Kaplan, former epidemiology professor, dies at 86
May 8, 2017 Dr. Bert Kaplan, an epidemiology faculty member for more than 30 years until his retirement in 1999, died Friday, May 5 at the age of 86. A colleague called him "one of the early leaders in integrating social sciences into epidemiologic thinking and practice."
Dietary calcium-phosphorus ratio does not influence bone health in older Americans, study finds
May 8, 2017 A study by Dr. John Anderson and Gillings School colleagues, published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, examines whether a low ratio of dietary calcium to phosphorus has an impact upon bone health of older adults in the U.S.
Ammerman to lead community partners in tackling healthy food for low-income consumers
May 8, 2017 With funding from UNC's 2016 Felix Harvey Award to Advance Institutional Priorities, Dr. Alice Ammerman will lead community partners in an effort to increase access to healthy food for low-income consumers.
Physical activity helps to counteract weight gain from obesity-causing gene variant, study finds
May 4, 2017 To determine how physical activity and genetic variants related to obesity interact to affect weight gain, Dr. Misa Graff and colleagues performed genome-wide interaction meta-analyses using more than 200,000 individuals. The international study was published in PLOS Genetics.
Study identifies novel gene loci for traits related to obesity
May 3, 2017 Drs. Anne Justice and Kari North are part of an international collaboration that explored whether and how smoking tobacco may alter one’s genetic susceptibility to obesity and distribution of body fat. Their study was published in Nature Communications.
Study confirms link between alcohol consumption, breast cancer risk in black women
May 1, 2017 Based on studies that primarily have included data from white women, alcohol consumption is a known risk factor for breast cancer. Now, a study co-authored by epidemiology doctoral student Lindsay Williams, Dr. Melissa Troester and others confirms the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer risk for black women, an understudied group.
HPM authors win ‘Article of the Year’ award
May 1, 2017 Brystana Kaufman, MSPH, health policy and management student, is first author of an article selected as The Journal of Rural Health’s inaugural Article of the Year for 2016. “The Rising Rate of Rural Hospital Closures,” published in the journal’s winter 2016 print issue, was co-authored by researchers at UNC's Sheps Center, including Drs. Mark Holmes and George Pink, of the Gillings School.
Student-led program to fight childhood obesity wins $50K grant
April 28, 2017 Master's student Camille McGirt has been awarded $50,000 from the Kenan Charitable Trust to advance her organization, Healthy Girls Save the World. The nonprofit aims to improve health outcomes for middle-school-age girls through the promotion of healthy minds, bodies and relationships.
Ammerman named first Mildred Kaufman Professor of nutrition
April 27, 2017 Dr. Alice Ammerman has been named the inaugural Mildred Kaufman Professor of nutrition. The professorship was announced at the Gillings School’s 49th annual Fred T. Foard Jr. Memorial Lecture on April 27, pending final university approvals.
Zeisel awarded fellowship in American Society for Nutrition
April 27, 2017 Dr. Steve Zeisel has been inducted into the American Society for Nutrition’s 2017 Class of Fellows. Fellowship is the Society's highest honor, offered to scientists who have had distinguished careers in the field of nutrition.
