Our Keynote Speakers:
Stay tuned for further information and talk titles.
Dr. Ruth M. Barrientos, PhD is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Health as well as Neuroscience at The Ohio State University’s Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research. A behavioral neuroscientist by training, she completed her PhD at George Washington University and postdoctoral work at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she specialized in behavioral neuroimmunology with an emphasis on the aging brain. Her research focuses on how everyday physiological insults, such as infections, surgery, or high-fat diets, precipitate exaggerated neuroinflammatory responses in aged brains, impairing memory by compromising mechanisms like BDNF signaling and synaptic plasticity. Her lab is especially known for demonstrating that lifestyle interventions, such as exercise or dietary adjustments, can desensitize microglia and protect cognitive function in aging.
At the 2025 Foods for Health Annual Meeting, Dr. Barrientos will present her pioneering findings on how diet-related inflammation influences neurocognitive health in aging populations. Her work connects to practical approaches to promote brain resilience through diet and lifestyle in later life, a vital contribution to advancing health through informed food-related policies and practices.
Dr. Barrientos on LinkedIn
Kyle Burger, PhD, MPH, RD, is a prominent behavioral neuroscientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center and faculty member at MindCORE, University of Pennsylvania. He holds a PhD in Nutritional Sciences, a Master of Public Health in Behavioral Sciences, and is a registered dietitian. As the director of the Neuropsychology of Ingestive Behavior Laboratory, Dr. Burger integrates human neuroimaging with behavioral measures, such as food reinforcement learning, implicit and explicit behaviors, and cognitive function, to deepen understanding of how responses to food cues emerge and shape food choices, eating behaviors, and associated psychological or physiological outcomes. His work spans the lifespan, aiming to identify risk factors for obesity and weight-related diseases across developmental stages.
At the 2025 Foods for Health Annual Meeting, Dr. Burger will bring his cutting-edge research to the forefront, delivering insights into the neural and behavioral mechanisms that drive ingestive behavior. His work connects neuroscience with nutrition, offering both depth and application for professionals invested in advancing health through informed food choices.
Dr. Burger on LinkedIn
Our Afternoon Flash Talk Speakers:
An apple a day: developing a crop nutritional improvement strategy for America’s favorite fruit
Dr. Jessica Cooperstone is an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University in Food Science and Technology, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. Her research explores how compounds in plant-based foods, particularly tomatoes, influence human health. By using metabolomics and other analytical tools, she studies how growing conditions and processing affect nutritional quality, aiming to improve both crop traits and health outcomes.
Enhancing the nutritional and processing potential of cereal fibers: Refining physicochemical properties and unravelling structure-function relationships to promote gut health
Dr. Emmanuel Hatzakis is an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University, Department of Food Science and Technology, specializing in food chemistry and metabolomics. His research uses advanced NMR spectroscopy to study food composition, authenticity, and the health-related properties of bioactive compounds. He also explores ways to reduce food waste by developing value-added products.
Smarter Lipidomics: AI Automation for Reproducible Results
Dr. Rachel Kopec is an Associate Professor in Human Nutrition at The Ohio State University. Her research focuses on how fat-soluble nutrients and phytochemicals, such as carotenoids and vitamins, are absorbed and metabolized in the body. Using advanced analytical tools and model systems, she studies how food composition and processing impact nutrient bioavailability, aiming to improve dietary strategies and public health.
A soy-tomato dietary intervention to reduce inflammation in chronic pancreatitis
Dr. Tom Mace is an Associate Professor in Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at The Ohio State University whose research focuses on tumor immunology and inflammation. He studies how the immune system interacts with cancer, particularly in pancreatic tumors, and how dietary interventions like tomato- or soy-rich diets can influence cancer progression and immune responses.
Impact of Dietary Lipids on Lynch Syndrome Associated Colorectal Cancer
Dr. Maria Mihaylova is an Assistant Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences (Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology) at The Ohio State University studying how diet, age, and the microbiome affect metabolism and contribute to age-related diseases and cancer. Her research uses genetic models and organoids to understand nutrient sensing in tissues like the intestine and liver.
The MIND eating pattern and cognitive function after chemotherapy
Dr. Tonya Orchard is an Associate Professor in Human Nutrition at The Ohio State University who studies how diet affects inflammation and side effects of cancer treatments. Her research focuses on improving health through nutrition, especially using fatty acids to support muscle and brain health.
Advancement of strawberries for indoor environments: Mapping chemical compositions, genetics, and growing conditions for premium flavor
Dr. Devin Peterson is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology at The Ohio State University. He specializes in flavor chemistry, focusing on the chemical stimuli that impart taste, aroma, and mouthfeel to foods. Dr. Peterson directs the Flavor Research and Education Center and serves as the faculty director for the Foods for Health Discovery Theme Initiative. His work aims to develop sustainable, nutritious, and palatable foods to promote health and wellness.
Nutritional and microbial regulation of the gut-brain axis
Dr. Lihua Ye is an Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at The Ohio State University studying how the gut senses and responds to its environment. Her research focuses on gut-brain interactions and how microbes influence physiology and behavior using advanced genetic and imaging techniques.
Contact ffh@osu.edu for other inquiries.