We are delighted to announce that Dr. Lauri Lashinger will be taking over from Dr. Sara Sweitzer as Director of the Online Master's in Nutritional Sciences Program.
Dr. Lashinger is Associate Professor of Instruction and Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. She received a PhD in Cancer Biology from The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, a BS in Nursing from the University of Virginia, and a BS in Psychology and Biology from Old Dominion University.
Dr. Lashinger's research interests include understanding the connection between energy balance and pancreatic cancer development and progression. Her work highlighted the energy balance-responsiveness of this aggressive cancer, particularly when detected early, largely because of the nutrient-sensitive growth factors insulin and IGF-1. Another focus of her research is to determine effects of macronutrient intake timing on cardiometabolic outcomes such as insulin sensitivity and fat deposition.
One of Dr. Lashinger's goals for the online master's program is to make the leadership transition seamless. In a letter to program stakeholders she says, "I feel in a good place to do so given that I was part of the team that created this program and continue to teach one of the core courses. I have been teaching at The University of Texas at Austin for over 13 years and have trained many graduate and undergraduate students. Because of my background in cancer biology, nursing, and psychology, I bring a strong physiologic, biochemical, and applications approach to my mentorship and teaching. I will 'meet' and teach you all very soon, but if you feel the need to reach out, please do so…I always welcome a great conversation. I look forward to watching you all progress through our program!"