Mission

The Nutrition and Genomics Laboratory is a pioneer in the study of gene-diet interactions in the area of cardiovascular diseases, utilizing both genetic epidemiology approaches as well as controlled dietary intervention studies.

Lab Objectives

1. Identify new human genes involved in the homeostasis of lipid metabolism using genome-wide association studies and bioinformatics.

2. Identify candidate genes for overweight and obesity in humans with special emphasis on those modulating the risk for the metabolic syndrome.

3. Identify genetic factors determining differential susceptibility towards chronic disorders in response to a Western-type diet and lifestyle in humans with differing ethnic backgrounds.

4. Identify new longevity genes and describe their modulation by nutritional and environmental factors in animals and humans.

Staff

Jose M. Ordovas, Ph.D., Laboratory Director
Senior Scientist and Professor, Nutrition and Molecular Genetics
Research focus: molecular biology, nutrition, and genetics; lipoproteins and cardiovascular disease risk

Chao-Qiang Lai, Ph.D.
Research Molecular Biologist, USDA, ARS
Research focus: molecular biology, population genetics, nutrition and genetics; genetics and molecular mechanisms of aging; and lipoproteins and cardiovascular disease risk

Laurence D. Parnell, Ph.D.
Computational Biologist, USDA, ARS
Research focus: bioinformatics and genomics of nutrition; single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, comparative genomics, candidate gene discovery, transcription microarrays, nutrition systems biology

Caren E. Smith, M.S., D.V.M
Scientist III
Research focus: nutrient-gene interactions in cardiovascular disease, exercise-gene interactions in cardiovascular disease.

Kris Richardson, Ph.D., Research Affiliate (Post Doc), USDA, ARS

Jacqueline M. Lane, B.S., Graduate Research Assistant

Yu-Chi Lee, M.S., Research Assistant

Francisco Garcia, B.S., Research Coordinator

Kathryn Corcoran, Budget and Administrative Assistant

For contact information, please click on the scientist’s webpage or visit the Tufts University online directory at http://whitepages.tufts.edu/.

For more about ARS Scientists or USDA, Agricultural Research Service Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging: www.ars.usda.gov/naa/hnrca