Katherine Tucker faculty bio headshot photo

Katherine L. Tucker, Ph.D.

Distinguished University Professor; Director, Center for Population Health

College
Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences
Department
Biomedical & Nutritional Sciences, Health Assessment Laboratory (HAL)
Phone
978-934-4066
Office
Dugan Hall 110-O
Email
katherine_tucker@uml.edu
Links

Expertise

Nutritional Epidemiology, Dietary Assessment

Research Interests

Diet and chronic disease risk; Dietary assessment methodology; Health disparities.

Education

  • Ph D: Nutritional Sciences/International Nutrition, (1986), Cornell University - Ithaca, NY
    Supporting Area: Development Sociology and Human Nutrition
  • BS: Nutritional Sciences/ Community Nutrition, (1978), University of Connecticut - Storrs, CT

Biosketch

Katherine L. Tucker, Ph.D. is University Distinguished Professor of Nutritional Epidemiology in the Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, and Director of the Center for Population Health, at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Tucker has contributed to more than 500 articles in scientific journals. Her research focuses on dietary intake and risk of chronic disease, including osteoporosis, cognitive decline, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease, with an emphasis on health disparities.

She is the PI of the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study, a cohort study, to examine the roles of diet, health behaviors, stress, and genetic predisposition in relation to chronic conditions, including heart disease, cognitive decline, and bone health.

She served two terms on the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, from 2014 – 2020, and was the Editor in Chief of Advances in Nutrition, the international review journal of the ASN from 2013 - 2023. She is a Fellow of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), the Gerontological Society of America, and the American Society for Bone Mineral Research, and senior editor of the forthcoming 12th edition of the textbook, Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease.

Selected Awards and Honors

  • 2021-24 Distinguished University Professor, UMass Lowell
  • Fellow (2021) - American Society for Nutrition (ASN)
  • Fellow (2020) - American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
  • ASN Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Nutritional Science Award for recent investigative contributions of contemporary significance to the understanding of human nutrition (2019), Scholarship/Research - American Society for Nutrition (ASN)
  • Award Jury, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Nutritional Science Award (2019), Scholarship/Research - American Society for Nutrition (ASN)
  • UMass Lowell Pillar of Excellence Award for innovative research and entrepreneurship; for outstanding contributions that have impacted the University (2019), Scholarship/Research - University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • UMass Lowell Mentoring Award for mentoring junior faculty (2018), Service, University - University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Fellow (2017), Scholarship/Research - Gerontological Society of America
  • Hazel K. Steibling Medallion Award (2012) - Florida State University
  • Award Jury, ELR Stokstad Award (2000) - American Society for Nutrition (ASN)
  • Award Jury, Kellogg Award for International Nutrition Research (2000) - American Society for Nutrition (ASN)
  • Andrew D. White Fellowship (1981) - Cornell University
  • BSc Magna Cum Laude, Honors scholar, Gamma Sigma Delta, Agricultural honor society (1978) - University of Connecticut

Selected Publications

Selected Recent Articles:

