T32 Metabolism and Nutrition Training Program (MANTP) alum Dr. Reji Babygirija was awarded a UW Distinguished Research Fellowship for her postdoctoral work related to the RISE-THRIVE initiative.
The intent of the UW DRF Program is to support exceptional emerging scholars from around the world in collaborative research that takes place at UW–Madison and spans two distinct units (schools, colleges, centers), and that synergizes distinct disciplinary approaches. The fellowships will guide new research efforts to answer important and impactful challenges facing society.
Dr. Babygirja recently completed her PhD under the mentorship of N&M and MANTP faculty trainer Dr. Dudley Lamming, studying the impact of dietary interventions in slowing or preventing Alzheimer’s disease progression using pre-clinical mouse models. She is now a postdoc postdoc in the WiSLiM Lab with N&M and MANTP trainer Dr. David Harris and in collaboration with Dr. Sam Gellman.
“I’m extending [my predoctoral] work to investigate how novel incretin mimetics and surgical weight loss interventions influence brain health and [Alzheimer’s disease] via gut brain axis. I am grateful to receive the UW Distinguished Research Fellowship, which is a major milestone toward my goal of becoming an independent investigator…Ultimately my goal is to identify novel therapeutic targets to promote healthier aging and prevent cognitive decline.” – Dr. Reji Babygirija
