Journal of Obesity and Overweight

Dr. Charles C. Muscoplat is presently working as a Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at University of Minnesota in United States. He is a member of McKnight Presidential Leadership Endowed Chair. He is working as a Chair of University of Minnesota Committee for Pharmaceutical Development. He is also working as a Chief Executive Officer in TransD a new formed start-up company to undertake development of new drug formulations of vitamin d for treatment of certain orphan disease patients with severe intractable vitamin d deficiency.  He is a member in various International societies. He worked as a member of Intellectual Property Commitment Committee. 

Research: His research interests includes Nutrigenomics Gene diet interactions Vitamin D

Dr. Asish K. Saha is presently working as a Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at Boston University, USA. He is also working as a Director of the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology core at Boston University. He also worked as Principal Liaison of the Diabetes Section at Boston University with the laboratories of Professors Marc Prentki (University of Montreal: Studies of malonyl CoA decarboxylase), E. W. Kraegen (Garvan Institute, Australia: Characterization of AMPK, malonyl CoA and insulin resistance in a glucose-infused rodent model) and Suad Efendic and Peter Bavenholm (Karolinska Institute, Stockholm) on various funded projects. He had also participated in joint research efforts with the laboratories of Erik Richter (University of Copenhagen), C. Ronald Kahn (Harvard Medical School), and Robert Sherwin and Rory McCrimmon (Yale). In addition, he is an integral contributor to program grants dealing with Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in his role as a Director.

Research: His research interests are Diabetes and AMP-activated protein kinase/malonyl CoA mechanism and its dysregulation in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome.

Dr. Tiffany Stewart is presently working as an Associate Professor at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center (PBRC) in Baton Rouge, LA, Unites States and a licensed psychologist in the state of Louisiana. She has earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Louisiana State University.  She has a research program that focuses on eating disorders, body image, and obesity, with a focus on the assessment, treatment, and prevention of these issues. She is also a director of the Behavior Technology Laboratory; Eating Disorders and Obesity, at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and serves as Founder and CSO of Body Evolution Technologies Inc., a VC-funded entrepreneurial venture (formed as a result of scientific discovery at Pennington Biomedical) dedicated to taking e-health assessment, prevention, and treatment technologies from bench to bedside. She has four ongoing body image and eating disorder studies. She has spearheaded unique, large, multi-site prevention studies that have included the development and deployment of novel technologies for behavior change. She is also served as a Co-I for the NIH-sponsored multi-site CALERIE study, overseeing screening and body image and eating safety monitoring via technology, she developed and tested in previous studies (Body Morph Assessment), as well as examining the relationship between calorie restriction, body image, and eating disorder development.

Research: Her research interests are Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment of body image, eating disorders, and obesity, Technology based assessment, prevention/treatment programs for these issues. 

Dr. Kequan Zhou is presently working as a Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Wayne State University, United States. He had received his Medical Degree in Preventive Medicine at Shangdong Medical University in 1998, Master Degree in Food Science in Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2001, and PhD in Food Science at University of Maryland-College Park in 2005. Dr. Zhou’s research focuses on value-added nutraceutical and functional food development for promoting human health.  His group is working on the identification and development of novel bioactive food components, understanding specific functionalities and mechanisms in potential prevention and treatment of chronic diseases in particular Type 2 diabetes. Dr. Zhou has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers in the field with over 2000 citations. He currently serves as an Editorial Board member of various peer-reviewed journals including Journal of Food Chemistry and Nutrition; Food Science and Nutrition; E-chemistry; and Diseases.

Research: His research interests are Isolation, Identification, and Development of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods Diabetes and Obesity Prevention and Treatment Natural Antioxidants Prebiotics and Probiotics

Dr. Ryszard Pluta is presently working as a Professor in Mossakowski Medical Research Centre at Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland. He is also a Visiting Professor in Medical University Lublin, University of Belgrade, and Charles University. He is a member of associations like Polish Neuroscience Society, International Society for Brain Edema Research and New York Academy of Sciences. He is also a Member of Organizing Committee in 14th Conference of Brain Edema, Warsaw, Poland. He is a Reviewer of many International Journals. He has more than 140 publications and 264 presentations under his name. He also acted as Advisor and Tutor in Master and Phd Thesis.

