Dr. Dorothy Klimis-Zacas

Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, PhD is Professor of Clinical Nutrition and cooperating Graduate Faculty, School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Maine. She is also cooperating professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Harokopio University, Athens, Greece and at the Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Milan, Italy. She received her MS in Human Physiology and PhD in Nutrition Science from the Pennsylvania State University and did post-doctoral training at the Department of Physiological Chemistry, University of Cologne, Germany and the University of Cologne Hospital.

Dr. Klimis-Zacas has been involved in biomedical research exploring the role of trace minerals and dietary bioactives on chronic diseases such as Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease and the Metabolic Syndrome including basic and clinical investigations. Her applied investigations involve cross-cultural studies that utilize dietary interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk in populations both in the United States and the Mediterranean region.

Her past studies have documented the beneficial role of wild blueberries on vascular function, structure and metabolism in normotensive and hypertensive states. Her recent investigations examine the role of wild blueberries on attenuating co-morbidities associated with the Metabolic Syndrome such as Obesity-induced inflammation, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance as well as gene expression related to the above.

Dr. klimis-Zacas was awarded a senior Fulbright Fellowship to the Hellenic School of Public Health, Athens, Greece where she was involved in the Pan European Project EPIC (European Perspective study Into Cancer) and received two Fulbright Specialist awards to the University of Milan, Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences. Additionally, Dr. klimis-Zacas was the recipient of the prestigious Fondazione Cariplo Fellowship to lead research on the use of biosensors in exploring dietary approaches for degenerative disease prevention at the University of Milan.

Dr. Klimis-Zacas is the editor of “Manganese in Health and Disease”, ‘Nutritional Concerns for Women”, and has acted as editor-in-chief of “Annual Editions in Nutrition” and member of several editorial boards including the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry and Council member of the International Society of Trace Mineral Research in Humans (ISTERH). Dr. Klimis-Zacas is a member of many professional societies dedicated to promoting health and preventing disease including The American Society for Nutrition, The International Atherosclerosis Society, The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, The Italian Society of Nutrition, The Hellenic Dietetic Association and many others.