Directory
Leadership

Steven H. Zeisel, MD, PhD
Institute Director, Professor of Nutrition and Pediatrics
Dr. Zeisel is recognized as an international leader in nutrition research. His team's work established the requirement for choline, a newly recognized essential part of our diet. His work on nutrition and brain development, genetic variation and diet requirements, environment and nutrition, and medical education are supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Zeisel directs one of the NIH national centers of excellence in human nutrition research. Learn More. Lab Website

Susan M. Smith, PhD
Professor of Nutrition and Deputy Director for Science
Dr. Susan Smith, Deputy Director for Science, joined the NRI in July 2016 after a long career as Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received her Ph.D. in biochemistry from UW-Madison and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School in developmental biology. Her research investigates how genes and dietary factors interact to direct fetal outcome in alcohol-exposed pregnancies, and her work uses both animal models and clinical populations. Her work is supported by the National Institutes of Health, where she was a MERIT recipient and currently sits on the NIAAA Advisory Council. Learn More.

Eddie Serrano
Deputy Director, Research Business and Operations
Eddie joined the NRI in March 2018 as the Deputy Director of Research Business and Operations. Eddie has over eighteen years working in academic research administration supplemented with operational leadership experience, in depth knowledge of eRA systems, and a strong research compliance perspective. Eddie joined us from Huron Consulting Group and was fortunate to work at many top universities and hospitals on interim staffing positions and transformational projects during his time as a consultant. These engagements have proven to be invaluable opportunities which have molded him into well-rounded research administration professional. Eddie received his Masters of Science in Information Systems Engineering at Florida International University.

Suzanne Dane
Director of Development and Community Outreach
Suzanne joined the NRI in May 2014 as the director of development and community outreach. She brings more than 20 years of nonprofit development experience, having worked previously at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and Blumenthal Performing Arts in Charlotte, and with the National Main Street Center and Historic Hotels of America at the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C. Suzanne is a graduate of George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.

Brandi Childers
Assistant Director for Training, Programs and Partnerships
In April 2018, Brandi was promoted to the new position of Assistant Director for Training, Programs and Partnerships. She brings to her new position more than eight years experience in administration and community partnership management, and 11 years of experience at the NRI. She assists Eddie Serrano, Deputy Director of Research Administration, with Institute operations, oversee HR and administrative functions, plan and implement research-related programming, and continue to be the NRI liaison with the NCRC. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Brandi is a native of Kannapolis, where she has chosen to raise her family.
Faculty

Carol L. Cheatham, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychology and Neuroscience
Dr. Carol L. Cheatham earned her PhD in child psychology and neuroscience in 2004 at the University of Minnesota. She is part of the Institute's brain research team. In addition to her appointment with the NRI, Dr. Cheatham holds an appointment as an associate professor in UNC's Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. She has published research on memory recall in pre-term infants, the role of fatty acids in neonatal brains and how stress impacts brain development, as well as other topics. Learn More. Lab Website

John E. “Jef” French, PhD
Professor, Nutrition
Dr. French is Professor of Nutrition at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Kannapolis, NC and Adjunct Associate Professor, Center for Pharmacogenetics and Individualized Therapy, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, an international leader in the investigation of gene x environment interactions (GEI) using pre-clinical genetically-diverse and genetically-engineered mouse models to discover genetic and epigenetic variants associated with inter-individual differences in metabolism and disease. Learn more.

Stephen D. Hursting, PhD, MPH
Professor of Nutrition
Dr. Hursting is Professor of Nutrition at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute in Kannapolis, NC. He is also Professor in the Department of Nutrition and the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. An international leader in the area of nutrition, obesity, metabolism and cancer, his lab focuses on the molecular and metabolic mechanisms underlying obesity-cancer associations, and the impact of obesity- energy balance modulation (eg, calorie restriction and exercise) or pharmacologic agents on cancer development, progression, and responses to chemotherapy. Learn More

Martin Kohlmeier, MD, PhD
Professor, Nutrition
Joining the UNC Nutrition Research Institute in 2010, Dr. Martin Kohlmeier serves as faculty and primary investigator in the NRI Nutrigenetics Laboratory. He focuses on laboratory diagnostics and nutritional genetics. With more than thirty years of experience in nutrition research, he has developed novel biochemical methods for the assessment of dietary intake and nutrient adequacy. Dr. Kohlmeier’s research explores how to help individuals safely navigate daily food choices and how those choices might affect cancer risk. Learn More.

