Overview

Nutritional care is an essential component for the management of genetic disorders, which has been validated by numerous studies and become increasingly important with the adoption of expanded newborn screening.

Developing a comprehensive, research-based nutrition program that can serve as a national model is one of the driving forces in my career. As part of that commitment, I serve as the principal investigator for the Southeast Regional Genetics Network (SERN), which addresses gaps in genetic services and is funded through the federal Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA).

In addition, I foster collaborative research with investigators and clinicians throughout the U.S., spearheading evidence- and consensus-based guidelines for nutrition, metabolism, and rare genetic disorders. These guidelines were accepted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and are available to providers worldwide to improve patient outcomes.

Our metabolic clinic brings together a large pool of patients with rare diseases, creating a unique clinical, teaching, and research resource for students, clinicians, and researchers. In 2019, we became the first institution to offer both post-masters and post-doctoral nutrition clinical research fellowship training in this specialized field and are now expanding global training utilizing Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) model through electronic Genetic Nutrition Academy (eGNA).

Our research focuses on the development of nutritional treatment recommendations that promote optimal growth and development and prevent adverse neurological and health consequences in individuals with genetic metabolic disorders.

Academic Appointment

• Professor, Human Genetics, Emory University
• Professor, Department of Pediatrics,, Emory University
• Faculty, Nutrition and Health Sciences, Emory University

Education

Research