Dr. Baah is from Ghana where he practiced medicine before migrating to the United States. He says, "My passion to go into medicine stems from the experiences I had growing up in a small town of about a thousand people with limited access to healthcare. I developed the passion to go into research because I believe it is the driving force to the future of medicine." He will graduate from UNC-Charlotte with a Master's in Epidemiology in the spring of 2020. His areas of interest include genetic epidemiology, nutrigenomics, and nutrigenetics. He currently works with Dr. Martin Kohlmeier to strengthen training programs in precision nutrition, particularly for physicians.

Keri Barron joined the NRI in August 2014 as a doctoral student in the Nutrition department at UNC Chapel Hill. She completed her undergraduate and masters programs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. She graduated in May 2014 with her BS and MS in Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism. Her research interests include the genetic variation in risk for cardiovascular disease and underlying mechanisms.

Tondra Blevins is the Institute's medical laboratory and clinical services technician. She works with research subjects for the NRI's human research studies and clinical trials. Tondra also serves as the Institute’s phlebotomist. Tondra has more than 20 years of medical laboratory experience and has been employed by the Nutrition Research Institute since 2009.

Grant Canipe is a native of Concord.  He started at UNC with Dr. Cheatham in August of 2013.  In the past, Grant has focused on dopamine signaling along various pathways using nutritional and exercise interventions.  He hopes to continue expanding his knowledge in areas of development, particularly brain aging, using nutritional interventions.  As a graduate of Appalachian State University in May 2013, Grant will always call the Blue Ridge Mountains his second home.  He loves the outdoors!  You are likely to find Grant hiking, mountain biking, playing tennis, or riding his motorcycle.

Mr. Chandler graduated with a B.S. in Human Biology from North Carolina State University in May 2019. He joined the Sumner Lab as a Research Technician in September 2019. He hopes to learn more about the importance of metabolomics and it's applications for human health and wellness during his time at the NRI.

Malick's career experience in program administration began in 1995 with managing research projects for Fulbright Fellows, academics, and others working in his home country of Senegal.  He comes to us with more than 18 years of experience in the following areas: extensive experience in grants administration, particularly US government grants, and has worked on various projects at the Children’s Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Institute for Community Inclusion, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Center for Neurologic Diseases, Northeastern University’s Graduate School of Engineering and the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health,  (to name but a few).

"The sum of my background and experience has prepared me for the Research Business Manager and I am confident that I will contribute to the very important work of NRI."

George Flentke received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where his dissertation focused on the structure and catalytic activity of the enzyme UDP-galactose-4-epimerase,  which is crucial for galactose metabolism. His postdoctoral research in Biochemistry and Pharmacology at Tufts University / New England Medical School focused on the design of inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase enzymes, which control immune function and HIV infection.  After returning to UW-Madison he continued working with the immunosupressives cyclosporine and rapamycin. He is an experienced enzymologist/protein chemist and synthetic organic chemist. Currently, he manages Dr. Smith’s lab, where he investigates the mechanism by which alcohol alters ribosomal signaling and mTOR activity in alcohol-exposed neural crest.

Walter Friday, a Kannapolis native, recently returned to Cabarrus County to get married. He is a 2010 graduate of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College with an AAS in Biotechnology. He is pleased to be working at the Nutrition Research Institute as a research technician. He enjoys spending time with his wife, reading, and traveling.

Claire Gates received Bachelor's degrees in Biology, with a concentration in cellular physiology, and Chemistry from UNCC in 2019. Her previous research focused on the elucidation and characterization of pathways involved in bacterial glycan synthesis. She is currently serving as a research technician in the Sergey Krupenko group, who are interested in the influence of folate on liver function and carcinogenesis. She hopes to begin her PhD in Biochemistry in 2020.

Julie earned a BS in Health Science from Truman State University and a Masters in Public Health, with a concentration in Health Education and Health Behavior, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a Certified Health Education Specialist, her prior work focused on tobacco prevention and control. At the NRI, Julie works with Philip May, PhD, on dataset management, quality assurance, data analysis, and manuscript preparation on the epidemiology of FASD in the United States and South Africa.

Dixie Hedrick joined the NRI in April 2018 as a research assistant in the May lab. Prior to joining NRI, she worked as a Dietetic Technician for 2 years at Park Ridge Health Hospital in Hendersonville, NC. She earned a BS in Nutrition and Foods, with a focus in Dietetics, from Appalachian State University and a Masters in Public Health, with a concentration in Community Health, from Lenoir-Rhyne University. Dixie is a native of Western North Carolina.

