Case Western Reserve University Department of Nutrition

08/28/2020

The Department of Nutrition is very proud of our Faculty. This week we would like to spotlight Assistant Professor Dr. Cheryl Cameron.

Dr. Cheryl Cameron completed her Ph.D. in virology in the laboratory of Dr. Grant McFadden at Western University, computationally identifying novel viral immunomodulatory proteins such as the CD47 and CD200 homologues encoded by myxomavirus, a close relative of smallpox. She went on to pursue a post-doctoral fellowship in viral immunopathogenesis at the University of Toronto, applying transcriptomic analyses to dissect the host response to pathogenic respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-1 and avian influenza virus to identify key determinants of severe outcome. Dr. Cameron has continued to study the complex interplay between the host and virus, using objective computational approaches to identify mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and novel targets for immunomodulatory therapeutic interventions to improve the outcome in infected individuals. She went on to study chronic viral infection in people living with HIV, and has discovered that many of the host immune pathways that are highly dysregulated in viral infection are similarly dysregulated in cancer and in other diseases characterized by chronic inflammation, such as cardiovascular disease, heart failure and psoriasis. Importantly, many of these pathways are metabolic in nature and are impacted by diet, nutrition, and drug abuse. Most recently, Dr. Cameron has revived her SARS coronavirus research program and is actively studying the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in an effort to identify predictive biomarkers of disease severity as well as potential therapeutic targets to reverse the immune pathology seen in COVID-19. Dr. Cameron was excited to join the Department of Nutrition in 2019 as a translational researcher, and is happy to discuss opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to participate in her research program, either by assisting in the analysis of big data, or by performing wet lab research.

08/24/2020

08/21/2020

This week lets learn about our research faculty member Dr. Yang.

How did you become interested your field? (Nutrition or other)
my training background is biophysics. Toward the end of my postdoc time, I got excited in estrogen receptor and breast cancer research in general, when a senior mentor (who I did not know/meet before) walked in front of my office and saw a research poster of mine. He then encouraged me to apply the technological platform I developed to study estrogen receptor, an important molecule for breast cancer growth. From there, we applied together for a Department of Defense grant, and we got it! The Estrogen Receptor system has since become the focus of my independent research over the last 10 years.

Describe your current research or community engagement
Our research is primarily focused on the biophysics, cancer biology, and drug discovery of Estrogen Receptor (ER), a key driver of breast cancer. The estrogen receptor is a significant, but very challenging system to work with; we have been developing novel tool-sets for its functional and disease-driven understanding (see a Case Daily link “New options for breast cancer drug development found in estrogen receptors” at https://thedaily.case.edu/new-options-breast-cancer-drug-development-found-estrogen-receptors). Our technological development and discovery have been communicated via a Science Highlights assay "This Boot was Made for Crosstalk" (https://www.aps.anl.gov/APS-Science-Highlight/2018-11-02/this-boot-was-made-for-crosstalk) at the Argonne National Lab. We are also engaged with the biophysics community at large; recently we co-edited a special issue in the Journal of Molecular Biology, titled “Integrative Biophysics: Protein Interaction and Disorder,” representing a special collection of original contributions to the advances in biophysics and recent applications for protein structure, dynamics, and interaction (see a Case Daily link https://thedaily.case.edu/medicines-sichun-yang-collaborates-on-special-issue-in-the-journal-of-molecular-biology).

Recent Awards
Our research has been funded by DoD, American Cancer Society, and NIH. More recently, we have been supported by the National Cancer Institute, the Case Cancer Center, and the Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC). Earlier this year, we received an Exceptional Project award from the Breast Cancer Alliance. The Breast Cancer Alliance is a private foundation that is committed to recognize creative, unique and innovative research for breast cancer. These awards will accelerate the drug discovery for advanced ER-positive breast cancer by harnessing an unprecedented “burning the bridge” strategy for estrogen receptor to develop “first-in-class” inhibitors to fight against endocrine therapy resistance.

Class you teach
co-directed the course of Contemporary Drug Discovery, listed under PHAM528, BIOC528, and SYBB528. Other courses include Biophysics and Proteomics.

What do you love about being a faculty member?
the moment we discover something new in our own lab that nobody else could know; learning my undergraduate who worked in the lab for several semesters and accepted into UCSD (where I am from); working with my senior and junior colleagues to put all puzzle pieces together with so much complementary expertise so I learn new stuffs constantly with curiosity.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Recently, a lot of time playing with my 6-year-old little boy; ever since since his school closure during covid, we have spent a ton of time together so much so he has become a master pilot to flying his Airbus A380 toy airplane. Now, he can take off and land his A380 with ease and precision.

