2022 Berries and the Skin Session Chair

Mary Ann Lila is the inaugural Director of the Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Research Campus. She holds the David H. Murdock Distinguished Professorship, and is a Professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences. Through ground-breaking, transdisciplinary discovery and outreach, her team of faculty at the Plants for Human Health Institute (PHHI) pioneers a dramatic shift in the way the American public views and uses food crops – not merely as a source of nutrients and flavorful calories, but as a powerful resource for components that protect and enhance human health. Integrated research in metabolomics, biochemistry, pharmacogenomics, molecular breeding, regenerative medicine, translational food science and nutrition and postharvest are aimed at development and promotion of mainstream fruit and vegetable produce with enhanced health benefits, and introduction of new or underappreciated crops and products from various sites throughout the globe, allowing consumers to make proactive, responsible dietary choices that benefit their own, and their families’ health.

Dr. Lila is currently a co-Director of an ambitious public-private Plant Pathways Elucidation Project (P2EP) which synergizes the talents of academia and industry. Other current research projects include a Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research initiative on ‘Closing the gap in delivery of fruit and vegetable benefits’, USDA-funded initiatives on polyphenol-protein colloids for attenuation of food allergies, on the science behind Alaska’s traditional subsistence lifestyle, and on saffron as a high value culinary and medicinal niche crop, and a Comparative Medicine Institute grant for developing the neonatal pig as a model for human food allergies.

Dr. Lila has been awarded the Paul A. Funk Scholarship Recognition Award (the premier research award in the College of ACES, University of Illinois), the Spitze Professorial Career Excellence Award, the Faculty Award for Excellence in Research, the University Scholar Award, the Amoco Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Instruction, and the Lilly Endowment Teaching Fellowship. Dr. Lila has ongoing research projects in Australia, New Zealand, and multiple countries in Europe, the Americas and Africa, and is Vice President of the Global Institute for BioExploration (GIBEX). In 1999, Dr. Lila won a Fulbright Senior Scholarship to conduct research and outreach in New Zealand, and returns to Australasia at least once/year.

2017 Presentation Title – Ulcers, Stomach Cancer, Antibiotic Resistance and Cranberries: What’s the Connection? 

Dr. Amy B. Howell is an associate research scientist at the Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research at Rutgers University, where she works on isolating natural products from cranberries that benefit health.

Since 1993, Dr. Howell has been engaged in research aimed at identifying the active compounds in cranberries that prevent urinary tract infections and determining their role in maintenance of urinary tract health. Dr. Howell and her team isolated specific compounds from cranberry fruit, called proanthocyanidins (PACs), which they found to be capable of preventing E. coli bacteria from attaching to cells from the urinary tract. This work was published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 1998.

In a subsequent publication in The Journal of the American Medical Association, she reported on cranberry’s potential role in preventing antibiotic-resistant bacteria from colonizing the urinary tract. Her work on identification of the unique molecular structures of the A-type cranberry PACs has been published in both Phytochemistry and the Journal of Natural Products.

Currently, she is engaged in projects to determine additional mechanisms of action in the gut for cranberry and maintenance of urinary tract health. She is closely involved in method development for accurate quantification of cranberry PACs in powdered supplements to enable the cranberry industry to develop, manufacture and market high quality, efficacious products for human and animal nutrition. She is currently involved in writing the USP monographs on cranberry, and serves on the AOAC SPSFAM Proanthocyanidins in Cranberries (PAC) Working Group.

She has presented her research findings at numerous professional meetings in the U.S. and internationally, and her work has been featured in magazines and newspapers (NY Times, etc.) and has been a guest on radio and television shows (NPR, Dr. Oz, Today Show, Good Morning America, etc.)

2017 Presentation Title – The Missing Pink? Could Enterohepatic Circulation of Anthocyanins Help to Explain Their Health Benefits?

Wilhelmina Kalt obtained her PhD from North Carolina State University and is currently employed with the Canadian federal agriculture department, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in the province of Nova Scotia.

Dr. Kalt’s research on berry health benefits has focused on the anthocyanins of blueberry species. Her early work characterized the impact of horticulture and food factors on the antioxidant polyphenolics in berries. Dr. Kalt’s work also included large-scale fractionation of blueberry fruit polyphenolics for bioactivity assessment in vitro and in vivo.

Dr. Kalt has conducted clinical and animal research on blueberries in the topic areas of visual function and anthocyanin bioavailability. Her recent findings on anthocyanin abundance and persistence in humans will support and inform clinical research using berry anthocyanins.

