Faculty Spotlight

Guodong Zhang, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Nutrition and a Nutritionist in Agricultural and Environmental Science at UC Davis. He earned his Ph.D. in Food Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison, before completing three years of postdoctoral research at UC Davis where he began his extensive work in the field of fatty acid metabolism. After working as a professor for either years at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and almost two years at the National University of Singapore, he returned to Davis in 2023 to teach and conduct research in his lab.

Fawaz Haj, D.Phil. is a Professor in the Department of Nutrition with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Internal Medicine at UC Davis. He earned his D.Phil. in Physiology from Oxford University, and later spent 7 years as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University. Since joining UC Davis as faculty in 2007, Dr. Haj has continued to lead research and teach students.

As research continues to reinforce the connections between nutrition, metabolism, and disease, diet emerges as a promising tool in cancer prevention and treatment. Dr. Gerardo Mackenzie, Professor and Chair of the UC Davis Department of Nutrition, is leading innovative research that explores how dietary factors influence cancer development, progression, and response to therapy; particularly with pancreatic cancer. By studying the interactions among diet, metabolism, and the immune system, this work aims to better understand how nutrition can support more effective cancer treatments.

Amy R. Nichols, PhD, MS, RDN is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition at UC Davis who is leading innovative research focused on how nutrition influences women’s health across major life stages.

Dr. Carl Keen was a remarkable scientist and member of the Department of Nutrition for 40 years. He passed away on March 18th, 2026 due to complications with Parkinson's.

Carl joined the Department in 1981 and served as Chair from 1993 to 2006. During his tenure, his research focused on two areas; the investigation of the influence of maternal diet on the risk for pregnancy complications (maternal, conceptus, and fetal) and the influence of diet on the risk for age-related chronic diseases.

March is National Nutrition Month®, a campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to highlight the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and physical activity habits. This year, we’re celebrating by spotlighting the incredible faculty members in our department who hold the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential. Their expertise spans clinical care, community nutrition, research, and education to advance evidence-based practice while mentoring the next generation of nutrition professionals.
 

The holidays are full of flavorful dishes and family traditions. Whether it’s homemade stuffing or a cookie swap, all foods are meant to be enjoyed this time of year. Maintaining a healthy approach to eating during the holiday season may feel overwhelming, but Debbie Fetter, associate professor of teaching with the UC Davis Department of Nutrition, has some helpful pointers to help everyone feel good about those once-a-year favorites (hello, pumpkin pie).

Every August, National Breastfeeding Month invites us to celebrate nursing parents and their dedication. But it also offers an opportunity to reconsider how science and public health approach one of the most foundational aspects of human development: nutrition in early life.

What makes a baby healthy—and what does the latest research say?

In the Department of Nutrition and the Graduate Group in Nutritional Biology at UC Davis, our scientists are diving deep into the wonders of human milk — from its unique composition to how it shapes lifelong health.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally, affecting millions of lives each year. From heart attacks and strokes to high blood pressure and atherosclerosis, the burden of heart-related conditions is not only physical but also emotional and economic.