Research & Publications

Genes × Diet × Physical Activityfor Healthier Communities

BioNutriOmics integrates epidemiology, genomics, nutrition science, physical activity, and advanced analytics to investigate how genetic susceptibility, dietary intake, movement, and social determinants interact to influence chronic disease risk and health disparities.

A woman running beside a DNA helix and plant foods including tofu, lentils, chickpeas, beans, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds

Research Areas

Precision science with population impact.

Precision Nutrition

Our precision nutrition research examines how dietary patterns, nutrient composition, genetic susceptibility, metabolic characteristics, and lifestyle factors can inform more individualized approaches to nutrition and chronic disease prevention. This work also includes digital approaches to nutrition education, weight management, and health behavior change.

Selected Publications

Macronutrient Intake as a Mediator with FTO to Increase Body Mass Index View Publication
Carbohydrate Quality, Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, and Cardiometabolic Risks in the US, Europe, and Asia: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis View Publication
Smartphone Applications for Promoting Healthy Diet and Nutrition: A Literature Review View Publication

Genetic & Genomic Epidemiology

Our genetic and genomic epidemiology research investigates how inherited susceptibility contributes to chronic disease risk across populations. Studies include ancestry-specific polygenic risk scores, FTO genetic variation, dietary patterns, physical activity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Selected Publications

Ancestry Specific Polygenic Risk Score, Dietary Patterns, Physical Activity and Incident Type 2 Diabetes View Publication
Ancestry Specific Polygenic Risk Score, Dietary Patterns, Physical Activity, and Cardiovascular Disease View Publication
Analysis of Ancestry-Specific Polygenic Risk Score and Diet Composition in Type 2 Diabetes View Publication
Ancestry Specific Associations of a Genetic Risk Score, Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome: A Longitudinal ARIC Study View Publication
Ancestry Specific Associations of FTO Gene Variant and Metabolic Syndrome: A Longitudinal ARIC Study View Publication

Gene × Diet × Physical Activity Interactions

Our research examines how genetic susceptibility interacts with diet and physical activity to influence obesity and cardiometabolic risk. Studies include FTO genetic variation, macronutrient intake, ancestry-specific polygenic risk scores, dietary patterns, physical activity, BMI, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Selected Publications

Macronutrient Intake as a Mediator with FTO to Increase Body Mass Index View Publication
Ancestry Specific Polygenic Risk Score, Dietary Patterns, Physical Activity, and Cardiovascular Disease View Publication
Analysis of Ancestry-Specific Polygenic Risk Score and Diet Composition in Type 2 Diabetes View Publication
Ancestry Specific Associations of a Genetic Risk Score, Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome: A Longitudinal ARIC Study View Publication

Diabetes & Cardiometabolic Health

Our cardiometabolic research investigates genetic, nutritional, behavioral, anthropometric, and metabolic factors associated with type 2 diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and related cardiometabolic outcomes. Longitudinal and population-based studies examine how these factors contribute to differences in disease risk across populations.

Selected Publications

Ancestry Specific Polygenic Risk Score, Dietary Patterns, Physical Activity and Incident Type 2 Diabetes View Publication
Analysis of Ancestry-Specific Polygenic Risk Score and Diet Composition in Type 2 Diabetes View Publication
Ancestry Specific Associations of a Genetic Risk Score, Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome: A Longitudinal ARIC Study View Publication
Ancestry Specific Associations of FTO Gene Variant and Metabolic Syndrome: A Longitudinal ARIC Study View Publication
Best Anthropometric Discriminators of Incident Type 2 Diabetes among White and Black Adults: A Longitudinal ARIC Study View Publication

Cardiovascular Disease

Our cardiovascular research examines genetic susceptibility, dietary patterns, physical activity, glycemic exposures, and other factors associated with cardiovascular and cardiometabolic outcomes. Additional research examines cardiovascular complications associated with cancer treatment.

