Maria-Luz Fernandez, Ph.D.

Professor

Office:   R.E. Jones Building (JONS) Room 113
Phone:  (860) 486-5547
Email:    maria-luz.fernandez@uconn.edu

EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND

    • BS Quimico Biologo University of Sonora (Dec 1974) Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico.
    • MS Food Science Instituto Politecnico Nacional (June 1980) Mexico, D.F.
    • PhD Nutritional Sciences University of Arizona (May 1988) Tucson, Arizona.

Languages: Spanish, English, French

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

    • University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, Department of Nutritional Sciences
    • University of Arizona, Tucson, AZDepartment of Nutritional Sciences
    • University of Sonora, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, Department of Food Science

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

    • Member, American Institute of Nutrition (elected 1992), Associate Member 1989-1992
    • Professional Member, Institute of Food Technologists (elected 1989) Associate Member 1979-1989.
    • Member National Lipid Association 2007- Present

SELECTED HONORS AND AWARDS

People smiling
2018-2021, Editor-in-Chief Nutrients

Grad students who won math award
2017, Ed Marth Award for Mentoring Graduate Students
    • 2010-2014-FDA, Foods Advisory Committee
    • 200-2012, Associate Editor, The Journal of Nutrition
    • Spring 2006, Provost Research Award
    • Fall 2005, UCANRAA Teaching Award
    • 2002, Gamma Sigma Delta, Junior Faculty Award
    • 2001, Excellence in Research Award, College of Agriculture
    • 1992, Elected Fellow, American Heart Association

TEACHING

    • NUSC 1165, Fundamentals of Nutrition
    • NUSC 3233/3235: Food Composition and Preparation
    • NUSC 5300: Vitamins and Minerals
    • NUSC 6315: Lipoproteins in Health and Disease
    • NUSC 2200: Nutrition and Human Development

GRADUATED MS STUDENTS

    1. Lin He (1/95-12/96)
    2. Taif Al-Sarraj (8/95-9/97)
    3. Hong Shen (8/95-122/97)
    4. Edward Cos (1/99-9/00)
    5. Jason Rosen (8/98-1/01)
    6. Madhu Patalay (8/02-12/04)
    7. Lisa Zola (1/05-7/06)
    8. Ushma Vaishnav (8/05-12/07)
    9. Shymaa Ata (1/07-5/08)
    10. Ryan DeOgburn (8/07-7/09)
    11. Daniela Ackerman (8/08-7/09)
    12. Branden LaPia (8/09-7/10)
    13. Michael Comperatore (8/08-7/10)
    14. Nilgun Gorken (1/12-8/13)
    15. Gabriela Murillo (8/12-8/14)
    16. Kolin Ebron (8/12-8/14)
    17. Huda Alorabi (8/13-8/15)
    18. Siqi Hu (8/14-5/16)
    19. Yuan Yao (8/16-5/17)
    20. Minu Sara Thomas (8/16-5/18)
    21. Hana Alyousef (1/17-12/18)