Research: His research interests are Neurology, Neuropathology, Brain ischemia, Alzheimer's disease, Treatment and Genome.

Dr. Xu-Feng Huang is a Deputy Executive Director (Scientific) of the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) at University of Wollongong in Australia. He is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee and Convener of the Developmental Neurobiology Panel of the Schizophrenia Research Institute. He was the Foundation Scientific Director (Metabolic Theme) at IHMRI and a member of the External Advisory Board of AstraZeneca Sweden. He has been involved in decision-making in high-level UOW committees, including Senate and the Gene Technology Regulatory Committee and Associate Head of the School of Health Sciences. He has served on the NHMRC Grant Review Panel and the ARC ERA Panel. He is currently an ARC Australian Reader. He is a grant assessor for nationally competitive grants, including ARC, NHMRC, and Diabetes Australia. He is an Editorial Board member of 3 international journals, and a reviewer for 13 international scholarly journals. His research interests are the neuropathology and neuropharmacology of severe mental disorders, body weight control, and type 2 diabetes. His multidisciplinary research experience includes neurobiology, nanotechnology, drug delivery, chemistry and clinical studies. His expertise lies in molecular neurobiology, receptor binding assays, beta imager analysis, animal models, cell culture, immunohistochemistry and histopathology.

Dr. Konstantinos Kantartzis is presently working as an Consultant in Internal Medicine and Senior Research Scientist of the Clinical Research Team in the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Nephrology, Vascular Medicine and Clinical Chemistry and in the Paul-Langerhans-Institute, Member of the German Centre for Diabetes Research, at the University of Tübingen, Germany (Head: Professor H.-U. Häring).  He had received MSc and MD in endocrinology and metabolism from the University of Athens, Greece.His research interests include genetics and prevention of type 2 diabetes and the impact of adiposity and body fat distribution, in particular fat accumulation in the liver (fatty liver), on the production and action of adipokines and eventually on insulin sensitivity. He has published over 50 articles in peer-reviewed journals, with a cumulative impact factor over 230 and has received over 1500 citations (current h-index).

Dr. Yu Huang is presently working as an Professor of Biomedical Sciences in School of Biomedical Sciences at Chinese University of Hong Kong, China. He is the founding Director (Basic Sciences) of Institute of Vascular Medicine at Chinese University of Hong Kong and he is currently the President of Asian Society for Vascular Biology. He had received his B.Sc. degree from Fudan University Shanghai Medical School and PhD degree from University of Cambridge. His team has been actively exploring clinically-relevant research aiming to elucidate cellular and molecular events involved in the initiation and progression of endothelial cell dysfunction in hypertension, obesity, diabetes, estrogen deficiency and ageing, to uncover novel relevant biomarkers for vascular pathogenesis, and to develop venues to reverse vascular dysfunction in animal models of cardio-metabolic disorder, as well as to train top-quality research students. He has co-authored 335 peer-reviewed publications in SCI-indexed journals. He has so far served as the editor, associate editor, and editorial board member for 35 journals. 

