08/03/2026
Last week, the TWU Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences traveled to the Washington, D.C. area for Nutrition 2026, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition.
We are immensely proud of our six faculty members and eight graduate students who represented the intersection of research and leadership from Texas Woman’s University on a national stage.
A special congratulations to Dr. Wen-Hsing Cheng, who was officially named a 2026 Fellow of the American Society for Nutrition (FASN)! The FASN honor recognizes outstanding nutrition leaders who are 10 or more years past their terminal degree and have demonstrated significant long-term career impact and service to the Society.
Throughout the conference, our team was highly active in sharing original research, leading discussions, and networking with global experts in the field:
* Graduate student Christine VanBuren delivered an outstanding oral presentation on the subcellular localization of STRA6 in vitamin A metabolism.
* NFS Faculty, Mindy Patterson, PhD, RDN, LD helped facilitate a discussion on "Science in the Age of Social Media: Navigating Influencers and Using Social Media to Share Evidence-Based Science."
* Several NFS graduate students and faculty presented research on critical topics—including poster presentations on pre-clinical models exploring pomace nanofibers and aortic endothelial cell health, as well as a cross sectional analysis of NHANES data looking at fiber intake and biochemical features of PCOS and modulating the metabolic landscape of PCOS through whey protein supplementation.
Seeing our Pioneers—both faculty and students—passionately engaging in peer review and contributing to the global nutrition science conversation was a highlight of the academic year. These conference experiences are vital for translating laboratory innovation into future professional leadership.
Swipe through the gallery to see our Pioneers in action!
