UROP Project

Nutrition; exercise; health; microbiome; gut; food science; inflammation; dietetics; metabolism; aging; clinical;

Research Mentor: Mr. Cole Patoine, he/him
Department, College, Affiliation: Department of Health, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: cjp23a@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Nutrition and Dietetics
Exercise Physiology
Food Science
Biology
Chemistry
STEM
Pre-Med
Neuroscience
Psychology
Nursing
Microbiology
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 8-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Wednesday Sept 4th, 4-6pm: Join Zoom Link Here:
https://fsu.zoom.us/j/94089330630

Project Description

We are interested in understanding the mechanisms and dynamics of host-diet-microbe interactions and how these interactions influence our health. We utilize and integrate nutrition, microbiology, molecular biology, in-vitro systems, in-vivo models, metagenomics, bioinformatics, and machine-learning approaches to address, investigate and understand these interfaces. The Gut Biome lab is currently focused on running 3 clinical trials: 1. The effect of watermelon on gut and cardio metabolic health in college aged students with obesity (12-week trial to begin this fall), 2. The effect of peanut butter on gut health and metabolic health in school-aged children (8-week trial to begin this fall), 3. The effect of dietary pulses on gut and metabolic health in college aged students. We are collecting blood biomarkers, oral and fecal microbiome, cognitive data, urine samples, and utilizing new technology such as gas-sensing capsules to answer our research objectives and generate new questions.

Research Tasks: Students will be asked to develop their own project idea based on existing or ongoing lab data and to work through each step of the scientific process while developing their project. Some research tasks may involve: Data collection and data analysis, literature review, conducting screening visits with participants, fecal DNA extraction, phone-interviews, and recruiting participants.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: You will succeed in our lab if you are committed to learning something new. No skills are "required", however, we are looking for those with a strong work ethic, great communication skills, reliability, and a passion for nutrition, health and learning.