Dr. Baojun Xu is presently working as a Associate Professor in Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (UIC), China. He is also Associate Director of UIC Key Lab -Laboratory for Health Promotion Mechanism of Medicinal Food and Folk Remedy. He also received Ph.D from Department of Food Science in Chungnam National University, South Korea, in 2005. He conducted postdoctoral research work in Department of Cereal and Food Science in North Dakota State University in 2005-2008, followed by postdoctoral research work in Department of Veterinary Clinical in Purdue University, and Gerald P. Murphy Cancer Foundation during 2008-2009. As a visiting scholar, he did two months short term research work in North Dakota State University in 2012, and University of Georgia in 2014, respectively.  He owns memberships of American Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), American Chemical Society (ACS), and senior membership of Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology. He is also serving as Associate Editor-in-Chief of Food Science and Human Wellness, Regional Editor of Advance Journal of Food Science and Technology; Editorial Board Members of Food Science & Nutrition, International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Austin Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences, The Open Nutraceuticals Journal, International Journal of Research in Agriculture and Food Sciences, Journal of Chem and Biochemistry World, and International Journal of Medicinal Mushroom.  He is also working as peer-reviewers for over 20 international English journals. During the past 15 years, over 80 peer-reviewed papers authored and co-authored by Dr. Xu have been published in the international journals. The papers have been widely cited.

Research: His research interests are to understand health promoting effects of phytochemicals. Specific interests include: Health benefits (targeted at aging, cancers, obesity, and diabetes) assessment of phytochemicals from legumes, fruits, vegetables, traditional Chinese medicines through in vitro animal cell models. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of bioactive food components in disease prevention. Development of novel health promoting products.

Dr. Carlos Alberto Nogueira De Almeida is presently working as an Professor in Department of Paediatric Nutrition and in Brazilian Association of Nutrition at University of Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.  He is graduated in Medicine from the University of São Paulo (1990), Master of Pediatrics, University of São Paulo (1997) and Doctor of Pediatrics, University of São Paulo (2001). He also has experience in the area of medicine, with emphasis on Obesity, Health Education, Metabolic Syndrome, Anemia and Iron Deficiency, acting on the following topics: obesity, nutrition, nutritional assessment, children and anemia. He’s also works as an Advisory Boards of member food companies and pharmaceutical industries. He is also a member of The Canadian Obesity Network. He is also a Full Membership in International Colleges for the Advancement of Nutrology. He has published more than 50 scientifics journals under his name.

Dr. Hainer is working as a senior scientist at the Obesity Management Center, Institute of Endocrinology in Prague, Czech Republic. Over more than thirty years his career (as Associate Professor) was associated with the Departments of Medicine at The First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague. During the period 2002-2011, he acted as a director of the Institute of Endocrinology in Prague. In 1993 he co-founded the Czech Society for the Study of Obesity, of which he was the first president. His extensive international responsibilities included Obesity Management Task Force of the European Association for the Study of Obesity /EASO/ (2001 – ongoing), president-elect (2003-2006) and president (2006-2009) of the EASO. He has been a member of editorial boards of several medical journals. He participated in organizing the European Congresses on Obesity (ECO), the Congresses on Controversies to Consensus in Diabetes, Obesity and Hypertension (CODHy), Central European Congresses on Obesity (CECON) and the Round Table Meetings on Obesity Management. He was an author of several textbooks on obesity and co-author of the Guidelines on Obesity Management in Europe. He has published over 200 papers in medical journals. 

Research: His research interests are Very low energy diets (VLED), obesity management in severely obese patients, factors affecting the outcome of obesity treatment, weight cycling, genetic and environmental aspects of weight change in obesity, eating behavior and health risks, obesity in adolescence, anti-obesity drugs, hormonal and metabolic response to bariatric surgery.   

Dr. Zayde Alcicek is presently working as an Associate Professor in Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technology at Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey. She did Ph.D in Institute of Science, Ankara University, Turkey. She also worked as a Research Assistant in The University of Auckland, New Zealand in 2011. She also had a Scientific Membership in Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). She also received International Award presented by THE UNIVERSITY of AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND. Her articles also got citation in SCI, SSCI. She also delivered a Postal Presentation in Novel Approaches in Food Industry (NAFI). She also received a Scholarship award granted by TUBITAK at University of Auckland, New Zealand (August 2011-July 2012). Her areas of Expertise are Seafood microbiology, Seafood processing, Computer based image analysis, Seafood quality control.

