Cardiovascular Nutrition

Mission

The Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory focuses on assessing the interplay between diet and heart disease risk factors. The scope of this work ranges from human intervention studies to tissue culture. The primary aim of the laboratory group?s work is to adjudicate the potential effect of dietary interventions on cardiovascular disease risk factors and expand our understanding of the underlying mechanisms with specific emphasis on post-menopausal women and older men.

Lab Objectives

1. Assess the relationship between biomarkers of nutrient intake and heart health using plasma samples from the Women?s Health Initiative.

2. Characterize the relationship between plasma markers of cholesterol homeostasis, dietary intake and intestinal cholesterol absorption protein genotypes, and heart health using samples from the Framingham Offspring Study.

3. Assess the value of glycemic index (GI) as a component of dietary guidance to promote heart health and decrease the risk of chronic diseases associated with aging.

4. Assess the relationship between the red blood cell fatty acid profiles and indicators of heart health in subjects consuming diets enriched in trans fatty acids derived from ruminant fat and partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils.

5. Assess the efficacy of a comprehensive family centered lifestyle modification program ? Family Weight Study (FamWtStudy) ? using biomarkers of nutrient intake and cardiovascular risk factors in family member pairs (female parent/guardian and child) after initiation of a comprehensive year long program.

Staff

Alice H. Lichtenstein, D.Sc., Laboratory Director
Senior Scientist and Gershoff Professor, Nutrition Science and Policy
Research focus: Dietary fatty acids, nutrition, lipoproteins, and cardiovascular disease risk; phytoestrogens/soy protein; sterol/stanol esters; genetically modified/selectively bred oils; glycemic index; cholesterol homeostasis; nutrition policy, systematic evidence based reviews

Lynne M. Ausman, D.Sc.
Scientist I and Professor, Nutrition
Research Focus: Dietary fat, cholesterol, fiber and coronary artery disease and colon cancer; nutritional primatology; biostatistics

Nirupa Matthan, Ph.D.
Scientist II and Assistant Professor, Nutrition
Research Focus: Dietary fatty acids, cholesterol metabolism, plant sterols, soy protein, lipoproteins, kinetic modeling, glycemic index, nutrition and cardiovascular disease risk

Lee Ann Honda, M.S., Graduate Research Assistant

Nicole Spartano, M.S., Graduate Student Researcher

Winifred Wu, M.S. , Graduate Student Researcher

Janey Ronxhi, B.S., Research Coordinator

Jean Galluccio, B.A., Research Technician

Joyce Rudy, B.A. , Research Technician

Sarah Gibeley, B.S. , Research Technician

Joann Thelusma, Budget and Administrative Assistant

For contact information, please click on the scientist's webpage or visit the Tufts University online directory at title="" href="http://whitepages.tufts.edu/">http://whitepages.tufts.edu/.

Learn More

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New icon provides food, fluid and physical activity guidance, corresponds with federal government?s 2010 Dietary Guidelines.

Eat Well, Age Well
Tufts experts fashion the latest federal nutrition guidelines for older adults.

Volunteer for Research Studies
Glycemic Index (Studies 2,3,4,5 and 6) and Variability Among Individuals
The purpose of the study is to determine whether people have different blood sugar responses to the same food.