Nutrition

Janet Funk's work includes a focus on metastatic breast cancer that spans the research spectrum from bench to bedside, translational arthritis studies of the pharmacokinetics and safety of turmeric, and collaborative endocrinological studies evaluating the effects of obesity and insulin resistance on bone development in Hispanic girls, as well as effects of obesity on breast cancer risk in older women.

Our current research program use an integrative approach at the whole animal, isolated organ, cellular and molecular levels to investigate developmental adaptations in pancreatic β-cells and insulin sensitivity that result from early life risk factors, such as intrauterine growth restriction, and increase risk of glucose intolerance and Diabetes in later life.

Renquist Lab Research aims to address the causes and consequent diseases of obesity. To this end we have research focused on 1) type 2 diabetes and obesity associated hypertension, 2) development of effective, ligand-directed, chemotherapeutic for cancer, and 3) central nervous system control of visceral blood flow and food intake.

My research focus is on functional foods—designing crops to deliver more than mere calories—by both adding nutritional compounds and eliminating anti-nutritional compounds. I work on enhancing seeds of two of the most globally important crops, soybean and corn.