Natalia Krupenko, PhD
Associate Professor of Nutrition
Natalia Krupenko, PhD, joined the UNC Nutrition Research Institute in April 2014 as Assistant Professor of Nutrition. She was promoted to Associate Professor of Nutrition with tenure in April 2020. Dr. Krupenko’s research is focuses on the role of folate (vitamin B9) in promoting health and preventing disease in humans. Folate deficiency has been connected with increased risk for neural tube defects, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Recently, however, concerns have been raised regarding the adverse effects of over-supplementation with the vitamin. Dr. Krupenko’s goal is to determine the best ways to utilize health-protective properties of folate and prevent the possibility of its adverse effects in humans. Learn more

Sergey A. Krupenko, PhD
Professor of Nutrition
Sergey A. Krupenko, PhD, joined the UNC Nutrition Research Institute in 2014. Dr. Krupenko’s research focuses on vitamin folate and its role in liver function and cancer disease. His goal is to understand how we can fight cancer by controlling the diet and nutrient supplements. “There are molecular strings in the human organism, which can be pulled by right combinations of nutrients to activate resistance to tumor formation or to slow down cancer development. We have to identify these links and make them work,” he said. Learn more

Yuan Li, PhD
Assistant Professor of Nutrition
Yuan 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). Learn more.

Philip May, PhD
Professor of Nutrition
Philip A. May, PhD, joined the UNC Chapel Hill Nutrition Research Institute in 2011 as a Professor of Nutrition. He is an expert in the epidemiology of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Dr. May has conducted extensive research on the epidemiology and risk factors for FASD, including inventories of the population based on traits of children within all four diagnoses of FASD, maternal and paternal alcohol use and abuse, childbearing variables, and maternal health factors such as dietary intake, maternal BMI, childbearing history, alcohol use biomarkers, and socioeconomic status. Learn more.

Katie Meyer, ScD
Assistant Professor of Nutrition
Dr. Katie Meyer is a nutritional and cardiovascular disease epidemiologist. Her research focuses on diet-related health behaviors and nutritional risk factors for cardiometabolic disease. She is a recent recipient of a Research Scientist Development Award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to study the gut microbiome, nutrient metabolites, and cardiovascular disease in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (CARDIA). Learn more.

Sandra M. Mooney, PhD
Associate Professor of Nutrition
Sandra Mooney, PhD joined the UNC Chapel Hill Nutrition Research Institute in August 2018 as an Associate Professor of Nutrition. Her research program investigates the effect(s) of environment and genes on brain development, with a focus on prenatal alcohol exposure. Current studies use animal models to understand how nutritional needs change after alcohol exposure, thereby increasing the chances that modifying (or personalizing) nutrition will optimize growth and development. Learn more.

Wimal Pathmasiri, PhD
Assistant Professor of Nutrition
Wimal Pathmasiri, PhD is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Nutrition Research Institute (NRI). An overarching goal of Dr. Pathmasiri’ s research includes understanding the links between exposures (diet, constituents in natural projects, environmental chemicals, drugs), microbial metabolism, and human health. He was worked with the Sumner-Lab for over 12 years, as the director of a technology core for the NIH Common Fund Eastern Regional Comprehensive Metabolomics Resource Core (ERCMRC), and as a co-investigator in the North Carolina Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource Untargeted Analysis Laboratory (NC HHEAR UAL). Learn more.

Blake Rushing, PhD
Assistant Professor of Nutrition
Blake Rushing, PhD, is an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Nutrition Research Institute (NRI). Dr. Rushing’s is trained in pharmacology and toxicology, and has experience using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, in vitro model systems, and various biochemical assays to study the interactions between small molecule toxins/drugs with macromolecular targets such as proteins and DNA. He is well versed in using analytical instrumentation to study metabolic products of exogenous small molecule agents and their biological effects. Learn more.

