April J. Stull, PhD RD

April Stull, PhD2017 Presentation Title – Blueberries: Is it a “Berry” Good Idea for Cardiovascular Health?

Dr. Stull is an Associate Professor of Nutrition in the Department of Human Ecology at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Her research focuses on botanicals and their impact on risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome. Specifically, Dr. Stull’s lab found that supplementation with blueberries for 6 weeks improved insulin sensitivity and endothelial function in adult obese men and women that had metabolic syndrome. Dr. Stull received federal (National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health) and nonprofit (US Highbush Blueberry Council) funding to support her blueberry research. She has published numerous book chapters and manuscripts in peer-reviewed scientific journals related to the health benefits of blueberries. Additionally, she has presented her research findings at many international and national conferences. Dr. Stull is very involved in various professional organizations, such as the American Society for Nutrition (Chair 2013-2014, Young Professional Interest Group; Vice Chair 2015-present, Minority and Diversity Affairs Committee), American Diabetes Association, and NIDDK Network of Minority Health Research Investigators.

Dr. Stull is also a Registered Dietitian and attained her Ph.D. in Nutrition Science from Purdue University. Her graduate training was followed by a National Institutes of Health T32 postdoctoral fellowship in diabetes, nutrition, and botanicals at Pennington Biomedical Research Center (Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA).

During her fellowship, she received the MARC (Maximizing Access to Research Careers) Postdoctoral Professional Development and Enrichment Award. Recently, she was honored as a Diamond of the Department of Nutrition Science at Purdue University. This award recognized her contributions to advancing the field of Nutrition. In her spare time, Dr. Stull enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and scrapbooking.