Welcome to the Kopec Lab!

Welcome to the Kopec Lab!  We’re excited you decided to pay us a visit.

The Kopec lab believes that nutrition is one of the most tangible and accessible ways that any individual can impact their health.  We we focus our attention on fat soluble compounds (vitamins A, D, E and K, and fat soluble bioactive compounds like omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids, and chlorophylls).  Because foods are typically consumed as part of a mixed meal, nutrient-nutrient/nutrient-dietary bioactive interactions materialize. Utilizing state-of-the-art analytical chemistry techniques, we are uncovering these synergistic and competitive relationships, and how we may capitalize on them, to maximize nutrient delivery in more sensitive demographic groups (e.g. infants, vegetarians, cancer survivors). This information is essential to ensure that all individuals are receiving the right amount (and not deficient or toxic quantities) of these nutrients and bioactives, and reduce the incidence of disease.

Our current tools have some limitations which we’re working to overcome, including the identification of unknown metabolites derived from fat-soluble bioactives, and the integration of multi “omic” platforms (to leverage knowledge about genes and microorganisms growing in/on human bodies to better understand what’s actually occurring inside the body). We contribute a great part of our research success to collaborations with colleagues in a diverse group of specialties.  Learn more about our work by checking out the other links on this site.

Are you an independent and highly motivated student, or have recently graduated and looking for a postdoc?  Are you a PI interested in collaboration?  Dr. Kopec would be happy to receive a note from you at kopec.4@osu.edu

Also, check out recent announcements on our Twitter Handle: @KopecLab