GRADUATED PH.D. STUDENTS

    1. Karin Conde (1/95 – 5/98) Current Position: Vice-President for Cardiology and Metabolism, Johnson & Johnson, London, UK.
    2. Marcela Vergara-Jimenez (8/94 – 5/98) Current Position: Dept Head, Nutrition Department, University of Sinaloa, Mexico.
    3. Suheeta Roy (1/98-5/01): Current position: Senior Research Associate, Children’s Hospital, Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA
    4. Tripurasundari Ramjiganesh (8/98-9/01) Current Position: Senior Associate Project Manager, Global Internal Medicine, Morrisville, NC.
    5. Sonia Vega-Lopez (8/98-5/02) Current Position: Associate Professor, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ.
    6. Kristy L West (8/00-5/04) Current Position: Medical Writer, PPD Inc., Wilmington, NC
    7. Kristin L Herron (8/00-5/04) Current Position: Senior Scientist, Global Nutrition, Chicago, IL.
    8. Ingrid E Lofgren (8/01-8/04) Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
    9. Tosca L Zern (8/01-5/05) Current position: Science Faculty, Conard High School, West Hartford, CT
    10. Martha Nydia Ballesteros (8/01-12/05) (from joint appointment with CIAD) Current position: Senior Researcher and Program Coordinator: Centro de Investigación en Desarrollo y Alimentos, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.
    11. Dimple Aggarwal (6/03-5/06) Current Position: Clinical Project Manager, Schering, Plough, NJ
    12. Richard J Wood (8/03-5/06) Current Position: Associate Professor, Spring College, Springfield, MA
    13. Christine Greene (8/03-5/06) Current Position: Information Technology, Field Service Manager, Hartford Hospital,Hartford, CT
    14. Sudeep Shrestha (1/04-5/07) Current position: Creator of NGO in Nepal in conjunction with John Hopkins Hospital, Bethesda, MD.
    15. Moises Torres-Gonzalez (8/04-6/07) Current position: Research Scientist, Dairy Council, Chicago, IL
    16. Gisella Mutungi (4/06-12/07) Current position: Senior Scientist, Pfizer, Philadelphia, PA
    17. Michael Puglisi (8/05-5/08) Current Position: Nutrition Coordinator, Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY.
    18. Taif Al-Sarraj (1/06-5/09) Current Position: Chief of Clinical Support Services, Tawam Hospital, Al-Ain, Abudabhi, United Arab Emirates.
    19. Joseph C Ratliff (8/06-5/09) Current Position: Nutrition Scientist, Dr Pepper/Snapple, Dallas, TX
    20. Jose O Leite (8/06-8/09) Current Position: Assistant Professor, Universida Federal de Mina Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
    21. Mariana Calle (1/07-5/11) Current Position: Associate Professor, Worcester State University
    22. Tina Checchio (8/09-5/11) Current Position: Senior Scientist, Pfizer, New London, CT
    23. Jennifer J Jones (8/07-8/11) Current Position: Post-doctoral fellow, Emory Medical School, Atlanta, Georgia
    24. Jung Eun Kim (8/08-8/11) Current Position: Post-doctoral fellow, Purdue University, Lafayette, IN
    25. Christopher N Blesso (8/09-8/12) Current Position: Assistant Professor, Dept Nutritional Sciences, UConn
    26. Jacqueline Barona (8/08-8/12) Current Position: AssociateProfessor, Department of Microbiology, University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
    27. Ryan deOgburn (co-Advisor with Volek) (8/09-8/13) Current position: Post-doctoral fellow
    28. Catherine J Andersen (1/09-8/13) Current Position: Assistant Professor in Fairfield University.
    29. Christine E Dugan (8/09-8/13) Current Position: RD Training Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT
    30. David Aguilar (8/09-5/14) Current Position: Assistant Professor, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah
    31. Gabriela Murillo (8/12-8/16) Current Position: Faculty, University of Costa Rica. Department of Medicine
    32. Amanda Missimer (8/14-5/17) Current Position: Lecturer, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
    33. Diana DiMarco (1/12-5/17) Current Position: Lecturer, Eastern University, Willimantic, CT
    34. Manal Almatrafi (8/13-8/17) Current Position: Faculty member, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
    35. Bruno Lemos (8/15-1/19) Current Position: postdoctoral fellow. Medical School, Farmington, CT

CURRENT GRADUATE STUDENTS

    • Minu Sara Thomas (Ph.D.)
    • Marissa DiBella (MS)

POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS

    • Ghada Abdel Fattah, PhD (September – December 1995).
    • Reyna Luz Vidal-Quintanar, PhD (July-December 1999)
    • Catherine Andersen, PhD (January-August 2014)

VISITING PROFESSORS

    • Jung Sook Kang (December 2004-December 2005)
      Department of Food and Nutrition, -Cheju National University, Korea
    • Hyeon Sook Lim (June-August 2008)
      Department of Nutrition – Chonnam National University

RESEARCH

The focus of my research is to contribute to our understanding on the relationship between diet and chronic disease with a concentration on coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in US as well as type-2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. I have conducted numerous clinical trials in her laboratory to determine the human response to dietary interventions aimed at weight loss, improvement of dyslipidemias, amelioration of inflammation, decreases in insulin resistance or reductions in oxidative stress. In recent years, my research has substantially contributed to clarify the controversies surrounding dietary cholesterol, egg intake and heart disease Three of my   clinical interventions were used to develop guidelines for dietary cholesterol by USDA in 2011.

