and Obese Adults
Jack A. Yanovski, M.D., Ph.D. — Head, Unit on Growth and Obesity, DEB, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD

The Schizophrenic Vitamin: Does Folate Prevent or Promote Colorectal Cancer?
Joel B. Mason, M.D. — Scientist I and Director, Vitamins and Carcinogenesis Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA HNRCA at Tufts University, Boston, MA

Research Strategies for Assessing Usual Intakes of Various Population Subgroups Evaluated in NHANES
Alicia Carriquiry, Ph.D. — Professor of Statistics, Iowa State University, Ames IA

Nutritional Therapies for Age-related Eye Diseases
Emily Y. Chew, M.D. — Deputy Director, Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Research, NEI, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Folic Acid intake and Exacerbation of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Jacob Selhub, Ph.D. — Professor, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Chief of the Vitamin Metabolism Laboratory and Senior Scientist, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, USDA HNRCA  at Tufts University, Boston, MA

Fate and Possible Function of Enantiomeric Soy Isoflavone Metabolites
Kenneth Setchell, Ph.D. — Professor of Pediatrics, Director, Clinical Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH

Folic Acid Supplementation and Optimal Health: Getting the Balance Right
Helene McNulty, Ph.D. — Professor of Human Nutrition & Dietetics, Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences University of Ulster Coleraine, Northern Ireland

Controversies and Solutions in Epidemiologic Studies of Diet and Cancer: What is Diet and how do we Measure It?
Susan Mayne, Ph.D. — Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

2006-2007 Seminars

Cardiovascular and Developmental Effects of Citrus Aurantium: Preliminary Observations
Deborah Hansen, Ph.D. — Research Biologist, Division of Genetic and Reproductive Toxicology, FDA National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, AR

Cocoa Flavonols: a Case Study of Translational Research
Catherine Woteki, Ph.D. — Global Director of Scientific Affairs for Mars Incorporated, McLean, VA

Folate and Human Reproduction
Tsunenobu Tamura, M.D. — Professor of Nutrition Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

Setting Nutritional Requirements for Vitamin A and Carotenes- What We Know and What We Don’t Know
Robert Russell, M.D. — Senior Scientist and Director, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Professor of Medicine and Nutrition, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA

Vitamin D: Background and Current Analytical Methods
W. Craig Byrdwell, Ph.D. — Research Chemist, Food Composition Laboratory, ARS, USDA, Beltsville, MD

Monitoring Lean Body Mass by Dual Energy Absorptiometer
Joseph J. Kehayias, Ph.D. — Director, Body Composition Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA HNRCA, Tufts University, Boston, MA

Circadian Uses of Melatonin in Human
Alfred J. Lewy, M.D., Ph.D. — Director, Sleep and Mood Disorders Laboratory, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR

Pre and Pro-biotics: Rationale for Regular Consumption
Kelly Tappenden, Ph.D., R.D. — Associate Professor of Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Physiology, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL

Study Designs to Enhance Identification of Genetic Factors Related to Complex Diseases"
Teri Manolio, M.D., Ph.D. — Senior Advisor to the Director for Population Genomics. NHGRI, NIH, Bethesda, MD

2005-2006 Seminars

Botanical Drugs as of 2005: The View from OCRA
Josh Berman, M.D., Ph.D. — Director, Office of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs (OCRA)/NCCAM, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Behavioral and Psychosocial Determinants of Childhood Obesity
Leann L. Birch, Ph.D. — Distinguished Professor of Human Development & Director of the Center for Childhood Obesity Research, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA

What’s in a Claim? Label Claims and Health Messages Consumers Find Compelling
Susan Borra, R.D. — Executive Vice President, International Food Information Council and IFIC Foundation, Washington, DC

The Effects of 3 Sources of Garlic on Plasma Lipids
Christopher D. Gardner, Ph.D. — Assistant Professor of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA

Bioactive Components of Cranberries and Research to Support Their Potential Health Benefits
Marge Leahy, Ph.D. — Senior Manager, Health & Nutrition, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., Lakeville, MA

Folate and Carcinogenesis: The Double-Edge Sword
Young-In J. Kim, M.D., FRCP(C) — Associate Professor, Departments of Medicine & Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Canada, Staff Gastroenterologist, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto

Research Issues and Strategies in the Study of Diet and Chronic Disease
Ross Prentice, Ph.D. — Member, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, Professor of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Overview of Joint FAO/WHO Workshop on a Model for Establishing Upper Levels of Intake for Nutrient Substances
Christine Taylor, Ph.D. — Former Director of the Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements in FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition on assignment at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Soy and Breast Cancer: A Balance of Risks and Benefits
William G. Helferich, Ph.D. — Professor of Nutrition, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL

Attaining Cross-Culture Comparability: Questionnaire Design for the Hispanic Health Study
Fran Thompson, MPH, Ph.D. — Epidemiologist, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD
Gordon Willis, Ph.D. — Cognitive Psychologist, Applied Research Program,  Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences; NCI, NIH;  Adjunct Investigator, Clinical Genetics Branch, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD

2004-2005 Seminars

Overview of the Research Program, Endocrine Section, LCI, NCCAM
Marc Blackman, M.D. — Chief, Endocrine Section, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation Division of Intramural Research, NCCAM, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Planning of his ODS co-funded project in Ethiopia looking at the effect of zinc on brain function
Michael Hambidge, M.D., Sc.D. — Professor Emeritus, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Nutrition, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO

The Nutrient Displacement Debate: Choice of Model Determines Results
Richard Forshee, Ph.D. — Research Assistant Professor, Center for Food and Nutrition Policy, Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

Prenatal Zinc Supplementation, Fetal Growth and Neurodevelopment in Early Childhood
Tsunenobu Tamura, M.D. — Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Visiting Scientist from the University of Alabama Birmingham, ODS, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Flavonoid Analysis: The Bitter and the Sweet
James Harnly, Ph.D. — Research Leader, Food Composition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center,  ARS, USDA, Beltsville, MD

Vitamin B-12, Folate and Cognitive Performance
Irvin H. Rosenberg, M.D. — Senior Scientist and Director, Nutrition and Neurocognition Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA HNRCA at Tufts University, Boston, MA

The Antioxidant Paradox: Implications for use of Dietary Supplements
Barry Halliwell, Ph.D. — Director, Graduate School of Integrative Science and Engineering, The National University of Singapore

2003-2004 Seminars

Calcium Intake and Body Weight: The SCOOP Study
Shamik Parikh, M.D. — Clinical Endocrinology Fellow, ODS Research Fellow, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Tight Control of Vitamin C Concentrations in Humans: Implications for Vitamin C Absorption, Diabetes and Obesity, and Cancer Treatment: Part 1
Mark A. Levine, M.D. — Chief, Molecular & Clinical Nutrition Section, Digestive Diseases Branch, NIDDK, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Tight Control of Vitamin C Concentrations in Humans: Implications for Vitamin C Absorption, Diabetes and Obesity, and Cancer Treatment: Part 2
Arie Katz, M.D. — Clinical Fellow, Molecular and Clinical Nutrition Section, ODS Research Fellow, NIDDK, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Natural Product Bioactivities: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Keith Singletary, Ph.D. — Professor, Foods & Nutrition, Director, Functional Foods for Health, College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL

Vitamin E and Respiratory Infection Among the Elderly
Simin Meydani, D.V.M., Ph.D. — Professor of Nutrition and Immunology, Jean Mayer USDA HNRCA at Tufts University, Tufts School of Nutrition, Boston, MA

Effects of Dietary Supplements to Modulate the Metabolic and Vascular Actions of Insulin
Michael Quon, M.D. Ph.D. — Chief, Diabetes Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, NCCAM, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Obesity
Michael McIntosh, Ph.D. — Professor, Department of Nutrition, UNC-Greensboro, Greensboro, NC

Measurement Errors Associated with Reported Use of Dietary supplements
Suzanne Murphy, Ph.D., R.D. — Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI

Chemoinformatics - a Chemist's Role in Working with High Throughput Screens
John H.Cardellina II, Ph.D. — Senior Investigator, Screening Technologies Branch, Developmental Therapeutics Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Development, NCI - Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Frederick, MD