Delisha Stewart, PhD
Assistant Professor of Nutrition
Delisha Stewart, PhD is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Nutrition Research Institute. Dr. Stewart has over 10 years of experience using genomics, metabolomics and high-throughput molecular bioassays to investigate mechanisms involved in cancer and inflammation. Dr. Stewart’s primary research includes a portfolio of studies aimed at understanding the impact of diet (high fat, high carbohydrate) on weight gain, and breast cancer endpoints. She uses both in vitro and in vivo model systems of genetic diversity to gain insights into health disparities associated with cancer endpoints. Learn More

Susan Sumner, PhD
Professor of Nutrition
Susan Sumner, PhD is a Professor of Nutrition at UNC Chapel Hill’s Nutrition Research Institute (NRI), and the Director of the Metabolomics and Exposome Laboratory (MEL) at UNC Chapel Hill. Dr. Sumner is working to make personalized medicine and precision nutrition a reality. Using state-of-the-art metabolomics and exposome technologies, Dr. Sumner’s team determines how molecules that are present in our tissues and biological fluids are associated with states of health and wellness. Learn more.

Saroja Voruganti, PhD
Assistant Professor of Nutrition
Dr. Saroja Voruganti, Associate Professor of Nutrition, is working on building a nationally and internationally recognized research program in nutritional genomics at UNC. A unique field, nutritional genomics seeks to identify genetic susceptibility to diseases, effect of genetic variation on nutrient metabolism and the effect of nutrients on gene expression. She has extensively investigated the interplay between nutritional and genetic factors influencing disease risk in ethnically diverse populations. Learn more.
Staff

Jody Albright
Research Technician, Hursting Lab
Jody Albright, a former business owner from Salisbury, is a 2011 graduate of Rowan-Cabarrus Comunity College with AS and AAS in Biotechnology degrees. He has recently joined the NRI in Dr. Bennett's lab as a laboratory technician. Jody is excited to use his recent education to develop several new protocols for the laboratory .

Emmanuel Baah, MD, MPH
Postdoctoral Research Associate, HRC
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 graduated from UNC-Charlotte with a Master's in Epidemiology in May 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.

Jenna Baker
Executive Assistant to the Director
Jenna Baker joined the Nutrition Research Institute in June 2018. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Communication Studies. Jenna joined us from UNC Charlotte where she served as administrative staff for five years within academic departments. She is a native of Concord and currently lives in Kannapolis with her husband. In her spare time she enjoys exercising, traveling or anything outdoors.

Keri Barron, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate, N. Krupenko Lab
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. She successfully defended her thesis on how ceramics, a group of bioactive lipids, respond to folate in April 2020. Dr. Barron is looking forward to more work on this study, which is so large the data collection alone took a full year. In the future, she would like to teach, as she loves nutrition and talking about nearly every aspect of it.

Tondra Blevins
Head Technician, Human Research Core
Tondra Blevins is the Institute's head 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.

Sierra Bonney, MS
Clinical Research Coordinator, Human Research Core
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.

Lauren Roppolo Brazell
Data Analyst, Voruganti Lab
Lauren joined the NRI in March 2020 as a data analyst in the Voruganti Lab. She has recently completed her Master of Science degree in Bioinformatics and Genomics, and will begin her Ph.D. in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics this fall. She is assisting the Voruganti Lab group with data analysis for the Viva La Familia study at NRI, and she is also working on an urban microbial metagenomics study at UNCC. Outside of the lab, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, and traveling.

Walden Cash
Technology Support Technician
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.

Rachel Coble
Research Technician, Sumner Lab
Rachel Joined the UNC Chapel Hill NRI in August 2020 as a Research Technician in the Sumner Lab. As a local of Rowan County, specifically China Grove, she graduated from Catawba College in 2020 with a B.S. in Biochemistry. She has always wanted to have some kind of involvement at the NCRC ever since she saw the campus being built as a little girl. Now, her dream has come true. She plans to further her involvement in metabolomics during the admirable times here at the NRI.

Ryan Dayvault
Facilities and Special Projects Coordinator
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.

Malick Dieng
Business Manager
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, PhD
Research Specialist, Smith Lab
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.

Halle Fogle
Research Technician, S. Krupenko Lab
Halle earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and Minor in Anthropology at St. Mary’s College of Maryland in May 2020. After moving to Charlotte, Halle joined the NRI in August 2020 as a Research Technician in Dr. Sergey Krupenko’s Lab, where she studies the role of folate in liver function and cancer disease. Halle plans to further her education in the research field within the next couple of years.

Denzel France
Business Officer
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!

Walter Friday
Research Technician, Zeisel Lab
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.

Doretha Grier
Social/Clinical Research Associate, Zeisel Lab
Doretha Grier, a native of Kannapolis, joined the Nutrition Research Institute in March 2020. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and holds a Masters in Middle Grades Science Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Certifications include Academically Gifted Certification from the University of Chapel Hill and National Board Certification for Professional Teachers. Her work experiences include teaching science for over 20 years in Kannapolis. She is married with two grown children, two special nieces, and a nephew she considers her own. In her spare time she enjoys reading, spending time with family and traveling. She is pleased to be a part of the NRI.