I also utilize the guinea pig as an animal model to study the mechanisms by which nutrients and drug treatment specifically alter the metabolic pathways involved in maintaining hepatic cholesterol homeostasis, or those that are associated with fatty liver disease, generation of atherogenic lipoproteins, infiltration of macrophages into adipose tissue, the inflammatory response and atherosclerosis. From these guinea pig studies, I have made significant contributions to our knowledge on how dietary fiber, dietary cholesterol, fatty acids varying in saturation and chain length, carbohydrate restriction and dietary lutein modulate hepatic enzymes, intravascular processing of lipoproteins and gene expression. Recently I started working with nano-delivery of nutrients to demonstrate greater efficacy in target tissues.

EXTRA-MURAL FUNDING

Extramural Funding Principal Investigator

    • USDA: $520,580
    • USDA Hatch: $250,000
    • American Heart Association: $183,000
    • Food Companies and Commodities: $2,000,000
    • Drug Companies: $308,000

Intramural Funding (PI)

    • $150,000

Funding Co-PI or Co-Investigator

    • $572,000
    • Education Core Chair of the NIH “Health Disparities” proposal awarded to Rafael Perez-Escamilla ($8,000,000).

RECENT INVITED PRESENTATIONS (LAST 5 YEARS)

National (Selected)

    • Atorvastatin meeting, Ann Arbor, MI
    • Johnson and Johnson, Merk, Philadelphia, PA
    • Monsanto Company, Saint Louis, MO
    • USDA-ARS-EERC, Philadelphia, PA
    • Metabolomics LLC, Gig Harbor, WA
    • Hoffman La Roche, Nutley, NJ
    • Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA
    • Nutrition and Metabolomic Society, Brooklyn, NY
    • Broad Institute, Boston, MA
    • Metabolex INC, San Mateo, CA
    • Egg Nutrition Center, Washington, DC
    • Diet and Optimal Health Congress, Portland, OR
    • Manielli Lecture, Kingston, RI
    • Satellite ASN Speaker, Washington, DC
    • Glaxo-Smith-Kline, RTP, NC
    • University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
    • Department of Pathobiology, University of Connecticut
    • Experimental Biology, Washington, DC
    • Symposium Speaker on Dietary cholesterol controversies, Washington, DC
    • UConn Alumni Association, Hartford, CT
    • AHA Association, Industry Nutrition Advisory panel, San Diego, CA
    • Nutmeg IFT, Storrs, CT
    • Experimental Biology, San Diego, CA
    • Experimental Biology, Boston, MA
    • PRLAC, UConn
    • Experimental Biology, “Navigating the Tenure Process” San Diego, CA
    • Experimental Biology, San Diego CA
    • UConn Mentor Program
    • First Year Experience, UConn
    • Presentation to UConn Senate: “Retention of underrepresented faculty and staff”
    • Center for Metabolic Disease Research, Hartford, CT
    • Center for Metabolic Disease Research, New Haven CT
Students who presented about eggs
Hy-Line School in Des Moines, IA after given presentation of studies with eggs.

International:

    • Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo, Hermosillo, Mexico
    • University Federico Villareal, Lima, Peru
    • European Symposium, Lisbon, Portugal
    • University of Sinaloa, Culiacan, Mexico
    • Congreso de Aneca, Veracruz, Mexico
    • SLAN Congress, Acapulco, Mexico
    • El instituto del Huevo, Mexico City, Mexico
    • University of Panama, Panama city, Panama
    • Health Professionals, Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Health Institute, Armenia, Colombia
    • Nutrition Society of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
    • Tawam Hospital, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
    • Microbiological Society, Medellin, Colombia
    • Association of Dietitians, Buenos, Aires, Argentina
    • Insituto de la Nutriticion, Mexico city, Mexico
    • University of Menofuia, Shebbin-El-Kon, Egypt
    • Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo, Hermosillo, Mexico
    • University of Sonora, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
    • Conferences of Medical Practices, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
    • 11th European Nutrition Conferences, Madrid, Spain
    • EWHA University, Seoul, South Korea
    • El Instituto del Huevo, Mexico City, Mexico
    • International Symposium for Korean Physical Education, Seoul, South Korea
    • Invited Faculty for 2 weeks, Medellin, Colombia
    • Conference for Food and Nutrition, Jeddah, Saudi-Arabia
    • Egg Producers, Tehuacan, Mexico
    • University of Sonora, Hermosillo, Mexico
    • University of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
    • International Congress of Pediatricians, Cartagena, Colombia
    • Danone International meeting, Mexico city, Mexico
    • International Nutrition Society, Dublin, Ireland
    • Empresas SANUT, Santiago, Dominican Republic
    • CAPRIA, Argentina, Dietetics meeting, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Research Seminar given to students from University of Salta in Salta, Argentina

PUBLICATIONS (LAST 5 YEARS) (FROM A TOTAL OF 242)

