![[Dept. of Animal Sciences]](../../images/animalsciences.gif "[Dept. of Animal Sciences]"){kind=small}
Assistant Professor |
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Research
Research in my laboratory focuses on understanding the relationship between nutrients and human health, at different stages of the life cycle, through the use of genetically modified animal models. Vitamin A has so far served as a “model nutrient” to investigate this issue. Vitamin A is essential to maintain vision, reproduction, development and immune function. Furthermore, retinoids (vitamin A and its derivatives) modulate cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis. Not surprisingly, alterations of the vitamin A status have been associated with human chronic diseases such as cancer. Moreover, dietary deficiency of vitamin A (VAD) is a serious widespread problem affecting more that 750 million people worldwide. Even a mild VAD status may increase maternal mortality or affect organogenesis in the fetus, inducing clinically silent anomalies that can have a severe impact on health later in life.
Our specific fields of research include:
1. Mechanisms and physiology of maternal-fetal transfer of vitamin A and carotenoids.
2. Vitamin A signaling in the prostate epithelium.
3. Interference between vitamin A and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) metabolism
Experience
Title |
Location |
Year |
| Assistant Professor | Rutgers University Department of Food Science |
2005-present |
| Associate Research Scientist | Institute of Cancer Research, Columbia University | 2001-2004 |
Education
Degree |
Location |
Year |
Post doc |
Columbia University, New York, NY | 1996-1999 |
Ph.D. |
Biotechnology, University of Naples, Italy | 1996 |
B.S. |
Biological Science, University of Naples, Italy | 1989 |
Professional Societies
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Member of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ)
Courses
Research Associates and Graduate Students
Lesley Wassef, PhD (Post-doctoral Associate) – a. Maternal-fetal transfer of carotenoids; b. Vitamin A signaling in the prostate epithelium.
Elena Shabrova, PhD (Research Associate) – Effects of flavonoids from blueberry and cranberry on retinoid metabolism.
Young-Kyun Kim, M.S. (graduate student) - Maternal-fetal transfer of retinoids and carotenoids
Representative Publications