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Jiafan (Billy) Qiu is a Ph.D. student in Molecular Nutrition, working under the mentorship of Dr. Dan Berry. He earned his B.S. in Food and Nutritional Sciences from Macau University of Science and Technology. Inspired by his own weight-loss journey, Billy has long been passionate about developing effective and healthy strategies to combat obesity. In the Berry Lab, his research focuses on understanding how specific niche cells influence the function of adipose tissue and the

Xincheng Wu is a Ph.D. candidate in Molecular Nutrition at Cornell University. His research focuses on understanding how mRNA translation is regulated under metabolic stress, particularly how arginine availability influences protein synthesis and cell metabolism. He combines techniques such as ribosome profiling, confocal microscopy, and proteomics to uncover molecular mechanisms that link translation control to cancer cell growth. His work also explores how tumor-derived mRNAs are translated in normal somatic cells to advance mRNA-based immunotherapies

Laura Bellows, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D.N., is a Professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences. She is a public health nutrition scientist whose research program centers on developing, evaluating, and translating evidence-based interventions that improve nutrition, physical activity, and health among children and families.

Her interdisciplinary research integrates nutrition, physical activity, behavioral science, implementation science, and digital health to develop evidence-based interventions in partnership with communities. Working collaboratively with families, caregivers, educators, and community organizations, her

Sabrinna Mena is an M.S. student in Nutrition, working to complete the combined Dietetic Internship program at Cornell University. They earned a B.S. in Dietetics from the State University of New York at Oneonta. Currently, they are working with Dr. Laura Bellows in the Health and Behaviors Lab (HBL) on the StayWell project, which aims to understand and improve the well-being of New York State early childhood educators. Sabrinna's interests include community-based nutrition interventions, translational

Saori is a second-year Ph.D. student concentrating on Community Nutrition. Her current research focuses on improving child nutrition and digital health approaches. Saori aims to advance equitable nutrition support by integrating behavioral science and data-driven evaluation to better understand and promote healthy eating environments for families and children.

Rachel Dunifon is the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology, where she leads efforts to connect knowledge with action to address society’s most pressing human challenges.

Since becoming dean in 2018, Dunifon led a transformative strategic planning process that expanded the college’s presence in New York City, recruited faculty in critical areas of excellence, strengthened public engagement and elevated the student experience. A centerpiece of Dunifon’s leadership