Katie A Meyer, ScD, MPH, Promoted to Associate Professor of Nutrition

March 18, 2026

Epidemiologist advancing microbiome science and precision nutrition at UNC Nutrition Research Institute

The UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) announces the promotion of Katie A. Meyer, ScD, MPH, to Associate Professor of Nutrition, effective February 1, 2026. Meyer holds a dual appointment at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and the NRI.

Meyer is a nutritional epidemiologist whose research examines how diet, the gut microbiome, and host biology interact to influence cardiometabolic health. By integrating large population studies with molecular and microbiome data, her work helps explain why individuals respond differently to the same diet— a central question in precision nutrition.

A key focus of her research is the gut microbiome and its role in metabolism. She studies how diet shapes microbial composition and function, and how microbial byproducts and lipid metabolites contribute to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity risk. Her findings help translate complex biological data into evidence that can inform more targeted prevention strategies.

“Understanding how consuming the same diet may impact individuals differently to influence cardiometabolic risk is one of the most promising areas in nutrition science,” said Meyer. “My goal is to generate evidence that can help target and refine prevention strategies to improve long-term health outcomes.”

“Dr. Meyer’s promotion recognizes both the rigor of her science and the impact of her contributions to the field,” said Deborah F. Tate, PhD, Interim Director of the UNC Nutrition Research Institute. “Her work exemplifies how population research and molecular insight come together to advance precision nutrition.”

Meyer joined UNC Chapel Hill in 2012 after earning her Doctor of Science in Epidemiology from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, her Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota, and her Bachelor of Arts from Macalester College.

Her promotion reflects sustained excellence in research, mentorship, and leadership in advancing translational precision nutrition at UNC.

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