Caroline Richard, RD, MSc, PhD

Area of Study / Keywords

Nutritional Immunology / Nutrition & Metabolism / Clinical Nutrition

About

Education and Training

•Associate Professor-Human Nutrition division, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences (AFNS)

•Adjunct Professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology (MMI)

•Canada Research Chair in Nutritional Immunology

•Postdoctoral Fellowship-Nutritional Immunology, AFNS, University of Alberta, Alberta.

•PhD-Nutrition & Metabolism, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Laval University, Québec. 

•MSc-Clinical Nutrition, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Laval University, Québec.

•Undergraduate-Nutrition/Internship, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Laval University, Québec.

Research

Major Responsibilities/ Research Interests

My research program supports the establishment of clinical evidence-based nutritional recommendations for the management of obesity-related immune dysfunction. My research aims first at understanding the independent contributions of diet and hyperglycemia in modulating immune function in obesity and secondly at developing dietary approaches (dietary pattern, food or supplement) that precisely mitigate obesity-related immune dysfunction. Identifying specific immune functions (markers to target), independent of diet, that are impaired in different health conditions (e.g., obesity, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes) is crucial to determine targeted and personalized approaches to precisely improve immune function in each health condition. The second part of my research program is to provide evidence to support food-based recommendations (ex. Phosphatidylcholine) that are directed at precisely improving obesity-related immune dysfunction. This is important since weight loss, although known to improve inflammation and the immune system, has resulted in little long-term success. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify other effective strategies for the management of obesity co-morbidities.

 Areas of focus include:

1.     Understanding the relationship between the cardiovascular system and the immune system

2.     Nutritional interventions to mitigate immune dysfunction related to obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

3.     Phosphatidylcholine and dairy fat counteracting the immune dysfunction associated with obesity

NU FS 401 - Undergraduate Research Project

Directed laboratory study under supervision of a staff member. Note: For third- and fourth-year students only. Students must obtain approval from Department before registration. May be taken more than once provided that topic is different.

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