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.

Abby graduated from Gray Stone Day School in May 2019. She will be a lab assistant intern for a year in the Hursting Lab before deciding about the direction of her college studies. She is interested in dietetics and nutrition interventions in wellness.

Sierra Bonney worked as a graduate research assistant in Dr. Esposito’s lab at the Plants for Human Health Institute from 2016 to 2019. She received her MS in Animal Science from NCSU where her research focused on the role of plant bioactives in wound healing, inflammation, and muscle health. After graduation, she joined the NRI in December 2019 as the Clinical Research Coordinator for the Human Research Core. In her free time, she enjoys horseback riding on her family’s farm in New London, baking, and running with the NCRC running club.

Walden joined the NRI in September 2015, in the role of Technology Support Technician. He has a passion for all things technology related, and enjoys tinkering and learning about new tech. He comes to the NRI after serving T-Mobile, AT&T, and CompUSA. He is excited to bring that knowledge and passion, as well as a strong desire to help people, to the NRI. Walden is currently attending UNC-Charlotte, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Software, Systems, and Networks.

Ryan Dayvault joined the NRI in May 2008, where he serves as the Assistant to the Deputy Director and Special Projects Coordinator. A native of Kannapolis and 2008 graduate of Catawba College, Ryan holds a B.A. in Political Science with an emphasis in public administration and a minor in business administration. An avid supporter of the efforts at the North Carolina Research Campus, Ryan has served in various capacities throughout the development of this project while in college and maintaining his residency in Kannapolis.

Rodney was born and raised in Kannapolis, and he and his family now live in Concord. Before retiring, Rodney worked as a corporate traffic director for a national display company, and production manager for a technology company that specialized in control panels and vision systems. In addition to helping NRI in the café, he also works as a real estate photographer. Rodney is excited to be a part of the team at the Lettuce Eat Café. His hobbies include photography, softball, basketball, and traveling. He’s a huge Tar Heel, Panthers, and Braves fan as well!

Mr. Freeman joined the Nutrition Research Institute as a Lab Technician in the Sumner Lab in October 2019. He is learning the foundations of, and expanding his knowledge of, metabolomics research and how it is applied in fields today. He works closely with Dr. Stewart where he is learning mechanisms of certain cancers and how nutrition can impact chemotherapeutic drug metabolism.

Denzel graduated from UNC Charlotte in December 2016, with a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems. In Denzel’s spare time, he enjoys exploring the city with friends, trying new places to eat, going to the movies, reading, and he is also a member of a car club!

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.

Melissa Shaffer joined the Nutrition Research Institute in January of 2020 as a research assistant in Dr. Cheatham’s Nutrition and Cognition Lab.  In 2015 she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee. Melissa has a professional background working directly with underserved populations with addictions in the city of Philadelphia, but she is grateful and excited for the opportunity to begin a career in research. Melissa is passionate about how the research being conducted in the Cheatham Lab positively impacts both the immediate community surrounding it, as well as its potential to impact the global community.  Melissa hails from New Jersey, but she is enjoying discovering all the charms North Carolina has to offer.

Jon Shea joined the Nutrition Research Institute in the summer of 2017 as a research associate. He is a graduate of UNC Charlotte’s Bioinformatics program.  He has worked in several labs working on research in single cell sequencing studying the transcriptomic changes in yeast and c. elegans as well as plant metabolites using HPLC and mass spectrometry.  He is currently studying the gut microbiome and its connection to cardiovascular health with Dr. Katie Meyer.

In January 2018, Julie took on a new role as a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Zeisel Lab. She joined the NRI in 2009, and has worked on research studies with babies, toddlers, school age children, and adults, as well as managing other lab responsibilities. She was drawn to the NRI in 2009 by the opportunity to work with Carol Cheatham, PhD as a recruiter for her studies with children.  She quickly became a research assistant and lab manager during her 5 years with the Cheatham team.  An opportunity presented itself for her to focus in a different area with Philip May, PhD.  As a result of her past experiences with children diagnosed with a FASD, Julie became engrossed in May's research to understand more about this challenging problem. Julie earned a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a Masters in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her work with children and families spans a variety of locations and settings. Julie is a native of Kannapolis.

Isis Trujillo received her PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Her research was focused on the role of metabolic proteins associated with biotin in transcriptional regulation. She also collaborated on breast cancer research projects. Her interests include nutrigenomics, epigenetics and metabolism. She is now investigating how bioavailability of choline affects epigenetics neural progenitor cells.

Manjot joined the NRI in June 2019 as a research associate, conducting statistical analyses for the lab. He received his MS in Bioinformatics from the University of Birmingham in England where he focused on machine learning methods in Genomics and Metabolomics. His long-term interests are in how science policy will integrate new technologies and discoveries from genomics into healthcare. In his spare time, Manjot enjoys debating philosophy, playing chess, and reading fantasy.