Dr. Hermon joined the NRI in January 2019. She received her PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) & Old Dominion University (ODU) joint PhD program.  She has more than 10 years of experience as a basic research scientist studying diseases and physiological processes that are highly regulated by steroid hormones such as estrogen.  Over the past two years she has served as a volunteer clinical researcher managing and participating in projects that focused on nutrigenetic analyses of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to choline metabolism.  Her research interest is to identify genetic variations (SNPs) in genes related to the metabolism of the nutrient choline with specific focus on estrogen-responsive metabolites and genes.  Overall, her long-term career goal is to become a competitive clinical research scientist faculty member in her hometown St. Thomas US Virgin Islands, focusing on the association of genetic variation, and nutritional requirements and status.

Rick joined the NRI in 2017 as a communication specialist in Development and Outreach. He earned a BS in Criminal Justice Sciences at Illinois State University and was a juvenile probation officer and program developer for three years. He earned his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ and was a full time pastor for 27 years. After retiring, Rick added a degree in Digital Design from the Art Institute of Charlotte in 2014 . He works with Suzanne Dane to interpret the work of the NRI to current and potential donors.

Sarah is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, and is a few classes away from completing a graduate degree at Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health. In Sarah’s spare time, she loves reading, cooking, baking, and spending time outdoors (especially at the Whitewater Center). Sarah loves trivia and once appeared on an episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire!

Scott Jaworski joined the NRI in May 2008, where he serves as the Applications Analyst and IT Consultant. Scott brings years of experience in the University IT field, having worked in the IT Technical Support field both as a student and staff member at UNC Charlotte, where he graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science in 2001.

Kristine Kay, PhD joined the Sumner-Lab as a postdoctoral fellow in 2019.  Her research interests focus on improving human health through characterization of bioactive compounds and structure-function relationships within cellular pathways. Dr. Kay has over 10 years of experience using NMR and Mass Spectrometry for the detection and identification of small molecules, peptides, and proteins. She earned a PhD in inorganic biochemistry in 2017 from The University of East Anglia (UEA, Norwich, UK), where she developed intact protein mass spectrometry and molecular spectroscopy methods to characterize highly conserved copper-binding proteins.  Prior to completing a PhD, Dr. Kay conducted research at the Quadram Institute, UK, where she used mass spectrometry and biomolecular NMR to design peptidomimetic therapeutics for proteins and receptors involved in pathways upregulated in cancer.  Dr. Kay will use her training to conduct metabolomics analysis for the Sumner-Lab.

Cecilia received her PhD in molecular nutrition from Cornell University. Her dissertation project focused on the effect of maternal choline supplementation during mouse pregnancy on placental function and offspring development. While at Cornell University, Cecilia also completed the dietetic internship and is currently certified as a Registered Dietitian. Cecilia joined the NRI in the fall of 2017 to work with Dr. Smith where she will conduct studies examining how maternal nutritional status interacts with alcohol consumption to modulate placental development and offspring health. This understanding will facilitate the development of dietary interventions to improve outcomes in children who are prenatally exposed to alcohol.

Yuanyuan Li, PhD is the manager of the mass spectrometry facility in the Sumner-Lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Nutrition Research Institute (NRI).  Dr. Li oversaw the development of the Sumner-Lab untargeted analysis workflow for the NIEHS-funded Children’s Health Exposure Analysis Resource (CHEAR) program, and serves as the technology core leader for untargeted analysis for the North Carolina Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource Untargeted Analysis Laboratory (NC HHEAR UAL).  She has extensive experience in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and incorporates that knowledge in her research at NRI which focusses on prevention and management of metabolic syndromes, including obesity, diabetes, and their complications, through nutritional approaches and herbal remedies. Dr. Li  earned a BS in 2003 Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China and a PhD in biochemistry from City University of Hong Kong in 2014.

Michael Mackin joined the Nutrition Research Institute in March 2016 as an Accounting Technician.  As a local native, Michael once worked at the Pillowtex plant, before it ceased operations, where the NRI was later built.  He enjoys spending time with his daughter, walking, and watching sports.

Susan McRitchie, MA, MS, is the lead biostatistician in the Sumner-Lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Nutrition Research Institute (NRI). She has over 20 years of experience using statistics and modeling approaches to associate survey data and laboratory measures from basic, clinical, and epidemiology investigations with a wide variety of health outcomes.  She served as the Program Coordinator for the NIH-Common Fund Eastern Regional Comprehensive Metabolomics Core (ERCMRC, 2012-2019), and contributed to working groups on data analysis and visualization, and promotion and outreach. She is currently the Program Coordinator for the North Carolina Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource Untargeted Analysis Laboratory (NC HHEAR UAL) that was established in August 2019.  Ms. McRitchie’s research interest lies in understanding how diet, and nutrients, can mitigate against adverse effects from exposures to drugs, medications, and environmentally relevant chemicals. Ms. McRitchie earned a MA in Mathematics from UCLA and a MS in Biostatistics from UNC Chapel Hill.

