Fall 2025 through Spring 2026 Postdoc Seminar Schedule
All trainees are required to present their research at the Tuesday CNRC Postdoc Research Seminar. Monthly lectures are given on scientific and professional development topics relevant to the training of postdocs in nutrition from leading experts in the field. A monthly journal club led by the trainees addresses critical advances in nutrition and biomedical research.
- Location: Fomon Conference Room, USDA/ARS Children鈥檚 Nutrition Research Center
- Date/Time: Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m.
- Seminar Course Leader: Nancy.Moran@bcm.edu
- Program Coordinator: Alisa.Le@bcm.edu
- Updated: Aug. 20, 2025
2025
Sept. 9 - Didactic
- 鈥淲elcome to the CNRC Postdoc Seminar Series and Tips for Giving a Great Talk,鈥 by Nancy E. Moran, Ph.D., USDA/ARS Children鈥檚 Nutrition Research Center, BCM
Sept. 16 - Journal Club
- 鈥淣SD2 inhibitors rewire chromatin to treat lung and pancreatic cancers鈥, Jeong, J., Hausmann, S., Dong, H. et al. by Xiaomin Chen, PhD (Shen) (20 min)
- "The GIP receptor activates futile calcium cycling in white adipose tissue to increase energy expenditure and drive weight loss in mice鈥, Yu, X. et al. by Xi Chen, M.D., Ph.D. (Zhu) (20 min)
Sept. 23 - Seminar
- 鈥淭he Effects of Pregnancy on Carotenoid Status鈥 by Megumi Hashida Seese, Ph.D. (Moran) (40 min)
Sept. 30 - Seminar
- 鈥淚nvestigating the role of Hispanic fathers in the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids intervention鈥 by Ana West, Ph.D. (O鈥機onnor) (20 min)
- 鈥淐ell Surface Proteomics and snRNA-seq Identify Brain Endothelial Targets for Drug Delivery鈥 by Jieyi Meng, M.D. (Zhu) (20 min)
Oct. 7 - Didactic
- 鈥淚n the Committee Room: The Review Process for Fellowship and Career Awards鈥 by Geoffrey Preidis, M.D., Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Pediatrics-Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition & CNRC
Oct. 14 鈥 Journal Club
- 鈥淎 potent epigenetic editor targeting human PCSK9 for durable reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels鈥, Tremblay, F., Xiong, Q., Shah, S.S. et al. by Julia Salamat, Ph.D. (Shen) (20 min)
- 鈥淎ntioxidant management to protect male offspring from the progression of MASLD programmed by maternal obesity in mice鈥, Zhang, J., Wang, J. et al. by Katelyn Senkus, Ph.D. (Moran) (20 min)
Oct. 28 鈥 Seminar
- 鈥淓levated Hyaluronan by Mouse Has2 Exacerbates Skin Inflammation in Atopic Dermatitis鈥 by Hong Zhou, Ph.D. (Zhu) (20 min)
- 鈥淣eural mechanisms underlying weight-loss plateaus in chronic incretin therapy鈥 by Weisheng Lu, Ph.D. (Fukuda) (20 min)
Nov. 11 鈥 Journal Club
- 鈥淎mygdala鈥搇iver signalling orchestrates glycaemic responses to stress鈥, Carty, J.R.E., Devarakonda, K., O鈥機onnor, R.M. et al. by Yuhan Shi, Ph.D. (Wang) (20 min)
- 鈥淚nitial pig developmental stage influences intestinal organoid growth but not cellular composition鈥, Duchesne, C., Randuineau, G. et al. by Sarah Elefson, Ph.D. (Burrin) (20 min)
Nov. 18 鈥 Seminar
- 鈥淩egulation of food intake by Connexin43 via adipocyte-sensory neuron electrical synapses鈥 by Xi Chen, M.D., Ph.D. (Zhu) (40 min)
Dec. 9 鈥 Journal Club
- 鈥淧arallel control of cold-triggered adipocyte thermogenesis by UCP1 and CKB鈥, Rahbani, J.F., Bunk, J., Lagarde, D. et al. by Jieyi Meng, M.D. (Zhu) (20 min)
- 鈥淧arent-focused behavioural interventions for the prevention of early childhood obesity (TOPCHILD): a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis鈥, Hunter, K.E., Nguyen, D., Libesman, S. et al. by Ana West, Ph.D. (O鈥機onnor) (20 min)
