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Elena Runfeldt is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in International Nutrition, working with Dr. John Hoddinott. She earned a B.S. in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University in 2021. In 2023, she rejoined the Division of Nutritional Sciences after completing a Fulbright fellowship in Barbados, where she designed, implemented, and evaluated a nutrition education program for the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s childhood obesity management initiative, The Yute Gym. Her current research centers on incorporating novel foods into

Chloe is a third-year PhD student in Dr. Martha Field's lab studying folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism (FOCM) and chronic disease. More specifically, she is investigating the roles of folate and vitamin B12 in mitochondrial DNA maintenance and stability, as well as the metabolic consequences of perturbed FOCM. Through her research, she aims to understand how these gene-nutrient interactions shape cellular metabolism and produce biomarkers that reflect health and disease states. In the future, she hopes to

Ashley is a Ph.D. candidate in Molecular Nutrition working with Dr. Shu-Bing Qian, studying mRNA translation regulation, nutrient-sensing pathways, and cellular stress responses. She received her B.Sc. (Hons) in Pharmacology and Biochemistry from the University of Strathclyde through a dual-degree program with China Pharmaceutical University, followed by a master’s degree in Cancer Biology from University College London. Her research interests center on understanding how dysregulated mRNA translation contributes to human disease. She plans to pursue

Françoise is a Ph.D. Candidate in International Nutrition in Dr. John Hoddinott’s Lab. Her dissertation research focuses on food choices and diet quality of adolescents participating in social protection programs in rural Bangladesh, using mixed methods approaches. Prior to joining Cornell, she worked with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) on the Innovation for Health and Planet team. She holds a M.Sc. degree in Nutritional Epidemiology and Public Health from Wageningen University & Research

Amanda Levy is a dietetic intern at Cornell University with a background in dietetics and nutrition science. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science in Dietetics and Master of Science in Applied Health Science in Nutrition Science from Indiana University Bloomington. Her current research examines factors that influence older adults’ access to and use of nutrition services. Her professional interests include oncology nutrition, sports nutrition, women’s health, and maternal nutrition. Amanda is

Elaine Sha, MPH, RD, IBCLC, is a Ph.D. student concentrating in Human and Molecular Nutrition under the mentorship of Dr. Yarden Golan Maor. Her research focuses on identifying the psychosocial, physiological, and pharmacological factors that influence human milk production and composition.

Prior to pursuing her doctoral training, Elaine spent three years working as an adult and pediatric dietitian. This experience shaped her commitment to addressing persistent misconceptions and knowledge gaps in nutrition and breastfeeding and

Elva Wong is a PhD candidate in Molecular Nutrition working with Prof. Sander Kersten. She earned a Master’s degree in Molecular Nutrition from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and a Bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition from UCSI University in Malaysia. Her research experience in the Netherlands inspired her to pursue a PhD at Cornell University. In Prof. Kersten’s lab, Elva investigates novel genes and mechanisms that regulate lipid metabolism in the liver and heart. She