    1. Fernandez ML. Commentary: High fat breakfast and fat oxidation in older adults. J. Nutrition. 2017; (in press)
    2. Vergara-Jimenez M, Almatrafi MM, Fernandez ML. Bioactive Components in Moringa Oeifera leaves protect against chronic Disease. Antioxidants 2017; 6,: 91
    3. Missimer A, Fernandez ML, DiMarco DM, Norris GH, Blesso CN, Murillo AG, Vergara-Jimenez M, Lemos BS, Medina-Vera I,k Malysheva OV, Caudil MA. Compared to an oatmeal breakfast, two eggs/day increased plasma carotenoids and choline withouth increasing trimytheyl amine-oxide concentations. J. Am Coll Nutr 2018;37:148-148
    4. Almatrafi MM, Vergara-Jimenez M, Smyth JA, Medina-Vera I, Fernandez ML. Moringa olifeira leaves do not alter adipose tissue colesterol accumulation or inflammation in guinea pigs fed a hypercholesterolemic diet. EC Nutrition 2017;18:1330
    5. Anup G, Vega-Lopez S, Damio G, Segura S, Shebl, F, Fernandez ML, Hawley N, Chhabra J, Perez-Escamilla R. Nutrition facts panel use is associated with diety quality and Dietary patterns among Latinos with Type 2 diabetes. Public Health Nutr. 2017 (in press.
    6. Almatrafi MM, Vergara-Jimenez M, Murillo AG, Norris GH, Blesso CN, Fernandez ML. Moringa leaves prevent hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammation in guinea pigs by reducing the expression of genes involved in lipid Metabolism. Int. J. Molec Sci 2017 9.6:237-242.
    7. DiMarco D, Norris GG, Blesso CN, Fernandez ML. Intake of up to 3 eggs per day does not impact expression of genes related to cholesterol homeostasis, uptake and transport in a healthy population. Prensa Med. Argentina, 2017 103:1
    8. Yao Y, Fernandez ML. Beneficial effects of Telomerase activator (TA-65) against chronic disease. EC Nutrition 2017:6.5:176-183.
    9. Missimer A, DiMarco DM, Andersen CJ, Murillo AG, Fernandez ML. Consuming 2 eggs per day, as compared to an oatmeal breakfast, decreases plasma ghrelin and maintains the LDL/HDL ratio. Nutrients, 2017:9:89, doi:10.3390/nut90220089.
    10. DiMarco DM, Missimer A, Murillo AG, Lemos B, Blesso CN, Fernandez ML. Intake of up to 3 eggs per day increases HDL cholesterol and plasma choline while plasma trimethylamine-N-Oxide is unchanged in a healthy population. Lipids. 2017; 52:255-263.
    11. DiMarco DM, Norris GH, Millar C, Blesso C, Fernandez ML. Intake of up to 3 eggs per day is associated with changes in HDL function and increased plasma antioxidants in healthy young adults. J. Nutr. 2017; 147:323-339.
    12. Fernandez ML. Eggs and Health, Special Issue, Editorial, Nutrients 2016; 2:8(12).
    13. Murillo AG, DiMarco DM, Fernandez ML. The potential of non-Provitamin A carotenoids for the prevention and treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Biology 2016:8:5(4)
    14. Hu S, Fernandez ML. Curcumin as a bioactive component. BJMMR. 2016: 17:6.
    15. DeOgburn R, Murillo AG, Fernandez ML. Guinea pigs as models for investigating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Int Food Nutr Met 2016:3:309-333.
    16. Murillo AG, Aguilar D, Norris GH, DiMarco DM, Missimer A, Hu S, Smyth JA, Gannon S, Blesso CN, Luo Y, Fernandez ML. Compared to powdered lutein, a lutein nanoemulsion increases plasma and liver lutein, protects agains hepatic steatosis and affects lipoprotein Metabolism in guinea pigs. J. Nutr. 2016: 146:1961-1969.
    17. Fernandez ML. Plasma HDL cholesterol and menopause EC Nutrition 2016:4: 14-15.
    18. Hu S, Wang T, Fernandez ML. Development of tanic acid cross-linked hollow zein nanoparticles as potential oral delivery vehicles for curcumin food hydrocolloids. Food Hydrocolloids 2016: 61:821-831.
    19. Murillo AG, Fernandez ML. The relevance of dietary polyphenols in cardiovascular protection. Current Pharmeutical Design 2017:23:1-9
    20. Fernandez ML, Murillo AG. Postmenopausal women have higher HDL and decreased incidence of low HDL than premenopausal women with metabolic syndrome. Healthcare. 2016: 4:20,
    21. Fernandez ML. Dietary cholesterol and diabetes, what do we know about this relationship? J. Clin. Diabet Pract. 2016; 2016;1:1
    22. DiMarco D, Fernandez ML. The Clinical relevance of plasma cholesterol ratios. EC Nutrition. 2016:3.2:619-620.
    23. Murillo AG, Fernandez ML. Dietary non-vitamin A carotenoids in the prevention and treatment of vascular complications. Adv. Nutr. 2016:7:14-24.
    24. Murillo AG, Fernandez ML. Lycopene and lutein and the prevention of atherosclerosis: Is supplementation necessary? EC Nutrition 2(5):465-473.
    25. Andersen CJ, Murphy KE, Fernandez ML. Impact of obesity and metabolic syndrome on immunity. Adv. Nutr. 2016: 7:66-75
    26. Ebron K, Andersen CJ, Aguilar D, Blesso CN, Barona J, Dugan C, Jones JL, Al-Sarraj T, Fernandez ML. A Larger Body Mass Index is associated with increased Atherogenic Dyslipidemia, Insulin Resistance, and Low-Grade Inflammation in Individuals with Metabolic Syndrom. Met Synd Rel Dis. 2015: Epub Ahead of Print
