Committee Members
Reza Hakkak
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, USA
Dr. Reza Hakkak is a Nutritionist, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition in the College of Health Professions, Professor of Pediatrics in the College of Medicine, and Professor of Department of Health Policy and Management in the College of Public Health at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Dr. Hakkak's research is primarily in the areas of basic nutrition science and nutrition education. His basic nutrition research interests include the influence of diet on cancer prevention, the influence of obesity on cancer promotion, the influence of obesity and diet on fatty liver promotion and prevention, and the effects of differing diets, obesity and nutrition on chemical carcinogenesis. For the past 15 years, his research interests have focused on relationship of obesity and diet to breast cancer development. Dr. Hakkak serves on several editorial boards for scientific journals, and more recently, he founded a new Journal is the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Obesity and Chronic Diseases. He has published 46 peer-reviewed research articles and more than 180 abstracts.
Andrea M.P. Romani
Case Western Reserve University, USA
Dr. Andrea M. P. Romani obtained his medical degree from Siena University, Italy, and his PhD from Turin University, Italy. He completed his postdoctoral studies under Dr. Scarpa, in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH. Dr. Romani is currently Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH. He has published approximately 90 peer review articles in high profile journals together with numerous invited reviews and book chapters. He is currently serving as an Editorial Board Member for the following journals: Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Magnesium Research, and World Journal of GastroIntestinalPhysioPathology. He is also serving as Abstract Reviewer for the Oxygen Society and the Endocrinology Society annual national meetings.
Shirin Hooshmand
San Diego State University, USA
Dr. Shirin Hooshmand is currently an Assistant Professor of Nutrition at the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University. She received her PhD and completed her post-doctoral training at Florida State University working in the area of nutrition, bone, and cartilage. Her current research interests include bone and calcium metabolism, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, and functional foods. She has published 32original articles in peer reviewed journals and presented more than 60 abstracts in national and international symposiums. Dr. Hooshmand’s current research focuses on the role of both natural and synthetic compounds in prevention and/or treatment of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
Sunil Mathur
Georgia Regents University, USA
Dr. Sunil Mathur is a Professor for Department of Biostatics and Epidemiology at the Georgia Regents University. Dr. Mathur is an academic editor of PLOS ONE, Special Issue Editor and Editorial Member of Journal of Translational Medicine & Epidemiology, Editorial Board Member of Global Journal of Medicine and Public Health, Editorial Board Member of Austin Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology, Associate Editor of International Journal of Statistics and Systems, and Global Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics and reviewer for several international journals. Dr. Mathur is a reviewer of grant applications for the Department of Defense and NIH. His research interests include Childhood Obesity, Cancer Research, Public Health, Nonparametric Statistics, Likelihood Procedures, Genomics, Biostatistics, and Epidemiology. Dr. Mathur is working in the area of pediatric obesity, the number of children who are overweight and obese is increasing rapidly world-wide, and the World Health Organization has declared obesity as one of the largest epidemics of modern times. Dr. Mathur is working to establish the association of several factors and obesity among children and examine the moderating role of birth weight, race, and maternal smoking status during pregnancy.
Youfa Wang
University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY), USA
Dr. Youfa Wang is a Professor of Epidemiology and Pediatrics at State University of New York at Buffalo. He is the Director of the Systems-oriented Global Childhood Obesity Intervention Program collaborated with institutions from several countries. Before joining University at Buffalo, he was Founding Director of Johns Hopkins Global Center on Childhood Obesity, original Principle Investigator of the U54 Center grant, and Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health and School of Medicine. At present, he is Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins, Peking University, etc. He is Principle Investigator of U54 Project 3. His research interests include Childhood Obesity, Health Disparities, Global Health, Systems Models, and Big Data. As an internationally-known expert, he has over 170 publications including about 150 peer reviewed papers, and some papers are cited 1400-2070 times. He has served on numerous national and international expert/review panels and leadership positions, including over 20 NIH grant review committees, a WHO Expert Committee helped developing new international child growth standards. He was Chair of American Society for Nutrition Nutritional Epidemiology Section. He is President of North America Chinese Society for Nutrition and Secretary/Treasurer of The Obesity Society Pediatric Obesity Section and will become Chair elect in fall 2015.
Dipali Sharma
Johns Hopkins University,USA
Dipali Sharma, PhD., is an Associate Professor of Oncology at The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins. Dr. Sharma’s research work focuses on various aspects of breast carcinogenesis. Her lab has made important contributions to the field of obesity-cancer connection and has established important links between adipocytokines and cancer progression; this understanding has had a major translational impact. To understand the molecular mechanisms involved in breast cancer progression, she is exploring genes, molecules, hormones and cellular processes that could cause and promote cancer. She is also studying the role and importance of adipocytokines and bioactive food components in breast carcinogenesis for the last several years. Innovation in her research is demonstrated by seminal discoveries in adipocytokines and bioactive compound research.