Current Projects

Glycemic index - Investigate the intra-individual reproducibility and inter-individual variability of glycemic index value (GI) and glycemic load value (GL, product of the GI value of a food and its carbohydrate content) determinations for individual foods and food combinations on the basis of an individual's age, body composition and gender. The aim of this work is to determine whether GI and GL are useful auxiliary tools for providing dietary guidance to the general population.
Nutrient biomarkers - Assess the relative predictive value of plasma nutrient biomarker concentrations on incidence of coronary heart disease or myocardial infarct using samples derived from the Women's Health Initiative and reconcile these data with those collected using food frequency questionnaires. The aim of this work is to determine whether in large population cohorts objective measures of nutrient intake (plasma biomarkers of food intake) are better predictors of cardiovascular disease outcome than subjective measures of food intake (food frequency questionnaires).
Cardiovascular biomarkers, diets and genes - Assess the relationship of surrogate measures of cholesterol homeostasis (cholesterol absorption and synthesis), diet and genes on risk of developing cardiovascular disease using samples from the Framingham Offspring Study. The aim of this work is to determine whether surrogate measures of cholesterol homeostasis can predict individuals at elevated risk for developing cardiovascular disease. A positive finding would allow for the identification of individuals for whom early and intensive lifestyle modification would be most beneficial.
Animal modes - Determine the effect of dietary fatty acids and cholesterol on genes which modulate lipoprotein metabolism using animal models. The aim of this work is to determine the underlying mechanisms for diet induced changes seen in cardiovascular disease risk factors. Current efforts are focused on developing a hamster model of cardiovascular disease.
Cell culture - Determine the molecular basis of cholesterol balance as modified by differences in fatty acid chain length and degree of saturation in cell culture. The aim of this work is to determine the molecular basis for alterations observed in intracellular cholesterol accumulation induced by dietary modification, with specific emphasis on common dietary fatty acids.
Amino acids - Determine the effect of modifying the dietary lysine:arginine ratio on flow mediated dilation and other cardiovascular disease risk factors. The aim of this work is to understand the apparent differences between vegetable-derived and animal-derived protein on cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Systematic reviews - Evaluate the role of systematic reviews in establishing U.S. dietary guidance. The aim of this work is to develop efficient systems to summarize and integrate large amounts of nutrition-related data for use by expert panels tasked with establishing dietary guidance for the U.S. population.

Learn More

For more information about the Cardiovascular Health Laboratory, please visit the USDA, Agricultural Research Service.

Taking the "Strong Women" Message to Heart
For Tufts' Miriam Nelson and Alice Lichtenstein, writing a book that provides women with accessible, applicable information on heart disease was both a professional and personal mission.

Modified Pyramid
Thanks to the work of Tufts Nutrition faculty Robert Russell, Alice Lichtenstein and Helen Rasmussen, the Modified Food Pyramid for Older Adults is now available to the public.

Scholar with national impact named to Gershoff Chair
Lichtenstein named the first recipient of the Stanley N. Gershoff Chair of Nutrition Science and Policy at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy

Sacrificing Food In The Name Of Nutrition
It takes dedicated researchers and disciplined volunteers to fuel nutrition studies, which lead to important discoveries about food and health.

Soy Puzzle
This 'wonder food' may be more hype than help

Volunteer for Research Studies
Glycemic Index - Variability Among Individuals
Purpose: To determine whether people have different blood sugar responses to the same food