    27. DiMarco DM, Fernandez ML. The regulation of reverse cholesterol transport and cellular cholesterol homeostasis by microRNAs. Biology 2015, 4:494-511
    28. Fernandez ML. Dietary colesterol, should we worry about it? EC Nutrition 2015; 1.5:239-240.
    29. Ballesteros MN, Valenzuela F, Robles AE, Artalejo E, Aguilar D, Andersen CJ, Valdez H, Fernandez ML. One egg per day improves inflammation when compared to an oatmeal-based breakfast without increasing other cardiometabolic risk factors in diabetic patients. Nutrients 2015; 7:3449-3463.
    30. Vergara-Jimenez M, Missimer A, DiMarco D, Andersen CJ, Murillo AG, Fernandez ML. Evaluation of family history, antioxidant intake and activity level as indicators of chronic disease in a healthy young population. EC Nutrition 2015; 1.4:164-173.
    31. deOgburn R, Aguilar D, Volek JS, Smyth J. Fernandez ML. Guinea pigs present hypercholesterolemia, hepatic steatosis and liver injury congruent with cholesterol-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease following a dietary cholesterol challenge. EC Nutrition 2015: 1.1:28-40.
    32. Volk BM, Kunces LJ, Freidenreich DJ, Kupchak BR, Saenz C, Artistizabal JC, Fernandez ML, Bruno RS, Maresh CM, Kraemer WJ, Phinney SD, Volek JS. Effects of
      step-wise increases in dietary carbohydrate on circulating saturated Fatty acids and palmitoleic Acid in adults with metabolic syndrome. PLoS One. 2014;21;9(11):e113605.
    33. Dugan CE, Aguilar D, Park YK, Lee YJ, Fernandez ML. Dairy consumption lowers systemic inflammation and liver enzymes in typically low-dairy consumers with clinical characteristics of metabolic syndrome. J. Am. Coll Nutr 2016:35:255-261.
    34. Perez-Escamilla R., Damio G, Chhabra I, Fernandez ML, Perez-Segura S, Vega-Lopez S, Kollannor-Samuel G, Calle M, Shetbl F, D’Agostino D. Impact of Community Health Workers on Blood Glucose Control among Latinos with Type 2 Diabetes: The DIALBEST Trial. Diabetes Care 2015; 38:197-205.
    35. Aguilar D, deOgburn R, Volek J., Fernandez ML.Cholesterol-induced inflammation and macrophage accumulation in adipose tissue is reduced by a low carbohydrate diet in guinea pigs. Nutr. Res. Pract. 2014; 8:625-631.
    36. Andersen CJ, Lee JY, Blesso C, Park YK, Fernandez ML. Egg intake during carbohydrate restriction alters peripheral blood mononuclear cell inflammation and cholesterol homeostasis in metabolic syndrome. Nutrients 2014; 6:2650-26667.
    37. Fernandez ML, Andersen CJ. Effects of dietary cholesterol in diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Clinical Lipidology 2014; 9:607-616.
    38. Aguilar D, Fernandez ML Hypercholesterolemia induces adipose dysfunction in obesity and non-obesity conditions. Advances in Nutrition 2014; 5:497-502.
    39. Wang Y, McCullough M, Won S, Fernandez ML, Koo SI, Chun OK. Dietary carotenoids are associated with cardiovascular disease risk biomarkers mediated by serum carotenoid concentrations. J Nutr. 2014; 144:1067-1074.
    40. Ouellette CD, Yang M, Ying W, Fernandez ML, Rodriguez NR, Chun OK. The number of days required for assessing usual nutrient and antioxidant intakes in a sample from a U.S. healthy college population Nutrition. Nutrition 2014; 30(11-12):1355-9.
    41. Dugan CE, Fernandez ML.Effects of dairy on metabolic syndrome parameters. A review. Yale J Biol Med. 2014: 87:135-147.
    42. Arter J, Fernandez ML, Lofgren I. Coronary heart disease risk factors in College students.Advances in Nutrition 2014; 5:177-187.
    43. Wang Y, Meng Yang, Lee SG, Ouelette C, Fernandez ML, Volek JS, Chun O. Diets high in total antioxidant capacity improve risk biomarkers of cardiovascular disease: A 9-month observational study among overweight/obese postmenopausal women. Eur J Nutr. 2014; 53:1363-1369.
    44. Dugan CE, Barona J, Fernandez ML. Increased dairy consumption diferentially improves Metabolic syndrome markers in male and female adults. Met Synd Rel Dis. 2014;12: 62-69.
    45. Cussak LK, Fernandez ML, Volek JS. The food matrix and sterol characteristics affect the plasma cholesterol lowering of phytosterol/phytostanol. Adv Nutr Res; 2013: 6:633-643.
    46. Andersen CJ, Fernandez ML. Dietary strategies to reduce metabolic syndrome. Rev Endocrine Met Dis 2013: 14:241-254.
    47. Ballesteros MN, Cabrera RM, Saucedo MS, Fernandez ML. Intake of two eggs per day increases plasma lutein and zeaxanthin in a pediatric population at high risk for heart disease. Brit. J. Medicine Med Res 2013;3:2203-2213.
    48. Andersen CJ, Fernandez ML. Dietary approaches to improving atheroprotective HDL functions.Food and Function 2013;14:241-54.