Carolyn Munson graduated in 2015 from Rowan Cabarrus Community College with an AAS in biotechnology. She is working as a research technician in the Surzenko Lab at the NRI. Much of her work is directed by Dr. Natalia Surzenko performing immunohistochemistry work.

Kendra received her undergraduate degree in Nutrition from Southern Utah University and worked as a sanitarian prior to attending UNC. She is completing the final stages of her MPH/RD program at UNC-Chapel Hill while working in Dr. Voruganti's lab at NRI. Her prior research focused on the accuracy of consumer fitness trackers and their value as an assessment tool in dietetics practice and future nutrition research.

Evan Paules joined the NRI in August 2016 as a doctoral student in the Nutrition Department. He completed his undergraduate program at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ. He received his BS in 2016 with a double major in Biochemistry and Behavioral Neuroscience. His research interests include folate metabolism with relation to its role within the central nervous system, as well as cellular homeostasis. Evan was a 4-year member of Rider University’s Division 1 swim team.

Betty has served Lettuce Eat Café customers with a positive attitude and a smile since joining the NRI in 2016! She is a career service industry professional. Betty is a North Carolina native, growing up in the eastern part of the state, then raising her family locally. In her spare time, Betty enjoys classic titles from her extensive movie collection, and enjoying time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren!

Brandon received his B.S. in Biology in August of 2018 from the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC.  His undergraduate research focused on investigating long non-coding RNAs in translation and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis.  Before that he was in the US Air Force from January 2007 to January 2016.  Brandon joined the NRI in August 2018 where he currently assists the Smith lab with their research of ethanol and the impacts it has upon fetal neurological growth and development.

Olivia completed her PhD in Biomedical Sciences at Penn State University, where she investigated the role of the micronutrient zinc in mammary gland development and the influence of genetic variation on lactation outcomes. Olivia joined the NRI in July 2019 to focus on nutrient-gene interactions and precision nutrition during development. As a postdoctoral research associate in Dr. Smith’s lab, she will explore epigenetic mechanisms to understand how alcohol disrupts fetal development.

Nipun Saini joined the NRI in the summer of 2017 for her second postdoctoral position and will be working with Dr. Smith on fetal alcohol syndrome. She completed her PhD. in Biochemistry from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where her dissertation was focused on the characterization of inhibitors of fatty acid transport protein-2 in cell and animal models to reduce obesity, lipotoxicity and related diseases. After earning her PhD, she moved to the North Carolina Research Campus as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at North Carolina Central University and worked on understanding the mechanism of microRNA-mediated regulation in metformin treated breast cancer cells.

Alyson received her B.S. in Biology from the College of Charleston in May of 2017.  Shortly after, she began her career as a Research Specialist at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina.  She assisted with research focused on the effect(s) of alcohol exposure on the brain.  After moving to North Carolina, Alyson joined the NRI in February 2019 as a Research Technician and is currently assisting the Mooney Lab with their research of the effect(s) of environment and genes on brain development, with a focus on prenatal alcohol exposure.

Jaspreet Sharma joined the NRI in the summer of 2017 in the S. Krupenko’s Lab to investigate the role of folate-metabolizing enzymes in cancer progression and metastasis. She received her PhD from the Graduate Program in the Department of Gastroenterology, PGIMER, Chandigarh (India). Her graduate studies focused on prevention of colon cancer by dietary supplements. She has received her postdoctoral training in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Colorado, Denver, working on the receptor-mediating signaling in tumorigenesis.

Susie Smith joined the Nutrition Research Institute in March 2016. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Her work experiences include Social Work, Hospice Care, Business and Marketing. She is married with two grown children. In her spare time she enjoys reading, cycling and traveling. She is pleased to be a part of the NRI.

Valentina Talevi received her M.S. in Bioinformatics at UNC Charlotte. She is working as a research technician in the Vorugati Lab. Her previous research focused on the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms that potentially could increase the susceptibility of oral diseases in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. She enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors.

Melissa VerHague earned her PhD in molecular pathology from Wake Forest University. Her dissertation investigated the impact of apolipoprotein A-IV on triglyceride secretion and lipoprotein particle expansion associated with hepatic steatosis. A native of Buffalo, NY, she joined the NRI as a postdoctoral research associate in September of 2014. Her primary research focus is understanding the role of CD44 in atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome.

Katie joined the NRI in August of 2019. She is a nutritional immunologist and received her PhD in Animal Science from North Carolina State University. Her dissertation focused on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation as a means to dampen immunosuppressive effects of respiratory pathogens. She is now investigating impacts of fetal alcohol syndrome on Alzheimer-related pathologies and behavioral impairments.