  • Matison AP, Flood VM, Lam BCP…Tucker KL…Brodaty H, Reppermund S, Mather KA (of 30 authors). Associations between fruit and vegetable intakes and incident depression in middle-aged and older adults from 10 diverse international longitudinal cohorts. J Affect Disord (epub May 2024)
  • Duong DN, Akinlawon OJ, Noel SE, Tucker KL. Association between dietary intake of phosphorus and measures of obesity. J Nutr (epub May 2024)
  • Chen F, Mangano K, Garelnabi MO, Cardaleen K, Tucker KL. The association between diabetes medication use and hypomagnesemia: the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr (epub Apr 2024)
  • Gordon S, Lee JS, Scott TM, Bhupathiraju S, Ordovas J, Kelly RS, Tucker KL, Palacios N. Metabolites and cognitive decline in a Puerto Rican cohort. J Alzheimers Dis (epub Mar 2024)
  • Jin Y, Tanaka T, Reed NS, Tucker KL, Ferrucci L, Talegawkar SA. Associations between dietary indices and hearing status among middle-older aged adults- Results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Am J Clin Nutr (epub Mar 2024)
  • Fouhy LE, Lai CQ, Parnell LD, Ordovas JM, Tucker KL, Noel SE. Genome-wide association study of osteoporosis identifies genetic risk and interactions with DASH diet and sugar sweetened beverages in a Hispanic cohort of older adults. J Bone Min Res (epub Mar 2024)
  • Johnson AF, Lamontagne N, Bhupathiraju S, …Tucker KL, Woteki CE, Ohlhorst S (of 10 authors). Workshop summary: Building an NHANES for the future. Am J Clin Nutr Apr 2024;119:1075-81
  • Sawicki CM, Pacheco L, Rivas-Tumanyan S, Cao Z, Haslam DE, Liang L, Tucker KL, Joshipura K, Bhupathiraju SN. Association of gut microbiota-related metabolites and type 2 diabetes in two Puerto Rican cohorts. Nutrients Mar 2024;16:959.
  • Marrero A, Haneuse S, Golden C, Rodriguez-Orengo JF, Tucker KL, Mattei J. Neo-traditional and industrialized dietary patterns coexist and are differentially associated with cardiometabolic health among adults in Puerto Rico. J Nutr Nov 2023;153:3259-3269
  • Guan Y, Cheng C, Bellomo LI… Tucker KL, Bhadelia R, Koo B (of 11 authors). APOE4 allele-specific associations between diet, multimodal biomarkers, and cognition among Puerto Rican adults in Massachusetts. Frontiers Aging Neurosci Nov 2023;15:1285333
  • Tanaka T, Das JK, Jin Y, Tian Q, Moaddel R, Moore AZ, Tucker KL, Talegawkar SA, Ferrucci L. Plant protein but not animal protein consumption is associated with frailty through plasma metabolites. Nutrients Sep 2023;15:4193
  • Fouhy LE, Mangano KM, Zhang X, Dawson-Hughes B, Tucker KL, Noel SE. Association between a calcium to magnesium ratio and osteoporosis among Puerto Rican older adults. J Nutr Sep 2023;153:2642-2650
  • Dinesh D, Lee JS, Scott TM, Tucker KL, Palacios N. Association between acid-lowering agents, metformin, and vitamin B12 among Boston-area Puerto Rican adults. J Nutr Aug 2023;153:2380-2388
  • Dinesh D, Lee JS, Scott TM, Tucker KL, Palacios N. Proton pump inhibitor use and cognitive function in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. J Gerontol: Med Sci Aug 2023;78:1461-1470
  • Geller RJ, Wesselink AK, Tucker KL, Koenig MR, Eisenberg ML, Hatch EE, Wise LA. Association of male fatty acid intake with fecundability among couples planning pregnancy. Aug 2023;38:1601-1612 Hum Reproduc
  • Hua S, Lv B, Qiu Z, … Tucker KL, Wu H, Jin W (of 10 authors). Microbial metabolites in chronic heart failure and its common comorbidities. EBMO Mol Med Jun 2023:15:e16928
  • Karazurna NA, Porter CM, Aytur S...Tucker K, Kaplan R, Bigornia S (of 18 authors). Associations between dietary fatty acid patterns and cognitive function among adults: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Br J Nutr Apr 2023;129:1202-1212
  • Bigornia SJ, Noel SE, Porter C, Zhang X, Talegawker SA, Carithers T, Correa A, Tucker KL. Red meat consumption, incident CVD and the influence of dietary quality in the Jackson Heart Study. Pub Health Nutr Mar 2023;26:643-652
