Email

nancy.moran@bcm.edu

Positions

Assistant Professor

Pediatrics
Nutrition
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas US

Member

USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas

Member

Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Program
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas

Addresses

USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center (Office)

1100 Bates St.
Room: CNRC-9068
Houston, TX 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-0520
Nancy.Moran@bcm.edu

Education

BS from University of Illinois

05/2005 - Urbana, Illinois United States

Molecular and Cellular Biology, Major, Chemistry, Minor

PhD from University of Illinois

12/2010 - Urbana, Illinois United States

Nutritional Sciences

Postdoctoral Fellowship at The Ohio State University

06/2016 - Columbus, Ohio United States

Nutritional Biochemistry

Professional Interests

• Carotenoids
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Genetics
• Nutritional Pharmacokinetics
• Cancer Prevention and Survivorship
• Pregnancy and Lactation
• Infant and Toddler Nutrition

Professional Statement

My research program seeks to understand how dietary carotenoids impact human health. Carotenoids are a class of colorful orange, red, and yellow compounds found in fruits and vegetables. Some carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and alpha-carotene are converted to vitamin A in the body- and therefore play an important role in development and health. Other carotenoids, such as red lycopene and yellow lutein, are not pro-vitamin A, but may play a role in cancer prevention and promotion of cognitive functions, respectively.

We engage a translational research approach. We are currently studying how the mechanisms by which carotenoids are absorbed from foods, distributed throughout the body, and metabolized using in vitro and animal models. We are interested in studying how human genetic polymorphisms impact the levels of carotenoids found in the body. In addition, we are studying the molecular impacts of carotenoids in the body to better understand how carotenoid consumption in early life may support immediate and long-term health outcomes.

Websites

Selected Publications

• Jilcott Pitts SB, Moran NE, Wu Q, Harnack L, Craft N, Hanchard NA, Bell R, Moe SG, Johnson N, Obasohan J, Carr-Manth PL, Laska M "Pressure-mediated reflection spectroscopy criterion validity as a biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake: a two-site cross-sectional study of four racial or ethnic groups." J Nutr. 2021 Sep 25;Online ahead of print. Pubmed PMID: 34562088
• Cepni AB, Taylor A, Crumbley C, Thompson D, Moran NE, Olvera N, O’Connor DP, Arlinghaus KR, Johnston CA, Ledoux TA "Feasibility and efficacy of the “FUNPALS” Playgroup” intervention to improve toddler dietary and activity behaviors: A pilot randomized, controlled trial." Int J Environ Res Pub Hlth. 2021;2021(18):7828.
• Ross, AC; Moran, NE "Our current dietary reference intakes for vitamin A—Now 20 years old." Curr Dev Nutr. 2020 May 29;4(10):1-8.
• Moran NE, Thomas-Ahner JM, Fleming JF, McElroy JP, Mehl R, Grainger EM, Riedl KM, Toland AE, Schwartz SJ, Clinton SK "Single nucleotide polymorphisms in beta-carotene oxygenase 1 are associated with plasma lycopene responses to a tomato-soy juice intervention in men with prostate cancer." J Nutr. 2019 Mar 1;149(3):381-397. Pubmed PMID: 30801647

Projects

Mechanisms of Carotenoid Transport and Interactions with Nutrient Absorption (R00)

NIH/NCCIH ODS (12/2016 - 11/2021)

Baylor College of Medicine

Principal Investigator

The Effect of Pregnancy and Lactation on Carotenoid Status and Bioactivity

USDA/ARS (10/2019 - 09/2023)

Baylor College of Medicine

Principal Investigator

Non-invasive marker of infant food intake

Baylor College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics and Texas Children's Hospital

Baylor College of Medicine

Principal Investigator

Genetic Determinants of Skin Carotenoid Responses to Diet in Diverse Adults

NIH/NHLBI (06/2019 - present)

Baylor College of Medicine

Co-Investigator (PI: Pitts, East Carolina Univ.)

Memberships

The American Society for Nutrition

Member (10/2005)

The International Carotenoid Society

Member (07/2016)

Nutrition Research (Journal)

Editorial Review Board Member (11/2016)

Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine

Member (12/2016)