Madeline Hall
Graduate Student, N. Krupenko Lab
Madeline joined the NRI in March 2019 and began her doctoral studies in fall 2020. She completed her undergraduate program at the University of Alabama, where she graduated in 2018 with a major in Biology and minors in Chemistry and Spanish. Madeline works with Dr. Natalia Krupenko to research the role of folate in promoting human healthy and preventing disease.

Julie Hasken, MPH
Doctoral Student in Nutrition, UNC-CH; Project Manager, May Lab
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 Marie Hedrick, MPH
Research Assistant, May Lab
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.

Kaylee Helfrich
Doctoral Student in Nutrition, Smith Lab
Kaylee Helfrich joined the NRI as a doctoral student in nutrition in August 2016, and is now a fifth-year doctoral candidate in Nutritional Biochemistry. She completed her BS degree in Biochemistry at Clemson University in December 2015, where her research focused on signaling mechanisms that controlled energy expenditure in plants. Kaylee’s current research with Dr. Susan Smith focuses on how prenatal alcohol exposure affects iron levels in babies and whether giving iron supplements to the mothers will improve the babies’ health. When not working in the lab, she enjoys reading, dancing, and trying new recipes.

Lauren Hinkle
Research Technician, Zeisel Lab
Lauren joined the NRI in July 2018 as a Research Technician for the Zeisel Lab. She is currently a senior at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology with a minor in Public Health. Lauren is a Charlotte native and enjoys traveling, and spending time with her family.

Adam Hipp
Data Analyst, Voruganti Lab
Adam joined the Voruganti Lab at the NRI in August 2020 as a data analyst. He completed his BS in Computer Science at UNC-Charlotte in December 2019 and will complete his MS in Bioinformatics at UNC-Charlotte in December 2020. Adam will assist with data analysis for a microbial metagenomic study at UNCC. Outside of research Adam enjoys playing ice hockey and basketball.

Rachel Hodges
Lab Animal Coordinator, Cheatham Lab
Rachel became a Lab Animal Coordinator in the Cheatham Lab on January 1, 2021. She joined the NRI in April 2020, where she assisted the Smith Lab in researching the relationship between prenatal alcohol exposure and iron supplementation. She previously worked at East Carolina University, her alma mater, where she researched the efficacy of cannabidiol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol as a treatment for childhood seizure disorders. Rachel is a North Carolina native and received her BS in Public Health in 2019.

Rick Hoffärth
Communication Specialist
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.

David Horita, PhD
Scientific Grant Writer
David Horita joined the NRI in 2013 as a grant writer. He assists faculty by identifying funding opportunities and writing/editing research proposals. David developed research and writing experience in metabolism and cell signaling during his 13 years as a faculty member in Biochemistry at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He did postdoctoral work at the NCI/NIH and obtained a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Wisconsin and a BA in chemistry from Carleton College.

Sarah Hreyo
Development Associate
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
Applications Analyst
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.

Faustina Jeyaraj
Graduate Student, Voruganti Lab
Faustina hails from south India. She completed her BS, in plant biotechnology from Stella Maris College in Chennai, India and her MS in biotechnology from Sathyabama University in Chennai, India. She eventually moved to US for her husband’s job and joined Rowan Cabarrus Community College to find a door that would lead to a career in research. She joined the Voruganti lab as an intern from RCCC in January 2019 and is now a PhD candidate in the same lab. Faustina is excited to be a part of NRI and the remarkable research that is happening here. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the beaches and mountains of the Carolinas with her husband and kids.

David Kirchner, MS
Research Associate, Sumner Lab
David Kirchner, MS is a Research Associate in the Sumner-Lab at NRI. He uses his training in mass spectrometry to analyze proteins and metabolites in biospecimens. Mr Kirchner has over 20 years of experience working in laboratories to conduct studies using genetic, molecular and cell biology, bioanalytical chemistry and bioinformatics approaches. He will contribute his knowledge to studies conducted for the Sumner-Lab. Mr. Kirchner earned a MS in Biochemistry from Indiana University of PA in 2010.

Cecilia Kwan, PhD, RD
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Smith 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.