  • Sahasrabudhe N, Lee SJ, Zhang X, Scott T, Punnett L, Tucker KL, Palacios N. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and depressive symptomatology among Boston area Puerto Ricans. J Gerontol:Biol Feb 2023;78:258-266.
  • Zierath R, Claggett B, Hall ME… Tucker K, Diez-Roux A, Sims M, Shah A (of 12 authors). Measures of food inadequacy and cardiovascular disease risk in Black Americans: The Jackson Heart Study. JAMA Net Open Jan 2023;6:e2252055
  • Willis SK, Wise LA, Laursen ASD, Wesselink AK, Mikkelsen EM, Tucker KL, Rothman KJ, Mumford SL, Hatch EE. Glycemic load, dietary fiber, added sugar and spontaneous abortion in two preconception cohorts. J Nutr Dec 2022;152:2818-2826
  • Wilkie G, Leung K, Moore Simas TA, Tucker KL, Chasan-Taber L. The association between acculturation and diet and physical activity among at-risk pregnant Hispanic women. J Womens Health Dec 2022;31:1791-99
  • Willis SK, Hatch EE, Laursen ASD, Wesselink AK, Mikkelson EM, Tucker KL, Rothman KJ, Mumford SL, Wise LA. Dietary patterns and fecundability in 2 prospective preconception cohorts. Am J Clin Nutr Nov 2022;116:1441-51
  • Liu MM, Telles E, Tucker KL, Falcon LM, Jimenez Velazquez IZ, Dow W. Race/ethnic differences, skin tone and cognitive aging among older Latinos in the U.S. J Gerontol:Soc Nov 2022;77:2038-48
  • McClain AC, Xiao RS, Tucker KL, Falcon LM, Mattei J. Depressive symptoms and allostatic load have a bidirectional association among Puerto Rican older adults. Psychosom Med Oct 2022;52:3073-3085
  • Mattes RD, Rowe SB, Ohlhorst SD, …Tucker KL, …Basile AJ, Jackson E, Borth LE (of 19 authors). Harmonizing Research Methods to Advance Nutrition Science. Adv Nutr Aug 2022;13:1324-1393
  • Duong CN, Akinlawon OJ, Gung J… Pendergast J, Scialla JJ, Tucker KL (of 12 authors). Bioavailability of phosphorus and kidney function in the Jackson Heart Study. Am J Clin Nutr Aug 2022;116:541-550
  • Wesselink AK, Willis SK, Laursen ASD, Mikkelsen EM, Wang TR, Trolle E, Tucker KL, Rothman KJ, Wise LA, Hatch EE. Protein-rich food intake and risk of spontaneous abortion: a prospective cohort study. Eur J Nutr Aug 2022;61:2737-2748
  • Rivas-Tumanyan S, Pacheco LS, Haslam DE, Liang L, Tucker KL, Joshipura KJ, Bhupathiraju SN. Novel plasma metabolomic markers associated with diabetes progression in older Puerto Ricans. Metabolites Jun 2022;12:513
  • Schuchardt JP, Cerrato M, Ceseri M…Tucker KL, Ramachandran VS, Harris WS (of 22 authors). Red blood cell fatty acid patterns from 7 countries: Focus on the Omega-3 Index. Prostaglandins, Leukot Essent Fatty Acids Apr 2022:179:102418
  • Guan Y, Ebrahimzadeh SA, Cheng CH…Bhadelia R, Tucker KL, Koo BB (of 12 authors). Association of type 2 diabetes and hypertension comorbidity with brain structural integrity and cognitive capacity in community-dwelling Puerto Rican adults. Neurol Apr 2022;98:e1534-e1544
  • Talegawkar S, Jin Y, Simonsick EM, Tucker KL, Ferrucci L, Tanaka T. The Mediterranean-Dash intervention for neurodegenerative delay (MIND) diet is associated with physical function and grip strength in older men and women. Am J Clin Nutr Mar 2022;115:625-632
  • Boumenna T, Scott TM, Lee JS, Kriebel D, Tucker KL, Palacios N. MIND diet and cognitive function over eight years in Puerto Rican older adults. J Gerontol: Med Sci Mar 2022;77:605-613
  • Riseberg E, Lopez-Cepero A, Mangano K, Tucker KL, Mattei J. Specific dietary protein sources are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. J Acad Nutr Diet Feb 2022;122:298-308
  • Mattei J, Tamez M, O’Neill J…Tucker KL, Rodriguez-Orengo JF (of 11 authors). Chronic diseases and associated risk factors among adults in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria: 2015-2019. JAMA Netw Open Jan 2022;5:e2139986.
