Metabolic Health

The aim of this research project is to evaluate and compare the impacts of increasing plain water intake or non-sugar-sweetened beverage intake on cardiovascular health, glucose regulation, and hydration in adults.

The aim of this pilot project is to evaluate the cardiovascular health of American Indian youth and adults and to generate new data regarding the presence and extent of atherosclerosis in this population. The primary measurements of vascular health in this study are non-invasive (carotid artery  intima media thickness),and  body composition, (DXA scan). We are particularly interested in studying family members, such as a parent and children aged 10 years and older.

The major aim of this project is to assess the effects of aerobic exercise added to anti-amyloid therapy on blood biomarkers in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia. These results will be compared to a matched group of patients with MCI or mild dementia who are not receiving anti-amyloid therapy. This is a collaborative study with Barrow Neurological Institute.

This project investigates whether time-restricted eating can enhance cognitive performance and affect biological markers in adults experiencing mild cognitive impairment (reduced function).

In this study, we are testing the accuracy of the Healbe GoBe3 smartwatch in detecting eating episodes throughout the day. This is important because objective data (not self-reported) on fasting and feeding, is needed for use in clinical trials on time-restricted eating.

This project is a collaboration with community partners from biotechnology and healthcare industries (Theriome, Youth Renewal Sciences, Nala, Connected mHealth, Memory Lane Games) connecting metabolic health to aging through multi-omics, analytical testing, computational modeling, clinical trials, nutrition interventions, physiology, community engagement, and patient care. We are studying a proactive personalized medicine intervention designed to retain health longer and, to the extent possible, to restore muscle, cognitive, and immune functions through adaptive homeostasis. To this end, we have formed a competitive team in the current Xprize Healthspan competition 

GLP-1 agonists, the drugs approved for treating diabetes and obesity, have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of other co-morbidities of obesity as well, including cardiovascular, brain and immune functions. The MHTT team is working on quantifying the effects of GLP-1 on metabolism, with particular emphasis on mechanisms and combination with life-style interventions to prevent weight regain.