Dr. Uma D Palanisamy is presently working as a Associate Professor in Department of Biomedical Science at Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Monah University, Malaysia. Prior to joining Monash, she was in SIRIM for a period of 17 years, where she has carried out extensive work to aid natural product research in Malaysia. Her research expertise are in screening local natural resources for its cosmeceutical, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical content and to develop medium-throughput screening techniques particularly to identify antioxidants, antipsoriatics, antiarthritics, antiglycemic, antifungals - to name a few. She was also attached to a Japanese Pharmaceutical company for a period of six months where she purified antifungals and immunomodulant bioactives from soil microorganisms. She pursued her PhD at Cambridge on a project designing affinity ligands for the selective binding of the glycoprotein pharmaceuticals. She presented her work orally at the 12th International Conference on Affinity Techniques in Kalmar, Sweden in 1997 and was awarded First Prize in the Young Scientists section. 

Dr. Shamsun Nahar is working as a Professor of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She completed her MBBS from Dhaka Medical College and MPH from National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine in Bangladesh. She proceeded to UK for further studies and got MSc in Public Health (MCH) from university of London and PhD in Reproductive Health from the University of Cambridge UK. She has more than twenty-five years of teaching and research experience. She has worked with many international institutions like WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, DFID -UK, FPAB, The Futures Group International ADB, Save the Children USA and was consultant in many important researches. Her research interests include Maternal and Child Health and Reproductive Health. She is reviewer of many national and international journals. She is member of many well known societies and boards such as Perinatal Society, Bangladesh; Bangladesh Association of Maternal & neonatal Health; Epidemiology Society, Bangladesh; Data and Safety Monitoring Board of Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA. Member of Editorial Board for Saudi Journal of Obesity.

Dr. Omar A. Obeid is presently working as a Professor of Human Nutrition in Department of Nutrition and Food Science at American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He also worked in UNICEF and WHO public health expert in the field of Nutrition. He has 24 years of experience in the field of Nutrition and Food Science. He has completed PhD in Nutrition at King's College London, University of London, UK. He had worked as Principal Investigator in various research grants at American University of Beirut. He has delivered more than 40 invited lectures in various countries. He has supervised more than 35 theses till now and 2 PhD students.

Research: His research interests are Human Nutrition and Metabolism Relation between eating behavior and metabolic syndrome, including diabetes Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and metabolic syndrome Effect (acute and chronic) of dietary (nutrients) manipulation on the different components of the metabolic syndrome

Dr. Winnie Chan is currently working as a Specialist Renal Dietitian and a Research Lead in the Department of Nutrition & Dietetics at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom.  She previously worked as a Senior Dietitian in the fields of Hepatology, Obesity, Diabetes, Nephrology, Cardiology, Neurology, and Gastroenterology.  She received her Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics from King’s College, University of London.  She completed her PhD study at the University of Birmingham.  She has a particular clinical and research interest in kidney transplantation and adult polycystic kidney disease.  She has published in the field, and has presented at numerous national and international conferences.

Research: Her research areas include: Nutritional assessment in kidney transplant recipients. Effects of different body composition compartments, including fat mass, muscle mass and fluid volume status, on post-transplantation clinical outcomes, fatigue, and quality of life. The link between nutrition, inflammation and cardiovascular risk in kidney transplant recipients. Nutritional support in adult polycystic kidney disease patients.

Dr. Ali Rafe is presently working as an Assistant Professor of Food Engineering at Research Institute of Food Science & Technology, Iran. He is also working as Research Assistant in Research Institute of Food Science & Technology. He also worked as Research Scholar in Department of chemical and Bimolecular Engineering in North Carolina State University (NCSU) for six months as a J-1 Exchange visitor. He has completed PhD in Food Engineering at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM), Iran. He had almost 14 peer reviewed articles in his name. He had delivered eight conference presentations in various institutions. He is also an Editorial Board member and reviewer in many International journals.

Research: His research interests includes Food Hydrocolloids (Rheology and functional properties) Food Engineering, Membrane technology & its application in edible oil industry