
Professor of Nutritional Sciences
Director of Undergraduate Certificate in Global Health
B.S. 1983, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
M.S. 1987, Iowa State University
Ph.D. 1993, Iowa State University
- Synthesis of 13C2-Retinyl Acetate and Dose Preparation for Retinol Isotope Dilution Tests
- Reevaluating vitamin A for measles management in high-income settings
- Perspective: Framework for Developing Prediction Equations for Estimating the Absorption and Bioavailability of Nutrients from Foods
- Metabolomics profiling of hypervitaminosis A in South African preschoolers is characterised by modified serum lysophospholipids and oxylipins
- Association between vitamin A status, inflammations, and infections in children 36-59 months of age in rural Burkina Faso: A cross - sectional study
- Retinol Isotope Dilution Testing in Population-Based Surveys: Are We There Yet?
- Vitamin D Maintains Growth and Bone Mineral Density against a Background of Severe Vitamin A Deficiency and Moderate Toxicity in a Swine Model
- Repeated High-Dose Vitamin A Supplements, Standard of Care for Treating Xerophthalmia, Leads to Hypervitaminosis A in Piglets
- A Correlation Study of Plasma and Breast Milk Retinol Concentrations in Breastfeeding Women in China
- A comparative study on indicators of vitamin A status and risk factors for sensitivity and specificity of the methods to detect vitamin A deficiency
The Vitamin A Assessment Laboratory is a progressive research and outreach team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Department of Nutritional Sciences. The laboratories have two main research foci. These include vitamin A assessment methodology and carotenoid bioavailability. Often the two overlap when investigating provitamin A carotenoids. The research group works with a number of animal models (i.e., gerbils, rats, pigs and monkeys) to answer various questions on issues related to vitamin A toxicity and deficiency. Moreover, the team does not stop there, but they take the research outcomes and apply them to the human model. In that regard, the team has conducted studies in humans in the United States, Indonesia, South Africa, Ghana, and Burkina Faso. The lab strongly advocates the promotion of vegetables and fruits to enhance overall health and general well-being. Current research efforts in this regard are the interaction of anthocyanins in cranberries and purple carrots with carotenoid uptake and clearance. The team has developed educational materials to enhance the intake of locally grown produce in the state of Wisconsin with special emphasis on cranberries. Some of these materials have been disseminated to other states.