08/20/2020

This summer undergraduate student Annie Du volunteered at a non-profit organization called Give Essential.
Take a look at all the amazing work they do!

Give Essential serves to bring our communities together to give back to our essential workers in need. We allow donors to directly send household items to workers on the hidden frontline. During times like these, a small donation can make a big difference. You can either request or donate 5 categories of items: masks, gift cards, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, or children’s toys.

Sign up as either a donor or essential worker at giveessential.org or follow us on all social media platforms ."

If you would like to share what you did over the summer please email us with details at [email protected]

07/25/2020

This week we are learning more about Dr. Stephanie Harris!

How did you become interested your field?
My initial interest in nutrition began when I was a young gymnast - learning the basics about the role of nutrition and food in fueling my performance and competition. This interest then turned into a passion and eventually a career goal during my undergraduate studies. As a nutrition, food, and agriculture major planning to go to medical school, I took a variety of nutrition courses, which led me to change course and pursue dietetics and research.

Current Research:
As faculty co-lead of the JJM Mandel Wellness and Preventive Care Pathway, I have the opportunity to help develop and implement lifestyle medicine curriculum for medical students. The Pathway curriculum facilitates knowledge and skill development in promoting behavior change, emotional wellness, physical activity, stress management, and healthy dietary patterns/basic culinary skills. It’s a lot of fun (and very fulfilling) to be involved in a program that fosters interprofessional education and that helps students develop healthy self-care habits that are also applicable to improving patient care in their work as our future physicians!

Classes you teach:
NTRN 363: Human Nutrition I - Energy, Protein, and Minerals
NTRN 364: Human Nutrition II - Vitamins (starting Spring 2021)
NTRN 338/438: Dietary Supplements
NTRN 448: Integrative and Functional Nutrition

What do you love about being a faculty member?
I love the variety of daily and weekly activities that I am engaged in as a faculty member! I also love the fact that there are so many opportunities in academia to take on new challenges, which keeps me energized and excited about the future! But most of all, I love the opportunity to connect and work with our passionate students! Educating our future health care professionals is where it's all at for me

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Running in the sunshine, and preferably along the lake, is my absolute favorite thing to do (although I also run in all other lovely Cleveland weather conditions almost daily). The fresh air and quietness just brings so much clarity to my mind, and reminds me of how soothing and healing nature really is! Outdoor adventures (hiking, paddle boarding, golfing), traveling, and tending to my flowers and garden are a few of my other favorites. I also cannot forget to mention my 3 amazing boys (2 children and husband) that keep me on my toes daily and provide most of my “entertainment” during my free time! My oldest son wants to be a chef – so we spend a lot of time in the kitchen making a mess together!

07/17/2020

Meet Dr. Tilton!

Dr. John (Chip) Tilton received his M.D. from Yale University in 2001 and worked as a clinical research fellow in the Laboratory of Immunoregulation at NIAID at NIH where he worked with Mark Connors, M.D. to investigate the cellular immune response against HIV infection.
In 2006 he moved to the University of Pennsylvania and worked with Robert Doms, M.D., Ph.D., using molecular virology techniques to investigate how HIV develops resistance against a class of antiretroviral agent known as CCR5 antagonists.
In 2010, he started his own laboratory at Case Western Reserve University. The Tilton laboratory is interested in how small particles - including viruses and cell-derived extracellular vesicles - are able to enter target cells.
Recently, the laboratory has leveraged insights from this work to repurpose viral particles and extracellular vesicles for therapeutic protein and RNA delivery. The Tilton laboratory is interested in developing strategies for in vivo delivery of therapeutic proteins and RNAs - including CRISRP-Cas9:gRNA ribonucleoprotein complexes for genome editing - to specific target tissues in living animals.

05/29/2020

This week we are learning more Professor Randall!

How did you become interested your Nutrition?
As a biology major planning on going to dental school, I took Intro to Nutrition as an elective. About halfway through the semester I knew I was going change course and go into dietetics.

Current Community Involvement-
I'm offering the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) for Case faculty and staff with undergraduate capstone students and graduate students as facilitators. This experience offers the students the opportunity to learn facilitation skills and while taking ownership of a community program.

