Vanamala, J (PI) Specialty Potato as an Effective Delivery Mechanism for Bioactive Anthocyanins to Promote Energy Balance - An Integrated Approach. USDA-NRI - Integrated, $712,600, Dec 2008 - Dec 2012

Allen, K. (P.I.) Premature birth and docosahexaenoic acid enriched functional foods. USDA-IFAFS, $1,200,000, 9/00-8/04. (Co-Inv.: Harris, M., Anderson, J., and Auld, G.)

Allen, K. (P.I.) N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and human health and disease. USDA, $55,000, 10/01/02-9/30/07. (Co-Inv.: Harris, M.)

Anderson, J. (P.I.) Spanish fight BAC internet and DVD training for home-based child care providers. USDA-IFAFS, $70,929 subcontract, 10/00-10/9/03.

Anderson, J. (P.I.) Colorado Nutrition Network nutrition education plan. USDA-FSP, $2,443,107, 10/1/02-9/30/03. (Co-Inv.: Wilken, K., Gould, S., Romaniello, C., Beckstrom, L.)

Bellows, L. (P.I.) Happy feet and healthy eats. The Colorado Trust, $119,310, 9/02-8/05. (Co-Inv.: Beckstrom, L.)

Bellows, L. (P.I.) Happy feet and healthy eats. Caring for Colorado Foundation, $150,000, 10/02-9/04. (Co-Inv.: Johnson, S., Beckstrom, L.)

Campfield, L.A. (P.I.) Shaping health behaviors through science enrichment. NIH, $950,000, 10/00-9/03. (Co-Inv.: Smith, F., Miller, J.)

Harris, M. (P.I.) The effect of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on inflammatory mediators and matrix metalloproteinase levels in dogs with osteoarthritis after surgical correction of acute anterior cruciate ligament rupture. Ralston Purina, $45,986, 6/00-5/02. (Co-Inv.: Hansen, R., Ogilvie, G., Fettman, M., Allen, K., Pluhar, G., and Fitch, R.)

Kendall, P. (Co-P.I.) Optimization of antimicrobials for control of Listeria monocytogenes for acceptable pork product quality. National Pork Producers Council, $25,000, 4/01/02-4/04/03. (P.I.: Sofos, J.; Co-Inv.: Belk, K., Smith, G.)

Kendall, P. (P.I). Food safety for the immune suppressed/compromised: A Multi-media approach. USDA-CSREES, $588,049, 10/01/01-09/30/04. (Co-Inv.: Medeiros, L., Hillers, V., Chen, G., Bergmann, V.)

Kendall, P. (Co-P.I.) Design and evaluation of food safety education for high risk audiences. USDA-CSREES, $225,000 ($60,424 subcontract to CSU), 10/01/01-09/30/04. (P.I.: Medeiros, L.; Co-Inv.: Hillers, V., Chen, G., Bergmann, V.)

Kendall, P. (P.I.) Food safety begins on the farm in Colorado. USDA-CSREES (via sub-contract with Cornell University), $18,714, 10/01/00-9/14/02.

Kendall, P. (Co-P.I.) Minimizing the risk of listeria monocytogenes and other pathogens in dried foods. USDA-CSREES, $479,223, 9/00-9/03. (P.I.: Sofos, J.; Co-Inv.: Smith, G., and Samelis, J.)

Kendall, P. (Co-P.I.) Food safety risks and critical control points for stressed bacterial pathogens. USDA-CSREES, $190,920, 9/99-8/02. (P.I.: Sofos, J.; Co-Inv.: Smith, G.)

Kendall, P. (P.I.) Development & validation of instruments to evaluate food safety education. USDA-CSREES, $64,000 subcontract, 10/99-10/02. (P.I. Medeiros, L.; Co-Inv.: Hillers, V.)

Melby, C. (Co-Inv.) Post-exercise protein feeding: role in recovery from eccentric exercise. Slimfast Nutrition Institute, $36,733, 1/01-12/02. (P.I.: Hickey, M.; Co-Inv.: Israel, R.)