Maricela Lara-Segura
Research Technician, Zeisel Lab
Maricela came to the Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) as an intern student from RCCC. She was hired in May 2018 as a research technician by Dr. Meyer. Her work involves the diet of rodents and primates. The research focuses on how the Gut Microbiome relates to health.

Anju Lulla, PhD
Research Associate, Meyer Lab
Anju Lulla, PhD joined the NRI as a Research Associate in August 2018. She received her Phd from St. John’s University, NY, in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a focus in pharmacology. Prior to joining NRI, Anju was a research assistant at UNC Charlotte in the Bioinformatics Department. She brings with her expertise in bioinformatics and statistical analyses of genomic and microbiome data. She is working with Dr. Katie Meyer to study associations between nutritional metabolites, gut microbiome and cardiovascular health.

Michael Mackin
Lead Accounting Technician
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.

Baba Mass
Research Technician, Voruganti Lab
Baba graduated from Gambia College School of Education with an AS in science and mathematics. He taught Junior Secondary School science for three years before migrating to the U.S. to pursue higher education. Baba joined the Voruganti lab as a student intern from RCCC before officially joining the team as research technician in July 2015.

Madison McNew
Research Technician, Mooney Lab
Madison joined the Nutrition Research Institute in early Fall of 2020, transferring from the NCSU Plants for Human Health Institute to complete an internship as part of her education and training. As a local of Rowan County Madison went to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and graduated with an Associate’s degree in Biotechnology. Their Work-Based Learning program is what led Madison to the Mooney lab where she hopes to refine her skillset before pursuing a Master’s degree in Microbiology or Ecology. Madison is thrilled for the opportunity the Mooney Lab presents in her early research career.

Susan McRitchie, MA, MS
Program Manager, Sumner Lab
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.

Tim Mills
Food Services Supervisor, Café
Tim is currently the Research Chef for the University of North Carolina metabolic kitchen in Kannapolis. He also is the Food Service Supervisor for the Lettuce Eat Café at the Nutrition Research Institute. He brings more than 30 years’ experience in food service and nutrition to our team. Tim is a local resident who relocated to the area after a successful career in the resort hospitality industry. Since returning to the area, he has been the Executive Chef of The Club at Irish Creek and was the owner of Chef’s Choice Gourmet Pastries. In 2014 he was provided the opportunity to work with the University of North Carolina to offer personalized nutrition. His passion for nutrition is evident in the food he creates.

Carolyn Munson
Research Specialist, Mooney Lab
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.

Brea Correll Nance
Research Technician, Voruganti Lab
Brea received her Associate’s in Applied Science in Biotechnology at RCCC. She was an intern for the Voruganti lab from May 2017 until being hired July 2017. Brea’s focus is helping to recruit for studies and helping manage the Precision Nutrition Core, as well as, lab work. She also learned and became certified in phlebotomy while working at NRI. Brea is from Advance, NC and when she is not at work, she enjoys time with her family, dogs, fishing, and going to the beach.

Kendra Lynn Nelson
Graduate Student, Voruganti Lab
Kendra joined the Voruganti Lab the NRI in August 2019 where she focuses on the role of nutrition and genetics in obesity and neurodegenerative diseases. In May 2016 she received her undergraduate degree in Nutrition from Southern Utah University where she conducted research focusing on the accuracy of consumer fitness trackers and their value as an assessment tool in dietetics practice and future nutrition research. Kendra worked as a public health sanitarian prior to attending UNC's MPH/RD program from which she graduated in December 2019, earning her registered dietitian credentials shortly afterward.

Carsyn Patton
Lab Animal Coordinator, Cheatham Lab
Carsyn graduated from Wingate University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in biology. After returning to North Carolina, she joined the NRI as a Lab Animal Coordinator in the Cheatham Lab. Here she will be conducting research on the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure when coupled with choline and DHA supplementation.

Evan Paules
Graduate Student, Zeisel Lab
Evan Paules joined the NRI in August 2016 as a doctoral student. He is studying the effects of choline on embryonic neurogenesis under the mentorship of Dr. Zeisel. Evan attended Rider University where he graduated with a double major in Biochemistry and Behavioral Neuroscience. He was also a member of Rider University’s Division 1 swim team for all four years while he attended Rider. Following his prospective graduation, Evan hopes to obtain a post-doctoral position to further his pursuit of obtaining a career in academia.

Betty Peterson
Cashier, Café
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!

