Lab Members
-
Nadia Markie Sneed, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC
Director
Dr. Sneed's program of research is focused on the development and testing of non-pharmacological dietary interventions that utilize food as medicine to treat obesity and diabetes (pre- and type 2) to prevent a sequela of co-morbid, long-term complications in high-risk families. Importantly, her research aims to test interventions that are not only clinically effective, but also sustainable to promote health and wellbeing across the lifecourse. Dr. Sneed holds a baccalaureate degree in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She has extensive clinical, academic, and research training in nutrition science, nursing, public health, and patient-centered outcomes research completing her PhD in Nursing from the University of Alabama Birmingham, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at VUSN as a Vanderbilt PROgRESS T32 Trainee. Her current studies include using a whole foods diet approach adapted from the current 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for American's framework to 1) treat prediabetes in parents and 2) reduce body adiposity in adolescents with obesity while also improving overall family diet quality. Through this work, Dr. Sneed hopes to identify sustainable and culturally appropriate multi-generational solutions for obesity and type 2 diabetes prevention in at-risk families using a customizable healthy whole foods diet approach.
-
Bennie Damul, BS
Research Assistant
Bennie Damul is a Global Health MPH student at Vanderbilt University, with research interests in behavioral sciences and how social determinants of health and inequities affect healthcare outcomes in marginalized communities. Before starting the Public Health program at Vanderbilt, she was a program assistant at Family Health International (FHI360) where she was awarded the prestigious Lynda Cole Award for Excellence in Leadership. She graduated from Xavier University with a BSc in Psychology, and while at Xavier, she was a Community Engaged Fellow and a Brueggeman Research Fellow. In her free time, Bennie can be found nose-deep in a book or working on a sustainable fashion design project.
-
Margaret Green, MS, RD, LDN
Registered Dietition Nutritionist
Maggie Green is a registered dietitian with experience in clinical nutrition care and nutrition counseling. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Dietetics from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science in Nutrition from Lipscomb University, where she also completed her dietetic internship. Her work at Vanderbilt University Medical Center includes the development and execution of pediatric clinical trials aimed at promoting healthy childhood growth and weight management. She is dedicated to helping improve the health and well-being of children and families through evidence-based nutrition interventions. In the Whole Foods Lab, she serves as the study dietitian working closely with participating families to offer nutrition education and support on diet adherence.
-
Isabella Peng
Research Assistant
Major: Engineering Science, Minor: Computer ScienceBio: I am a current junior who is studying Engineering Sciences. For the Whole Foods lab, I'm an undergraduate research assistant who assists in data collection, participant recruitment, and more. In my free time, I enjoy creating interesting smoothie combinations, walking around, and tiramisu.
-
Pranoy Sangowder
Research Assistant
Majors: Molecular & Cellular Biology; Medicine, Health, & Society Pranoy is a junior undergraduate in Vanderbilt's College of Arts and Sciences and a research assistant for the Whole Foods Lab. As an RA, he recruits and orientates participants for each of the lab's two projects while also assisting in data acquisition and menu development. His research interests lie at the intersection of cardiovascular disease and obesity.