Jessica Alvarez, PhD, RD

Dr. Alvarez is a registered dietitian with a Master's in Clinical Nutrition and a PhD in Nutrition Sciences from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Dr. Alvarez's research focuses on the role of nutrition and body composition on metabolism in chronic diseases, including cystic fibrosis and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. Her research integrates state-of-the-art metabolomics with many aspects of nutrition research including rigorous clinical trials, body composition analysis, biomarker assessment, analysis of dietary intake and physical activity. Specific research foci include: 1) use of plasma high-resolution metabolomics, redox and bioenergetic assessment to identify targets for nutritional intervention to optimize health in adults with cystic fibrosis and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, 2) role of vitamin D in sulfur/disulfide thiol redox, insulin sensitivity, vascular function, and clinical outcomes in the general population and various clinical diseases (e.g., cystic fibrosis and chronic kidney disease, 3) role of diet, body composition, and energy metabolism in ethnic health disparities of chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, and 4) role of diet in sulfur/disulfide thiol redox-mediated pathophysiology. Dr. Alvarez is currently supported by a NIH/NIDDK K01 grant entitled, "Integration of Nutritional Metabolomics with Bioenergetics in Cystic Fibrosis.

Dr. Alvarez received the 2017 Distinguished Service by a Researcher Award from the Georgia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This award recognizes a dietetics professional for his/her research accomplishments related to food and nutrition.