  • Weston LJ, Kim H, Talegawkar SA, Tucker KL, Correa A, Rebholz CM. Plant-based diets and incident cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in African Americans: a cohort study. PLOS Med Jan 2022;19: e1003863.
  • Lopez-Cepero A, McClain A, Rosal M, Tucker KL, Mattei J. Examination of the allostatic load construct and its longitudinal association with health outcomes in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. Psychosom Med Jan 2022;84:104-115
  • Mangano KM, Noel SE, Dawson-Hughes B, Tucker KL. Sufficient plasma vitamin C is related to greater bone mineral density among postmenopausal women from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. J Nutr Dec 2021;151:3764-3772
  • Flores AC, Heron C, Kim JI, Martin B, Al-Shaar L, Tucker KL, Gao X. Prospective study of plant-based dietary patterns, and diabetes in Puerto Rican adults. J Nutr Dec 2021;151:3795-3800
  • Riseberg E, Tamez M, Tucker KL, Rodriguez Orengo JF, Mattei J. Associations between diet quality scores and central obesity among adults in Puerto Rico. J Hum Nutr Dietet Nov 2021;34:1014-1021
  • Parnell LD, Noel SE, Bhupathiraju SN, Smith CE, Haslam DE, Zhang X, Tucker KL, Ordovas JM, Lai C-Q. Metabolite patterns link diet, obesity, and type 2 diabetes in a Hispanic population. Metabolomics Sep 2021;17:88.
  • Haslam DE, Liang L, Wang D…Tucker KL, Joshipura K, Bhupathiraju SN (of 18 authors). Associations of network-derived metabolite clusters with prevalent type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related risk factors among adults of Puerto Rican descent. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care Aug 2021;9:e002298
  • Ji N, Huang Z, Zhang X, Sun Y, Ye S, Chen S, Tucker KL, Wu S, Gao X. Association between egg consumption and arterial stiffness: a longitudinal study. Nutr J Jul 2021;20:67
  • Lopez-Cepero A, O’Neill J, Falcon LM, Tamez M, Tucker KL, Mattei J. Associations between perceived stress and dietary intake in adults in Puerto Rico. J Acad Nutr Dietet Jul 2021;121:762-769
  • Sorkin J, Manary M, Liu S, …Tucker KL, Duggan CP, Tobias D (of 11 authors). A guide for authors and readers of the American Society for Nutrition Journals. P-values, transparency, and reproducibility in research. Am J Clin Nutr Jul 2021;114:1280–1285
  • Zhu S, Cui L, Zhang X, Shu R, …Tucker KL, Gao X. Habitually skipping breakfast was associated with chronic inflammation: a cross-sectional study. Pub Health Nutr Jul 2021;24:2936-2943
  • Lee-Bravatti MA, O’Neill J, Wurth R, Sotos-Prieto M, Gao X, Falcon LM, Tucker KL, Mattei J. Lifestyle behavioral factors and integrative successful aging among Puerto Ricans living in the mainland United States. J Gerontol: Med Jun 2021;76:1108-1116
  • Loprinzi PD, Crawford L, Scott T, Tucker KL. Association of physical activity on memory interference: Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. Health Prom Perspec May 2021;11:256-260
  • Mattei J, Tucker KL, Falcon LF…Orozco J, Acosta Perez E, Rodriguez-Orengo JF (of 12 authors). Design and implementation of PROSPECT: Puerto Rico Observational Study of Psychosocial, Environmental, and Chronic disease Trends. Am J Epidemiol May 2021;190:707-717
  • Akinlawon OJ, Noel SE, Flanagan KD, Lai CQ, Tucker KL. Risk Factors Associated with Vitamin D Status among older Puerto Rican adults from the Boston Puerto Rican Osteoporosis Study J Nutr Apr 2021;151:999-1007
  • Rebholz CM, Gao Y, Tucker KL…Clish C, Gerszten RE, Wilson JG (of 13 authors). Metabolomic markers of southern dietary patterns in the Jackson Heart Study. Mol Nutr Fd Res Apr 2021;65:e2000796
  • Mangano KM, Noel SE, Lai, C-Q, Christensen JJ, Ordovas JM, Dawson-Hughes B, Tucker KL, Parnell LD. Diet-derived fruit, and vegetable metabolites show sex-specific inverse relationships to osteoporosis status. Bone Mar 2021;144:115780