• Program ENERGY Education, Nutrition, Exercise and Recreation for Growing Youth Obesity and type 2 diabetes prevention through science enrichment in elementary schools.
• Obesity-Enhanced Colon Cancer: Functional Food Compounds and their Mechanisms of Action Obese condition promotes colon cancer development. Over 45,000 cancer deaths annually in the US are due to colon cancer. Colon cancer strikes both men and women equally. We are identifying markers in colon cancer cells/tissue during obese and non-obese conditions that could be used to identify men/women at high risk for colon cancer or that could be used for evidence-based chemoprevention strategies. As plant based diet is protective against variety of cancers, his laboratory is exploring anti-cancer properties of bioactive compounds found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and herbs. Colored Potato Anthocyanins and Carotenoids: Inflammation and energy balance Recent evidence suggests that colonic inflammation promotes systemic inflammation and visceral adiposity. Excess visceral fat and systemic inflammation plays a critical role in development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart problems. In collaboration with Texas A&M University, North Carolina State University, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, and San Luis Valley Research Center, we plan to determine whether or not colored potato bioactive carotenoids and/or anthocyanins exhibit anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and energy-balance-promoting effects in a live pig model, particularly after processing (raw vs. baking, chipping, and French frying), as part of a multi-institutional USDA NRI Integrated project (2008- 2012). Dr. Vanamala says, "The long-term goal of my research is to optimize the health profiles of food products and provide modern evidence for ancient wisdom on diet and disease." USDA NRI Integrated funded, Dec 2009 - Dec 2012
• Premature birth and docosahexaenoic acid enriched functional foods: The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University has received a 1.2 million $ grant from the US Department of Agriculture to study the effect of essential fatty acids in the diet on premature delivery. In collaboration with Denver Health Hospital, this project will examine how diet fatty acids affect premature delivery in 1200 pregnant women in the Denver area over a four year period. Pregnant women who enroll in this study will be given a nutritional bar containing various amounts of the nutritionally important fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The nutritional bar is being provided by OmegaTech, Boulder Colorado, a company which is a leader in developing foods and food products with increased DHA content. The study will determine what level of DHA is needed to prevent premature delivery and how DHA affects prostaglandin hormones that are important in pregnancy and delivery. Premature delivery occurs in about 300,000 births annually in the US and accounts for several billion dollars in health care costs. Premature delivery is an especially important problem in Colorado which has one of the highest rates in the US, and preventing premature delivery will improve infant weight at birth, and reduce the serious health problems of the premature baby by increasing pregnancy duration. Obesity and Hepatic Steatosis: Steatosis, is the earliest and most prevalent stage of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Although steatosis generally has a benign outcome, some individuals develop progressive liver injury (steatohepatitis or NASH). A large majority of obese patients have hepatic steatosis and ~30% have NASH. The specific aim of this project is to elucidate how saturated fatty acids in the steatotic liver lead to increased liver cell injury. NIH funded. Nutrient Effects on Insulin Action: Organisms reprogram metabolic pathways to adapt to changes in nutrient availability, hormonal milieu and energy demands. This requires that stimuli are sensed and highly specific responses engaged. We propose that in the liver, the mitogen-activated protein kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), links excessive nutrient metabolism with impaired insulin regulation of glucose production. This aims of this project are to a) determine the cellular effectors of fructose-induced activation of JNK and insulin resistance and b) examine the role and regulation of the JNK signaling module in fructose-induced insulin resistance. The results from these studies will provide novel insight into nutrient regulation of signaling networks within the hepatocyte and to the etiology of metabolic diseases, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, that have environmentally-based etiologies and are characterized by hepatic insulin resistance. NIH funded.
• Regulation of Hepatic Glucose Metabolism by the Endoplasmic Reticulum: Type 2 diabetes is characterized by impairments in insulin secretion and insulin action, as well as overproduction of glucose by the liver. Recent evidence suggests that endoplasmic reticulum stress can induce impairments in both insulin secretion and insulin action. The of this project is to examine the effects of endoplasmic reticulum stress on hepatic glucose production. NIH funded.
• Prenatal Hypoxia and Development of Insulin Resistance: This is a collaborative project with Dr. Russell Anthony in the Dept. of Biomedical Sciences who is the principal investigator. Epidemiological studies provide compelling evidence for a link between low birth weight and adult diseases, such as coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This project examines the hypothesis that prenatal hypoxia alters postnatal metabolism ultimately resulting in insulin resistance. NIH funded. The Role of Plants in the Treatment of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: This is a collaborative project with Dr. Jorge Vivanco in the Dept. of Horticulture. The rhizosphere is a densely populated area in which plant roots must compete with invading root systems of neighboring plants for space, water, and mineral nutrients, and with other soil-borne organisms, including bacteria and fungi. Root exudates initiate and manipulate biological and physical interactions between roots and soil organisms, and thus play an active role in root-root and root-microbe communication. The aim of this project is to determine whether compounds in root exudates can influence fat accumulation and/or insulin action in liver, skeletal muscle and/or adipose tissue. USDA and NIH funded

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Abstract: As the 21st century unfolds, discovery in the life sciences is accelerating at an unprecedented rate. Simultaneously, fiscal constraints at the state and national levels require that research universities, like Colorado State University (CSU), reexamine their "portfolios" with an eye to identifying critical scientific gaps in order to establish 21st century research niches. Towards this end, faculty, representing at least 11 departments and 4 colleges at CSU, propose that agriculture sciences focused on functional foods and metabolic disease research be merged into an interdisciplinary research effort. The technology that will drive this effort is mass spectrometry-based Metabolomics, defined as the global study and identification of metabolites in biologic samples. This emerging technology, which is not currently available at CSU, has the capacity to provide comprehensive insight into the metabolic state of an organism by detecting the full suite of metabolites that are expressed. Our objectives are to establish 1) a Metabolomics research facility including equipment, supplies and personnel, and 2) an interdisciplinary research consortium in agriculture and metabolic diseases, that capitalizes on the power of this technology through a pilot research grant program, annual research meeting and partnerships with industry and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. This Consortium will undertake a focused, interdisciplinary research effort that will seek to identify metabolites 1) in humans that serve as biomarkers for or causes of metabolic diseases and 2) in foods from plants and animals that help prevent the development, delay the onset or reduce the severity of metabolic diseases. This comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach will lead to new and increased external research grants, an externally funded interdisciplinary graduate training program, and a Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Agriculture and Metabolic Diseases.