    49. Volek JS, Volk BM, Volek AL, Kunces LJ, Kupchack BR, Freindereich DJ, Aristizabal JC, Saenz CM, Dunn-Lewis C, Ballard KD, Quann EE, Kaweicki DL, Flanagan SD, Comstock BA, Fragala MS, Earp JE, Fernandez ML, Bruno RM, Ptolemy AS, Kellog MD, Maresh CM, Kraemer WC. Whey protein supplementation during resistance training augments lean body mass J. Am Coll Nutr 2013; 32:122-135.
    50. Ballard KD, Quann EE, Kupchack BR, Volk BM, Kawiechk DM, Fernandez ML, Seip RL, Maresh CM, Kraemer WJ, Volek JS. Dietary carbohydrate restriction improves insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, microvascular function and cellular adhesion markers in individuals taking statins. Nutr. Res. 2013; 33:905-912.
    51. Kunces LJ, Cusack LK, Kupchak BR, Volk BM, Freindenreich DJ, Aristizabal JC, Seanz C, Pei R, Guo Y, Fernandez ML, Bruno RM, Maresh CM, Kraemer WJ, Pronczuk A, Hayes KC, Volek JS. Triglyceride recrystallized phytostyerols in fat-free milk improve lipoprotein profiles more than unmodified free phytosterols in hypercholesterolemic men and women. J. Am Coll Nutr 2013; 32:232-242.
    52. Yang M, Wang Y, Davis CG, Lee SG, Fernandez ML, Koo SI, Cho E, Chun OK. Validation of a food frequency questionnaire to assess antioxidant intake in overweight postmenopausal women. Public Health Nutr 2013;Epub ahead of print.
    53. Calle MC, Vega-Lopez S, Segura-Perez S, Perez-Escamilla R, Fernandez ML. A Dietary Pattern Low in Fruits Explains Variations in Inflammation and in Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease in Latinos Diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes. Brit. J. Medicine Med Res.2013; 3:1558-1573.
    54. Vega-Lopez S, Calle MC, Fernandez ML, Kollanoor-Samuel G, Chhabra J, Segura S. D’Agostino D, Damio G, Perez-Escamilla. Triglyceride screening may improve cardiometabolic disease risk assessment in Latinos with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. J. Health Care Poor Undeserved 2013; 24:1739-1755
    55. Blesso CN, Andersen CJ, Barona J, Volk B, Volek JS, Fernandez ML. Effects of carbohydrate restriction and dietary cholesterol provided by eggs on clinical risk factors of metabolic syndrome. J Clin Lipidol. 2013; 7:463-471.
    56. Andersen CJ, Blesso CN, Lee JY, Barona J, Sha D, Thomas MJ, Fernandez ML.Egg consumption modulates HDL composition and increases the cholesterol accepting capacity of serum in metabolic syndrome. Lipids 2013; 48:557-567.
    57. Barona J, Blesso C, Andersen CJ, Park YK, Lee JY, Fernandez ML. Grape consumption increases anti-inflammatory markers and upregulates peripheral nitric oxide synthase in the absence of dyslipidemias in men with metabolic syndrome. Nutrients 2012; 4:1945-1957.
    58. Blesso CN, Andersen CJ, Bolling B, Fernandez ML. Egg intake improves carotenoid status by increasing HDL cholesterol in adults with metabolic syndrome. Food and Function 2013; 4:213-221.
    59. Yang M, Wang Y, Davis C, Fernandez ML,Koo SI, Cho E, Chun OK. Validation of a food frequency questionnaire to assess short-term antioxidant intake against 30-d food records and plasma biomarkers. Public Health Nut 2012;20:1-10.
    60. Blesso CN, Andersen CJ, Barona J, Volek J, Fernandez ML. Whole egg consumption improves lipoprotein profiles and insulin sensitivity in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Metabolism 2013; 62:400-410.
    61. Barona J, Fernandez ML. Dietary cholesterol affects plasma lipid levels, the intravascular processing of lipoproteins and reverse cholesterol transport without increasing the risk for heart disease. Nutrients 2012;4:1015-1025.
    62. Barona J, Aristizabal J, Blesso CN, Volek JS, Fernandez ML. Grape polyphenols reduce blood pressure and increase flow-mediated vasodilation in men with metabolic syndrome. J. Nutr2012;142:1626-1632
    63. Ouellete CG, Yang M, Wang Y, Yu C, Fernandez ML, Rodriguez NR, Chun O. Assessment of nutrient adequacy with supplement use in a sample of healthy college students. J. Am. Coll Nutr2012;31-301-310.
    64. Kanter M, Kris-Etherton P, Fernandez ML, Vickers KC, Katz DL. Exploring The Factors That Impact Blood Cholesterol and Heart Disease Risk: Is Dietary Cholesterol as Bad for You as History Leads Us to Believe? Advances in Nutrition 2012: 3:711-717.
    65. Kim JE, Park YK, Lee JY. Clark RM, Fernandez ML. Lutein decreases oxidative stress and inflammation in liver and eyes of guinea pigs fed a hypercholesterolemic diet. Nutr. Res Pract. 2012;6:113-119.
    66. Calle M, Fernandez ML. Inflammation and type 2diabetes. Diabetes & Metabolism. 2012; 38:183-191.
    67. deOgburn R, Leite JO, Ratliff J, Volek JS, McGrane MM, Fernandez ML. Increased dietary cholesterol in conjunction with carbohydrate restriction uniquely impacts hepatic lipid metabolism in a guinea pig model. Comparative Medicine. 2012: 62:109-115.
    68. Fernandez ML. Rethinking dietary cholesterol. Curr. Opinions Med Nutr Metabolic Care. 2012; 15:17-21.