  • Talegawkar SA, Jin Y, Xue Q-L, Tanaka T, Simonsick EM, Tucker KL, Ferrucci L. Dietary pattern trajectories in middle life are associated with physical function in older age. J Gerontol:Med Feb 2021;76:513-519
  • Boumenna T, Scott TM, Lee J-S, Palacios N, Tucker KL. Folate, vitamin B12 and cognitive function in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr Jan 2021;113:179-86
  • Sahasrabudhe N, Lee JS, Scott TM, Tucker KL, Palacios N. Serum vitamin D and depression among Boston area Puerto Ricans. J Nutr Dec 2020;150:3231-3240
  • DeChristopher L, Auerbach B, Tucker KL. High fructose corn syrup, excess free fructose, and risk of coronary heart disease among African Americans--the Jackson Heart Study. BMC Nutr Dec 2020;6:70
  • Murthy VL, Yu B, Wang W…Boerwinkle E, Tucker KL, Shah R (of 15 authors). Molecular signature of multisystem cardiometabolic stress and its association with prognosis. JAMA Cardiol Oct 2020;5:1144-53
  • Palacios N, Lee JS, Scott T, Kelly RS, Bhupathiraju SN, Bigornia SJ, Tucker KL. Circulating plasma metabolites and cognitive function in a Puerto Rican cohort. J Alzheim Dis Sep 2020;76:1267-1280
  • Palacios N, Scott T, Sahasrabudhe N, Gao X, Tucker KL. Serum vitamin D and cognition in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. Nutr Neurosci Sep 2020;23:688-695
  • Dou N, Xie D, Gao X, Palacios N, Falcon LM, Tucker KL, Na M. Psychosocial risk factors of food insecurity in Puerto Ricans living in the US from baseline to 5 y follow-up. J Nutr Aug 2020;150;2199-2203
  • Wise LA, Willis SK, Mikkelsen EM, … Tucker KL, Troll E, Vinceti M, Hatch EE (of 10 authors). The association between seafood intake and fecundability: Analysis from two prospective cohort studies. Nutrients Jul 2020;12:2276
  • Zheng Y, Huang T, Wang T… Tucker KL… North KE, Chasman DI, Qi L (of 166 authors). Mendelian randomization analysis does not support causal associations of birth weight with hypertension risk and blood pressure in adulthood. Eur J Epidemiol Jul 2020;35:685-697
  • Willis SK, Wise L, Wesselink AK, Rothman KJ, Mikkells EM, Tucker KL, Trolle E, Hatch EE. Glycemic load, dietary fiber, and added sugar and fecundability in 2 preconception cohorts. Am J Clin Nutr Jul 2020; 112:27-38
  • DeChristopher L, Tucker KL. Excess free fructose, apple juice, high fructose corn syrup and childhood asthma – the National Childrens’ Study. Nutr J Jun 2020;19:60
  • Noel S, Mangano KM, Mattei JL, Griffith J, Dawson-Hughes B, Bigornia S, Tucker KL. Dietary approaches to stop hypertension, Mediterranean and Alternative healthy eating indices are associated with bone health among Puerto Rican adults from the Boston Puerto Rican Osteoporosis Study. Am J Clin Nutr Jun 2020;111:1267-1277
  • Wesselink A, Hatch EE, Mikkelsen EM…Tucker KL, Rothman KJ, Wise LA (of 11 authors). Dietary phytoestrogen intakes of adult women are not strongly related to fecundability in 2 preconception cohort studies. J Nutr May 2020;150:1240-1251
  • Na M, Dou N, Ji N, Xie D, Huang J, Tucker KL, Gao X. Food insecurity and cognitive outcomes in middle to older adulthood: A systematic review. Adv Nutr May 2020;11:667-676
  • Liu Y, Smith CE, Parnell LD…Tucker KL, Ordovas JM, Lai C-Q (of 15 authors). Salivary AMY1 copy number variation modifies age-related type 2 diabetes risk. Clin Chem May 2020;66:718-726
  • Zhou B, Ichikawa R, Parnell LD, … Tucker KL, Ordovas JM, Lai C-Q (of 10 authors). Metabolomic links between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and obesity. J Obes Apr 2020:7154738
  • Lopez-Cepero A, Frisard C, Person S, Ockene I, Rosal M, Tucker KL. Changes in Glycemic load are positively associated with small changes in primary stress markers of allostatic load in Puerto Rican women. J Nutr Mar 2020;150:554-559
  • Sotos-Prieto M, Smith C, Lai CQ, Tucker KL, Ordovas J, Mattei J. Mediterranean diet and TCF7L2 gene variant interactions modulating anthropometric parameters in Puerto Rican adults. J Nutr Jan 2020;150:167-175