Recent Awards-
Recipient of 2020 Ohio Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Member Merit Award
Nominee for 2020 John S. Diekhoff Award for Distinguished Graduate Student Teaching

Classes you teach-
NTRN 459: Diabetes Prevention and Management
NTRN 531: Public Health Nutrition Field Experience
NTRN 532C: Specialized Public Health Nutrition Field Exeperience
NTRN 534: Advanced Public Health Nutrition Field Experience

What do you love about being a faculty member?
My absolute favorite part of being a faculty member is when former students keep me posted on their post-graduation successes: passing the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist exam, graduating from medical or dental school, finishing doctoral degrees, weddings, babies... It always makes my day!

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I'm a native Clevelander and a HUGE baseball fan so I spend much of my summer at Progressive Field or listening to the Indians on the radio. If I'm not watching or listening to baseball you can find me baking something yummy.

05/15/2020

Get to know more about Dr. Swain PhD, RDN, LD, FAND!

How did you become interested in Nutrition?
As an undergraduate student in California, I was a marine biology major, but soon found that many of the species I was studying were in fact very nutritious, and delicious! Thereafter, I switched to nutrition.

Current research-
I conduct research in the areas of iron absorption, anemia/hematology, and intestinal turmorigenesis.

Awards-
Outstanding Educator and Research Dietitian Awards.
Over five nominations during the past decade for CWRU's Wittke Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching, as well as nominations for CWRU's Mentoring Award, and recipient of the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation's Marie and August LoPresti, Sr. Endowment Fund Faculty Development Award.

Coures you teach-
NTRN 340 (Global Food Systems)
NTRN 341 (Food as Medicine)
NTRN 342 (Food Science)
NTRN 342L (Food Science Lab)
NTRN 433 (Advanced Human Nutrition I)

What you love about being a faculty member
Working with students and colleagues. Bringing research findings into the classroom to share with students. Developing novel nutrition education approaches.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Playing soccer with my two sons.

05/12/2020

Want to see what a degree in Nutrition can do for you?
Join Nutrition Department alumni Rachel Paul in a round table discussion on her career journey, entrepreneurship, and how the COVID-19 crisis impacts nutrition, personal health and fitness.

Join the Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship for a Case Western Reserve University Entrepreneurship Alumni Series roundtable discussion with Rachel Paul (‘12, ‘13), founder of Rachel Paul Nutrition LLC, Wednesday, May 27, at 1 p.m. via Zoom. She will discuss her career journey, entrepreneurship...

05/08/2020

Faculty Friday!
This week we are spotlighting Dr. Thompson.

How did you become interested in your field?
I loved the section on genetics in high school biology but had no idea what I wanted to do after high school. I loved science but you can't major undergrad in genetics and didn't want to do biology. Well, when I came to college, my first semester I took my first computer programming class, required of all BS students. I loved it and it was, at the time, a very good job market for programmers and, above all, I didn't want to go to grad school, I needed to make money. Well...clearly that didn't work out. After about 6 months working as a programmer, while I loved the problem solving aspect of it, sitting behind a computer programming what I was told to program wasn't very appealing to me. I had started teaching part time at a community college and I figured I'd go back, do my master's at least and teach full time. Just before I started my master's, I was approached by a faculty member asking if I wanted to work as a student employee. He was a genetic epidemiologist who studied genetic and environmental risk factors for prostate cancer. I joined his team and after a few months, it was clear that this area of research - combining genetics and statistics -- was extremely interesting to me. After my master's, I enrolled in the doctoral program.

Describe your current research-
I have two lines of research. The first is in cancer genetic epidemiology. I'm interested in how genetic factors as well as environmental/behavioral risk factors interaction, including through epigenetics, to influence cancer risk and outcomes. The second is in biomarkers and cancer translational research. I work as part of a team with other scientists to help move their discoveries into impactful clinical tests.

Recent Affiliations-
I'm currently serving a three year term as secretary/treasurer of the American Society of Preventive Oncology.

Course you teach-
NTRN 529: Nutritional Epidemiology for Evidence Based Health Practice

What do you love about being a faculty member?
Working with a lot of amazingly smart and creative colleagues and students.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Talking my dog for a walk at one of our amazing metroparks, traveling when we are not in a pandemic.

05/06/2020

Last year on this day we were celebrating with our undergraduate class of 2019. This year things may look different, but we are still here to support our students, and are very proud of all they have accomplished! We look forward to celebrating with the class of 2020!

04/30/2020

Wishing the best of luck to all our Nutrition students during finals!!