My career has included lab research, teaching, writing, and product development—all tied to my lifelong passion for nutrition and health.
My journey evaluating health-related research began while studying nutritional science at UC Berkeley and MIT. Since then I’ve carried out and directed laboratory research in nutrition and heart disease in academia and biotech, developed university nutrition courses, formulated products in the dietary supplement industry, and written extensively about health concerns and wellness products.
Research in Academia and Biotech
I studied nutritional biochemistry and metabolism as an undergraduate at UC Berkeley and as a graduate student at MIT. For a number of years I carried out basic research on heart disease, cholesterol metabolism, cancer, inflammation, and diabetes in academia (Stanford University, Harvard School of Public Health) and in biotech (Scios Inc).
Teaching
I’ve developed educational programs for the public, training programs for sales staff, and college nutrition courses. One course I developed at Stanford University was called The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Or Is It? The focus was on analyzing primary research publications so that students could reach their own conclusions about health claims.
Dietary Supplements and Label Claims
In the dietary supplement industry I’ve formulated supplements, devised label claims, and reviewed marketing collateral—all based on an analysis of the scientific literature. There is a fair amount of high-quality research demonstrating the value of supplements—unfortunately most people don’t have a good way of knowing which ingredients may benefit them and which they do not need.
A few of my favorite products from the time I worked on the Source Naturals brand are Screen Time Stamina, Caffeine + L-Theanine, and AllerStrength.
Writing
As senior director for science and research at Goop, I had the opportunity to write extensively about health and disease for a general audience. I love to share in an accessible way what scientists know and do not yet know about nutrition and other health-related topics.
Curriculum vitae and publications
There’s more about my education, professional experience, and published scientific research in my CV.