William Pressel III
Research Technician, Hursting Lab
Before getting a B.S. in Biology from UNC Charlotte, Bill completed an A.A.S. in Biotechnology at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and worked with protein-polyphenol aggregates as a technician in Dr. Lila's lab at PHHI. After graduating, their interests in the intersections of Nutritional Biology and Social Ecology have led their work/study through diverse occupations such as greenhouse management, restoration agriculture, community organizing, and worker cooperatives (currently they are involved in an exploratory group to build natural houses and pools, and do permaculture landscaping). They are also very excited to be back in a lab environment and interested in continuing their education by entering a graduate program in the near future.

Brandon Presswood
Research Technician, Smith Lab
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.

Yunzhi “Grace” Qian
Doctoral Student, Sumner Lab
Grace (Yunzhi) joined the NRI in August 2020 as a doctoral student in the Nutrition Department. She received her B.S. in Human Biology from the University of California, San Diego and an MPH in Biostatistics from Columbia University. Grace works with Dr. Susan Sumner to research in metabolomics investigations in nutrition, environmental exposures, and metabolic variation.

David Raines
Research Technician, S. Krupenko Lab
David Raines graduated from The College of Wooster in May 2014 with a bachelor’s in biology. He’s very excited to be working as a laboratory technician in Sergery Krupenko’s lab. David enjoys spending his free time outdoors herping for reptiles and amphibians; hiking, and backpacking.

Dane Ricketts
Research Technician, Mooney Lab
Dane received his BS in Marine Biology from UNC Wilmington in 2012. After graduating he spent 3 years abroad working and traveling in Australia, where he worked as a Dive Master on the Great Barrier Reef; in Fiji, where he became a SCUBA Instructor and helped start a coral transplanting project; working and backpacking in New Zealand, and working as a SCUBA Instructor in Thailand. Dane moved back to the United States in October of 2015 and decided to return to the lab, leading him to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to earn an AAS in Biotechnology in May of 2018. He worked as a contractor at DHMRI in the Analytical Science lab over the summer and in September 2018 became a part of Dr. Mooney’s lab as a Research Technician.

Olivia Rivera, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Smith Lab
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, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Smith Lab
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.

Madison Schroder
Research Technician, Sumner Lab
Madison joined the Sumner lab in July 2020. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in May 2018 with a B.S. in Chemistry. She hopes to attend graduate school soon to learn more about analytical chemistry and its application to metabolomics. Madison enjoys running, spending time with her dog, and volunteering at the animal shelter.

Alyson Hope Selchick
Research Technician, Mooney Lab
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, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate, S. Krupenko Lab
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.

Jon Shea
Research Services Coordinator
Jon Shea joined the Nutrition Research Institute in the summer of 2017. 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.

Susie Smith
Programs and Operations Specialist
Susie Smith joined the Nutrition Research Institute in March 2016. As Programs and Operations Specialist she works with human resources matters and Institute programming such as symposia, workshops, and invited seminar speakers. 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.

Julie Stegall
Study Coordinator, Zeisel Lab
Julie joined the NRI in 2009 with Dr. Carol Cheatham’s Nutrition & Cognition Lab where she helped launch some of the first human studies completed on the NCRC. In her time with the NRI, she has also enjoyed working with Dr. Phil May to learn more about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). She and has worked on research studies with babies, toddlers, school age children, and adults of all ages. Julie earned a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a Masters in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Julie’s current project is coordinating the Choline Status Study for Dr. Zeisel’s lab.

Isis Trujillo, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Zeisel Lab
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.

Melissa VerHague, PhD
Lab Manager, Hursting Lab
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. Currently, her research focuses on genetic links in obesity, nutrition, and cancer using genetically diverse mice. In addition to managing the Hursting Lab at the NRI, she is the manager of the NORC Animal Metabolism Phenotyping Core in Kannapolis.

Manjot Virdee
Research Associate, Smith Lab
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.

Kathleen Walter, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Mooney Lab
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.

Mikyoung You, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate, S. Krupenko Lab
Mikyoung You joined the Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) in Oct 2020 as a postdoc researcher in Dr. Sergey Krupenko's lab to identify the role of folate-metabolizing enzymes in liver disease. She received her Ph.D. in Nutrition from Mokpo National University in South Korea. She also received her postdoctoral training in the Department of Nutrition at the Massachusetts Amherst and University of Nebraska-Lincoln, working on the relationship of iron metabolism and beige adipocyte development.