Selected Presentations

Selected Recent Invited Presentations:

  • Dietary intake and bone health. Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, and in Fudan University, Shanghai, China, May 2024
  • Obesity Prevention and Control Strategies in the United States: Past, Present, and future. 10th China Obesity Science Conference, Beijing, China, May 2024
  • Shortfall nutrients in the United States. American Pharmacy Association annual meeting, Orlando FL, Mar. 2024
  • The DRI process for human nutrient requirements. University of Florida, Gainesville, Mar 2024
  • Nutrition and health disparities among Puerto Rican adults, Yumlish podcast, Feb 2024
  • Diet and health in diverse populations. National Institute on Aging (NIA) Intramural “experiencing epidemiology” seminar series, virtual, Nov 2023.
  • Dietary surveys in diverse populations: in Challenges and opportunities for developing evidenced-based dietary guidance for diverse populations. NHLBI Workshop: Advancing health equity through culture-centered dietary interventions to address chronic diseases, virtual, Sep 2023.
  • Nutrition, chronic conditions, and aging. Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red Fisiopathologia de la Obesidad y Nutricion (CIBEROBN) Symposium, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, May 2023
  • Diet and health in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. Tufts University Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, virtual, Apr 2023
  • Getting your manuscript published: Practical tips for preparing your manuscript, avoiding common mistakes, and choosing the right journal. ASN symposium, Int Union Nutr Sci, Tokyo, Japan, Dec 2022.
  • Diet and aging in the Puerto Rican Health Study. National Dairy Council Healthy Aging Science Forum: Exploring the journey to healthy aging. Washington DC, Nov 2022
  • Nutrient supplements. PBS Vitals Podcast. Oct 2022 PBS Vitals YouTube: Which Popular Vitamins and Supplements Are Actually Legit?
  • Diet and health in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study, Boston University, virtual, Oct 2022
  • Standards for reporting population-based diet assessment. NIH workshop: Optimal instruments for measurement of dietary intake, physical activity, and sleep among adults, virtual, Sep 2022
  • Nutritionally vulnerable individuals and hidden hunger. NIH workshop: Malnutrition in clinical settings: Research gaps and opportunities, virtual, Sep 2022
  • Diet and health in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. University of Missouri, Columbia MO, Aug 2022
  • Developing excellence in peer review, moderator, Nutrition2022 live online, virtual, Jun 2022
  • Assessing dietary intakes among older adults from diverse populations. NASEM workshop: Assessing intake of food and dietary supplements in older adults, virtual, Apr 2022
  • Diet and bone health. Podcast  Feb 2022
  • Keynote presentation: Omics in epidemiologic research, examples from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study, Symposium on Omics in health and disease, Loma Linda University, virtual, Nov 2021
  • Fact or fiction on nutrition, Podcast for All things con amour. Nov 2021
  • Diet and health in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study, Boston University, virtual, Sep 2021
  • How to get your manuscript published, panel of ASN Editors. Nutrition2021, virtual, Jun 2021
  • Meat intake and heart disease risk in the Jackson Heart Study, Meat-Up! National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, virtual, May 2021
  • The importance of nutrition for healthy aging. Edgewood Continuing Care Retirement Community, North Andover MA, virtual, Feb 2021
  • Genetics and the microbiome in cardiovascular disease, AHA Scientific Sessions, virtual, Nov 2020
  • Diet and Health in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study, Boston University, virtual, Sep 2020
  • Issues in dietary assessment methodology for assessing risk of chronic disease. NIH Office of Disease Prevention. Methods: Mind the Gap Webinar series, Aug 2020

Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research

Selected Grants as Principal Investigator or Multiple Principal Investigator (MPI):

  • 2023-27 NIH R01 AG075922 Microbiome and cognitive decline in Puerto Rican adults (MPI: Palacios/Tucker ~$1,300,000)
  • 2020-21 NIH R01AG055948-S COVID supplement $236,500)
  • 2018-23 NIH R01AR072741 Bone microarchitecture, diabetes and change in bone mineral density in Puerto Rican adults ($1,803,000)
  • 2017-23 NIH R01AG055948 Dietary quality, cognitive decline, and brain health in Puerto Rican adults ($2,497,000)
  • 2013-15 NIH R21NR013231 Multilevel determinants of CVD risk in African Americans ($432,000)
  • 2010-17 NIH P50HL105185 Boston Puerto Rican Health Study-CVD risk factors ($10,403,000)
  • 2007-10 NIH R01AG027087 Nutrition, stress, and bone in older Puerto Ricans. ($1,877,000)
  • 2003-10 NIH P01AG023394 Center for Population Health and Health Disparities ($8,022,000)

