Movers and Shakers
Nutrition Today Editorial Advisory Board Member Yasmin Altwaijri Meets With French President
Dr Yasmin Ahmed Altwaijri was honored to meet with French President Nicholas Sarkozy during his recent official state visit to Saudi Arabia. She was 1 of 5 women invited from various sectors of society to meet him. She also met with the French Minister of Justice, Rachida Dati, to discuss avenues of future collaboration because they share an interest in developing initiatives for sustainable socioeconomic development, particularly in science and technology. Yasmin has also been active in studying nutrition and physical activity recommendations that will be culturally acceptable in her country. Felicitations, Yasmin!
Highlights From Experimental Biology 2008
The annual meeting of the American Society of Nutrition (ASN) in San Diego this year was one of the best ever. The newly elected ASN Fellows included Richard G. Allison, PhD, distinguished former executive director of the ASN and currently a senior scientific advisor at the Life Sciences Research Office. Dr D'Ann Finley, who is manuscripts editor of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, also was named a fellow for her excellent work in this capacity and for helping to steer the journal to greatness. Gladys Block, PhD, who is professor of epidemiology and public health nutrition at the School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, is especially well known for her dietary assessment research tool, a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire commonly known as the "Block," and her many epidemiological studies, especially of antioxidants. Junshi Chen, MD, is research professor at China's Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, where he has spent more than 40 years in improving Chinese nutritional health. K. C. Hayes, PhD, professor of biology (Nutrition) at Brandeis University, is well known for his many contributions to the experimental nutrition literature. His expertise as a veterinarian led him to a number of studies on cats and the creation of a special cat food. He has also done extensive work on fats and phytosterols and healthy snacks for humans. David Jenkins, PhD, DSc, FRCP, is a medical scientist and professor at the University of Toronto and at St Michael's Hospital in Toronto. He is perhaps the most famous for his work on dietary fiber and the glycemic index. Ronald Krauss, MD, is senior scientist and director of atherosclerosis research at the Children's Hospital, Oakland Research Institute. He is one of the top investigators in the field of lipoprotein metabolism and coronary heart disease and, more recently, in diet gene interactions. Roland Leach, PhD, is professor emeritus of poultry science at the Pennsylvania State University, where he studied minerals and trace elements in this species. Forrest (Frosty) Nielsen, PhD, is former director of the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center and an eminent trace mineral scientist, who has greatly expanded our knowledge of the ultra trace elements, such as boron, nickel, silicon, and arsenic. Paul Pencharz, PhD, is professor of pediatrics and nutrition at the University of Toronto, where he works on human amino acid requirements, particularly as they apply to infants and children. Congratulations, Fellows!
American Society of Nutrition Awardees
Marie Caudill, PhD, who is associate professor of nutrition at Cornell University, received the Norman Kretchmer Memorial Award in Nutrition and Development for her work on the role of genetic variations in folic acid metabolism on growth and development. Steven Zeisel, MD, PhD, received the Osborne and Mendel Award in recognition of his work in elucidating the role of choline in human nutrition. Barbara Rolls, PhD, of the Pennsylvania State University received the Centrum Center for Nutrition Science Award for her excellent work in the field of eating behavior. David Ludwig, MD, PhD, of Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School won the EV McCollum Award for his work on carbohydrate metabolism. Barry Popkin, PhD, of the University of North Carolina's School of Public Health and the Carolina Population Center won the EV McCollum International Lectureship in Nutrition. His excellent work in the Philippines and here in this country has been helpful in elucidating the nutrition transition in developing countries. Two distinguished faculty at Tufts University and the Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts have received awards. Simin Meydani, DVM, PhD, who is associate director of the center, received the Robert Herman Memorial Award in recognition of her work on nutrition, the immune response, aging, and infectious diseases. Robert M. Russell, MD, director of the center, received the David Kritchevsky Career Achievement Award in Nutrition for his work in promoting interactions among and support for outstanding nutrition research and researchers in all sectors. He is a former member of the Food and Nutrition Board, as well as a former president of the American Society for Clinical Nutrition. John Beard, PhD, of Pennsylvania State University received the Kellogg Prize for International Nutrition for his work in iron nutrition. The Conrad A. Elvehjem Award for Public Service in Nutrition went to Cutberto Garza, MD, PhD, who is a former chair of the department and associate provost at Cornell University and who is now the Provost and Dan of Faculties at Boston College. He also provided international service working with the United Nations University, where he worked on growth standards. The Nutrition Science Media Award this year goes to Elizabeth Cohen, medical correspondent at CNN. The Dannon Institute Mentorship Award went to Dr Dale Bauman of Cornell University. He is a world-class scientist and a member of the National Academy of Sciences and is an international leader in the metabolic regulation of nutrients in lactation and growth. But he has also served as major advisory for more than 30 PhD students, many master's students, and scores of undergraduate students. Daniel Bessensen, MD, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine received the Roland L. Weinsier Award for Excellence in Medical/Dental Nutrition Education. Janet Greger, PhD, emerita professor at the University of Wisconsin, received the Excellence in Teaching Award for her many years of dedicated teaching not only at Wisconsin but also at the University of Connecticut. Dr Bharat Aggarwal of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center received the McCormick Science Institute Research Award for his work on dietary components, including some in spices, that suppress inflammation. Dr Mary Gamble, PhD, of Columbia University received the Mary Swartz Rose Young Investigator Award for her work linking biochemistry to public health. The Mary Swartz Rose Senior Investigator Award went to Dr Bruce Ames of the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute in Oakland. Ryan Dilger, PhD, of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign won the Milton Sunde Award for his work in poultry nutrition. Jeffrey Escobar, PhD, of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, Virginia, won the Peter Reeds Memorial Young Investigator Award for his work in macronutrient metabolism and on amino acid metabolism in muscle. Sang Woon Choi, MD, PhD, of the US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center of Aging and Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts received the Mead Johnson Award for Research in Nutrition, with a focus on folate, aging, and colon cancer. Kevin Short, PhD, received the Vernon R. Young Award for research on amino acids. His expertise is exercise physiology and the muscle wasting associated with aging. Manabu Nakamura, PhD, DVM, received the ELR Stokstad Award for his fundamental research in nutrition and particularly his work in essential amino acid metabolism.
American Dietetic Association Elects New Leaders
Congratulations to the new 2008-2009 officers of the American Dietetic Association (ADA)! The new slate includes the following:
* President: Martin M. Yadrick, MS, MBA, RD, FADA, director of Nutrition Informatics, Computrition, Inc
* President-elect: Jessie Pavlinac, MS, RD, CSR, director, Clinical Nutrition & Patient, Oregon Health & Sciences University
* Past president: Connie B. Diekman, MEd, RD, LD, FADA, director of University Nutrition, Washington University in St Louis
* Chair, ADA Foundation: Susan C. Finn, PhD, RD, FADA, chief executive officer, Finn Parks & Associates
* Speaker: Marsha K. Schofield, MS, RD, LD, supervisor, Summit County Health District
* Treasurer: Joyce A. Gilbert, PhD, RD, LD, owner/president, J. A. Gilbert Associates
* Director-at-large: Christina K. Biesemeier, MS, RD, LDN, FADA, manager, Clinical Nutrition Department, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Calendar
International Food Technology Conference
June 28-July 1, 2008
New Orleans, Louisiana
For more information, log on to http://www.am-fe.ift.org/cms.
2008 Diabetes and Obesity Disparities in Healthcare Systems Conference
June 30-July 1, 2008
Bethesda, Maryland
For more information, contact Amy Amerson at 301-670-4990 or [email protected].