BOOK CHAPTERS

    1. Dugan CE, Fernandez ML. Dairy, yogurt and cardiovascular health in Yogurt in Health and Disease Prevention. 2017: pages 475-489.
    2. Fernandez ML, Blesso CN. Dietary cholesterol and the lack of evidence on heart disease risk in Handbook of Cholesterol Wageninen Academic Publishers 2016 pages 101-116.
    3. Fernandez ML, Barona J. Grapes and Atherosclerosis in Grapes and Health, Springer publishers. 2016 pages 53-76.
    4. Fernandez ML, Andersen CA, Eggs, the Forgotten Benefits in Eggs in Human Function Wageninen Academic Publishers 2015 pages 17-34.
    5. Fernandez ML, Andersen CJ, Eggs, Composition and Health in Encyclopedia of Food and Health edited by Caballero, Finglas and Toldra. 2015 pages 470-475.
    6. Fernandez ML, Dugan CE. Lacteos y Sindrome Metabolico in Lacteos, Alimentos Esenciales para el ser humano. edited by Federacion Panamerica de Lecheria, Montevideo, Uruguay 2015: pp 229-236.
    7. Blesso CN, Andersen CJ, Fernandez ML.Eggs effects on HDL metabolism, inflammation and insulin resistance.In Nutrition Intervention on Metabolic syndrome. CRC Press 2016: pages 313-322.
    8. Fernandez ML. The Mediterranean diet versus a low fat diet, cardiovascular risk factors and obesity in The Mediterranean Diet: An evidence-based approach to disease prevention, Elsevier, 2014; pages 357-363.
    9. Fernandez ML. Fiber, Cholesterol Reduction and Cardiovascular Disease in Edible Fiber Components: Nutritional and Health Benefits. Taylor and Francis Publishers, 2009;
    10. Fernandez ML& Wood RJ. Guinea pigs as models for human cholesterol and lipoprotein metabolism in Source book for models for Biomedical Research, Humana Press 2008 p. 201-212.
    11. Fernandez ML, Vergara-Jimenez M. Associations between Carbohydrate Intake and Risk for Coronary Heart Disease, Insulin Resistance and the Metabolic Syndrome. In “Focus on Dietary Carbohydrate Research”. Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Chapter 3.,2006 p55-70.
    12. Fernandez ML“Pectin: Composition, chemistry, physico-chemical properties, food applications and physiological effects in Handbook of Dietary Fiber, Cho S and Dreher M. (eds): Marcel Dekker Inc. 2001;Chapter 30 Pages 583-601.
    13. Fernandez ML.”Dietary Fiber and LDL Metabolism”. In European Symposium on functional properties of non-digestible carbohydrates.LisbonPortugal. 1998;p 29-34.

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