Selected Grants as Co-Investigator:

  • 2024-28 NIH 2R01HL143792-06/Harvard, Longitudinal mechanisms of food and nutrition security and cardiometabolic health in PROSPECT (PI: Mattei, subcontract $382,400)
  • 2023-27 NIH R01AG080670 Social and behavioral determinants of health and Alzheimer’s disease: Cohort study of the US veteran population (PI: Yu)
  • 2023-24 NIH R01MH125027 Improving suicide prediction using NLP-extracted social determinants of health (PI: Yu)
  • 2022-27 NIH R01MD016584/Tufts, Social stressors, epigenetics, and health status in underrepresented minorities (PI: Ordovas, subc $422,126)
  • 2019-24 NIH R01 HL149119/UMass Medical School, Puerto Rican young adult stress, contextual, behavioral & cardiometabolic risk (PR OUTLOOK) (PI: Rosal, sub ~$124,000)
  • 2019-24 NIH HHSN268201800010I Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson Heart Study (PI: Correa/Carson, UML sub ~$260,00
  • 2018-23 NIH R01 HL143792/Harvard, PROSPECT: Puerto Rico observational study on psychosocial, environmental, and chronic disease trends (PI: Mattei; subc $281,855)
  • 2017-19 NIH R01AG051752/Johns Hopkins, Diet trajectories with CVD risk, functional decline, and mortality (PI: Talegawkar; sub $70,000)
  • 2013-19 NIH HHSN268201300047C/Jackson Heart Study (PI: Correa: subcontract ~$150,000
  • 2013-18 NIH R01DK097011-01/UMass Amherst, Randomized lifestyle intervention in pregnant Hispanic women (PI: Chasan-Taber, sub $275,000)
  • 2012-17 NIH R01DK064902-06/UMass Amherst, Postpartum diabetes prevention program in Hispanic women (PI: Chasan-Taber; sub $335,180)
  • 2010-15 NIH R01HD060680/Boston U, An internet-based study on time to pregnancy (PI: Hatch sub $209,000)
  • 2007-13 USDA 58-1950-7-707/7-712/Baylor College of Medicine, Obesity Prevention (PI: Nicklas; subc $581,000)
  • 2009-11 NIH R24MD005095/Boston U, Nuestro futuro saludable: partnership for healthy Latino youth (PI: Sprague-Martinez; sub $46,000)
  • 2007-12 NIH R01AR41398/Tufts, Risk factors for age related bone loss (PI: Kiel)
  • 2006-11 NIH R01HL54776/Tufts, Gene/diet effects on plasma lipoprotein levels (PI: Ordovás)
  • 2005-10 NIH R01DK064902/UMass Amherst, Epidemiology of stress and gestational diabetes in Latina women (PI: Chasan-Taber; sub $215,000)
  • 2005-09 NIH R01AR053205/Hebrew Seniorlife, Protein and bone in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. (PI: Hannan; sub $224,000)
  • 2002-07 NIH R01AR41398/Hebrew Seniorlife, Risk factors for age related bone loss (PI: Kiel; sub $440,000)
  • 2002-07 NIH R01AG21790/Tufts, Micronutrients and cognition in aging (PI: Folstein)
  • 2001-06 NIH R01HL54776/Tufts, Gene/diet effects on plasma lipoprotein levels (PI: Ordovás)
  • 1997-07 USDA 58-6251-7-003/U Arkansas, Lower Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative (PI: Bogle; sub $504,000)
  • 1996-01 NIH R01AR41398/Hebrew Seniorlife, Risk factors for age related bone loss (PI: Kiel)

Research Currently in Progress

  • Improving Care and Treatment Coordination for Black Women with HIV – The Evaluation and Technical Assistance Provider

    This project will support 12 demonstration sites across the U.S. by developing, evaluating, and disseminating interventions that engage and retain Black Women with HIV in care and treatment. We will examine implementation processes and outcomes of bundled interventions and disseminate findings to inform the replication of interventions to Ending the Epidemic (EtHE). This project is funded by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), HIV/AIDS Bureau.
    Rajabiun, S., Walter, A.W., Tucker, K.L.