Selected Publications

Ancestry Specific Polygenic Risk Score, Dietary Patterns, Physical Activity, and Cardiovascular Disease View Publication
Association of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load with Risk of Incident Coronary Heart Disease among Whites and African Americans with and without Type 2 Diabetes: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study View Publication
Cardiac Toxicity Associated with Anthracycline-Containing Chemotherapy in Older Women with Breast Cancer View Publication

Cancer

Our cancer research examines treatment, survival, treatment-related complications, hospice care, and cancer outcomes using large population-based healthcare datasets. Research includes non-small cell lung cancer and breast cancer, with particular attention to differences in treatment and outcomes across patient populations.

Selected Publications

Racial Disparities and Treatment Trends in a Large Cohort of Elderly Black and White Patients with Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer View Publication
Racial Disparities and Survival for Nonsmall-Cell Lung Cancer in a Large Cohort of Black and White Elderly Patients View Publication
Racial Disparities in the Use of Hospice Services According to Geographic Residence and Socioeconomic Status in an Elderly Cohort with Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer View Publication
Racial Disparities in Length of Stay in Hospice Care by Tumor Stage in a Large Elderly Cohort with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer View Publication
Cardiac Toxicity Associated with Anthracycline-Containing Chemotherapy in Older Women with Breast Cancer View Publication

Health Disparities & Social Determinants

Our research examines racial, socioeconomic, geographic, and healthcare-related differences in chronic disease treatment and outcomes. Cancer studies have investigated disparities in treatment, survival, hospice utilization, stage at diagnosis, socioeconomic status, and other factors that may contribute to differences in health outcomes.

Selected Publications

Socioeconomic and Racial Disparities in Cancer Stage at Diagnosis, Tumor Size, and Clinical Outcomes in a Large Cohort of Women with Breast Cancer, 2007–2016 View Publication
Racial Disparities and Treatment Trends in a Large Cohort of Elderly Black and White Patients with Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer View Publication
Racial Disparities and Survival for Nonsmall-Cell Lung Cancer in a Large Cohort of Black and White Elderly Patients View Publication
Racial Disparities in the Use of Hospice Services According to Geographic Residence and Socioeconomic Status in an Elderly Cohort with Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer View Publication
Racial Disparities in Length of Stay in Hospice Care by Tumor Stage in a Large Elderly Cohort with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer View Publication

Population Health

Our population health research uses large longitudinal cohorts, population-based healthcare datasets, and epidemiologic methods to investigate chronic disease risk, treatment patterns, health outcomes, and disparities. This work spans diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, nutrition, genetics, physical activity, and health behavior across diverse populations.

Selected Publications

Ancestry Specific Associations of a Genetic Risk Score, Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome: A Longitudinal ARIC Study View Publication
Best Anthropometric Discriminators of Incident Type 2 Diabetes among White and Black Adults: A Longitudinal ARIC Study View Publication
Association of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load with Risk of Incident Coronary Heart Disease among Whites and African Americans with and without Type 2 Diabetes: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study View Publication
Racial Disparities and Treatment Trends in a Large Cohort of Elderly Black and White Patients with Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer View Publication
Smartphone Applications for Promoting Healthy Diet and Nutrition: A Literature Review View Publication

Selected publications

Published research.

Human Genomics · 2026

Ancestry-Specific Polygenic Risk Score, Dietary Patterns, Physical Activity and Incident Type 2 Diabetes

Research on genetic susceptibility, dietary patterns, physical activity, and incident type 2 diabetes.

View the published study

Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities · 2020

Socioeconomic and Racial Disparities in Cancer Stage at Diagnosis, Tumor Size, and Clinical Outcomes in Women with Breast Cancer

Research examining socioeconomic and racial disparities in breast-cancer diagnosis and clinical outcomes.

View the published study

BioNutriOmics capability statement

Research expertise for mission-driven work.

View / Download BioNutriOmics Capability Statement