Smith named New Scholar in Aging by the Ellison Medical Foundation
Daniel L. Smith, Ph.D., instructor in the UAB Department of Nutrition Sciences, has been selected as an Ellison Medical Foundation New Scholar in Aging. The awards provide support for investigators in the first three years after their postdoctoral training, when they are establishing their own labs; the funds enable young scientists to staff laboratories, collect preliminary data and organize research programs of sufficient momentum to obtain ongoing support from other sources.
Smith is studying calorie restriction and glucose regulation. Growing evidence suggests that calorie restriction is associated with longevity. Studies indicate that reduction in glucose levels is a byproduct of calorie restriction and may be part of the mechanism by which it works. Smith is studying Acarbose, a compound that inhibits carbohydrate digestion and glucose absorption, to see if it can mimic the effects of calorie restriction in mice.
New Scholar candidates are nominated by U.S. medical institutions and universities for their outstanding promise in aging research. The Ellison Medical Foundation supports basic biomedical research on aging relevant to understanding lifespan-development processes and age-related diseases and disabilities.
Chandler-Laney chosen as Named New Investigator for NORC
Paula Chandler-Laney, Ph.D. has been selected as this year’s Named New Investigator for the UAB Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC). The center leadership selects among the funded pilot/feasibility recipients and then receives approval from National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases program, which funds NORC’s grant.Chandler-Laney is an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences. She joined the faculty in 2011 after transferring from a postdoctoral fellow. Her research program is focused on understanding pre- and early post-natal behavioral and metabolic predictors of childhood obesity.
The pilot project Chandler-Laney will work on in the next year is entitled “The use of a jaw motion sensor to objectively measure infant feeding behavior.” The study aims to examine the validity of the jaw motion sensor to estimate meal duration, sucking burst duration, sucking rate, and volume of intake among breast-fed and formula-fed infants.
“If successful, this pilot study will complement and enhance my research program by providing a novel and non-invasive measure of infant feeding behavior and energy intake,” said Chandler-Laney.
The first person to hold the new investigator distinction was Barbara Gower, Ph.D., who happens to be Chandler-Laney’s mentor.
