Traci Davis

Research Development Associate
Research, Innovation and Global Solutions
104 Rosenau Hall
CB #7415
Chapel Hill, NC 27599

About

Traci Davis, MS is the Research Development Associate within the Research, Innovation and Global Solutions office at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. They work with the senior director of research to support research projects within Gillings, as well as multidisciplinary collaborative research efforts with academic institutions, local and state governments, and community stakeholders. Traci is responsible for the development, promotion, and submission of large multi-disciplinary research proposals. They function as a bridge from idea to concept by providing research staff necessary funding opportunities and tools to bring their research questions to realization. 

Prior to joining the Research, Innovation and Global Solutions team, Traci was the core manager of the UNC Nutrition Obesity Research Centers’ (NORC) Animal Metabolism Phenotyping Core. They provided technical and intellectual expertise pertaining to the measurement of phenotypes related to energy balance and metabolism in mouse models of obesity and nutritionally relevant disease. Additionally, Traci managed and coordinated a phase I clinical trial investigating the relationship of omega-7 monounsaturated fatty acid and inflammation.

Key Publications

Diversity Outbred Mice Model the Heterogeneity of Obesity and Identify Novel SNPs and Gene Networks Associated with Weight Gain. Al-Shaer AE, Pal A, French JE, Hursting S, Shi Q, Carson M, Regan M, Behee M, Buddenbaum N, VerHague M, Drawdy C, Davis TS, Shaikh RS. (2022).  Journal of Lipid Research.

Modeling Human Heterogeneity of Obesity with Diversity Outbred Mice Reveals a Fat Mass-Dependent Therapeutic Window and Mechanism for Resolvin E1. Al-Shaer AE, Pal A, Shi Q, Carson MS, Regan J, Behee M, Buddenbaum N, Drawdy C, Davis TS, Shaikh RS. (2022). Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology , 36-6.

Resolvin E1 Derived from Eicosapentaenoic Acid Prevents Hyperinsulinemia and Hyperglycemia in a Host Genetic Manner. Pal A, Al-Shaer AE, Guesdon W, Torres MJ, Armstrong M, Quinn K, Davis TS, Reisdorph N, Neufer DP, Spangendurg EE, Carroll I, Bazinet RP, Halade GV, Claria J, Shaikh RS (2019). Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

Chemotherapy selection pressure alters sphingolipid composition and mitochondrial bioenergetics in resistant HL-60 cells. Kao LP, Morad SAF, Davis TS, MacDougall MR, Kassai M, Abdelmageed N, Fox TE, Kester M, Loughran TP Jr, Cabot MC. (2019). Journal of Lipid Research.

Dynamics Role of P-glycoprotein inhibitors in ceramide-based therapeutics for treatment of cancer. Morad SA, Davis TS, Macdougall MR, Fox TE, Tan S-F, Feith, Kester M, Loughran TP, Cabot MC (2017). Biochemical Pharmacology.

Staff/Administrative Duties

- Project management of large-scale multidisciplinary research proposal development

- Identifying and promoting funding opportunities 

- Coordinating the process of research proposal development, submission and other proposal-related matters 

- Coordinating and managing research focused programing with, and for, faculty

Education

  • MS, Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, East Carolina University, 2015
  • BS, Biochemistry, East Carolina University, 2010