Willy works with industry groups and in particular the blueberry industries, to support the development of their health sector. She is very pleased to attend the 2017 BHBS.

2017 Presentation Title – Cranberry Proanthocyanidins Reverse Microbial Dysbiosis and Inhibit Bile Acid Metabolism in Association with Esophageal Cancer Prevention

Laura Kresty, Ph.D., M.S. is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin Division of Hematology and Oncology, specializing in Cancer Prevention. Dr. Kresty received her PhD in Public Health from The Ohio State University in 2000 with a major in Cancer Chemoprevention and Epidemiology and minor in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Dr. Kresty remained at The Ohio State University to complete a NCI-Sponsored Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Molecular Oncology, followed by a faculty appointment in Internal Medicine.

In 2008 Dr. Kresty joined the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine and Sylvester Cancer where she continued her research focused on the inhibition of esophageal adenocarcinoma and cancers of the head and neck. Dr. Kresty also served as Director for the Doctorate in Epidemiology Program and was a Cancer Biology Steering Committee Member at the University of Miami.

In January 2013, Dr. Kresty joined the Medical College of Wisconsin where she continues research investigating risk factors, molecular mechanisms and preventive strategies for targeting cancers of the esophagus and head and neck. Dr. Kresty serves as an Associate Editor for Molecular Carcinogenesis, is a peer reviewer for multiple additional journals in her field, has over 50 peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters and has delivered 45 invited talks throughout the world.

In addition, she is a Standing Member of NCI’s Chemo/Dietary Prevention Study Section and frequently serves on other NIH/NCI review and special emphasis panels. Her ongoing research focus is on evaluating the cancer inhibitory potential of various dietary constituents, including cranberry proanthocyanidins (C-PACs).

Her research team has reported for the first time that C-PAC activates autophagic cell machinery leading to cell death, the specific type of C-PAC- induced cell death depends on sensitivity to bile acids, C-PAC-induced death is Beclin-1 independent and importantly Beclin-1 inactivation is linked to esophageal adenocarcinoma stage and grade. Dr. Kresty is also interested in energy excess as it relates to escalating esophageal adenocarcinoma risk and collaborating on investigations focused on novel imaging technologies to detect early epithelial and sub-epithelial esophageal changes for more rapid evaluation of chemopreventive agents.

Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, LDN, is a nationally-recognized lifestyle nutrition expert, culinary and media consultant. Her book The Essential Guide to Healthy Healing Foods is an empowering evidence-based exploration into the landscape of food, which encourages readers to evolve their eating for improved health, happiness and longevity. Her new book, Total Body Diet For Dummies is due for release later this year. As a mother of two, her passion for translating nutrition science into usable, real-life messages combined with her culinary capabilities educates consumers on appreciating healthful ingredients and delicious flavors while creating tasty, nutritious meals. With a particular interest in mindful eating, her byline has appeared in dozens of national publications, including The Costco Connection, EatingWell Magazine and Chicago Health Magazine. Vicki has appeared on ABC World News Tonight, contributes to WGN-TV’s Medical Watch, CBS-TV and ABC-TV in Chicago. She lives to eat well with her husband, two active youngsters and their precocious pet pug.

Vicki’s blogs her recipes and writings at SimpleCravingsRealFood.com.

Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, is a New York Times best selling author and nationally recognized health expert. Frances was the Food and Nutrition Director at Health magazine for nearly eight years. She writes for Parents, BabyCenter, Today.com, Cooking Light magazine and other publications. Frances is a sought after spokesperson and provides private nutrition counseling to clients through her HealthyHousecalls.

Frances is a frequent guest on national TV, including the Today Show, Good Morning America, Access Hollywood Live, CNN, The Rachael Ray Show, and The Dr. Oz Show. She has also lent her expertise as a judge for Food Network Challenge and The James Beard Awards. Frances is a contributor and on-air spokesperson for Cooking Light magazine.

Frances is the author of Feed the Belly: The Pregnant Mom’s Healthy Eating Guide and co-author of the bestselling The CarbLovers Diet and The CarbLovers Diet Cookbook. Her latest cookbook is Eating In Color: Delicious, Healthy Recipes for You and Your Family. Frances earned her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and completed her dietetic internship at Columbia University.

Frances lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband and three kids. To learn more, go to www.franceslargemanroth.com, or follow her on social media @FrancesLRothRD.