Dec. 16 鈥 Seminar
- 鈥淓nteral agonism of FXR-FGF19 mitigates cholestasis in TPN-fed neonatal pigs鈥 by Sarah Elefson, Ph.D. (Burrin) (40 min)
2026
Jan. 6 - Seminar
- 鈥淎dapting Your IDP for Your Evolving Training Needs鈥 by Evelin Young, Ph.D., Lead, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Jan. 13 鈥 Journal Club
- 鈥淚mpact of free summer day camp on physical activity behaviors and screentime of elementary-age children from low-income households: a randomized clinical trial鈥, Beets, M.W., Burkart, S., Pfledderer, C.D. et al. by John Alexander Jimenez-Garcia, PhD (O鈥機onnor) (20 min)
- 鈥淕IPR-Ab/GLP-1 peptide鈥揳ntibody conjugate requires brain GIPR and GLP-1R for additive weight loss in obese mice鈥, Liu, C.M., Killion, E.A., Hammoud, R. et al. by Weisheng Lu, PhD (Fukuda) (20 min)
Jan. 20 - Seminar
- Yuhan Shi, Ph.D. (Wang) (40 minutes)
Jan. 27 - Seminar
- Mounika Kandukuri, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
- 鈥淢aking Precision Nutrition a Reality: Identifying Digital Phenotypes Associated with Child Fruit and Vegetable Consumption鈥 by Titus Sombuor, PhD (Thompson and Musaad) (20 min)
Feb. 3 - Didactic
- 鈥淧reparing for Job Interviews and Job Talks鈥 by Lindsey Cauthen, PhD, Career Services Principal, BCM Career Development Center
Feb. 10 - Journal Club
- Nana Jiao, Ph.D. (Moreno) (20 minutes)
- Hong Zhou, Ph.D. (Zhu) (20 minutes)
Feb. 17 - Seminar
- John Alexander Jimenez-Garcia, Ph.D. (O鈥機onnor) (40 minutes)
Feb. 24 - Seminar
- Olivia Charlotte Robertson, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
- Thirupathi Reddy Mokalla, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
March 3 - Didactic
March 10 - No Seminar
- Spring Break Week
March 17 - Journal Club
- Titus Sombuor, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
- Mounika Kandukuri, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
March 24 - Seminar
- Julia Salamat, Ph.D. (Shen) (40 minutes)
March 31 - Seminar
- Nana Jiao, Ph.D. (Moreno) (20 minutes)
- Rita Wang, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
April 7 - Required
- Attend and Present at the 2026 Pediatric Research Symposium, Legacy Tower Taussig Auditorium (16th Floor)
April 14 - Journal Club
- Thirupathi Reddy Mokalla, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
- Olivia Charlotte Robertson, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
April 21 - Seminar
- 鈥淐arotenoids and Cardiometabolic Health in Pregnancy and Infancy鈥 by Katelyn Senkus, Ph.D. (Moran) (40 minutes)
April 28 - Seminar
- Sara Vivatson, DO (Bacha) (20 min)
- One slot for incoming postdocs
May 5 - Didactic
- Budgeting for Success: How to Build a Budget for Your Ideas by Nancy E. Moran, PhD, Assoc. Professor, Pediatrics Nutrition
May 12 - Journal Club
- Rita Wang, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
- Sara Vivatson, DO (Bacha) (20 min)
May 19 - Seminar
- Two slots reserved for incoming postdocs
May 26 - Seminar
- Two slots reserved for incoming postdocs
Summer Break (June 鈥 August)
September 2025 through May 2026 Faculty Didactic Lectures
Faculty lectures are given on the second Tuesday of each month on scientific topics relevant to the training of postdoctoral fellows in nutrition from leading experts in the field who are faculty in the CNRC.
Nancy Moran, Ph.D., Professor of Pediatrics-Nutrition, USDA/ARS Children鈥檚 Nutrition Research Center, 91国产视频
鈥淲elcome to the CNRC Postdoc Seminar Series and Tips for Giving a great Talk鈥
Oct. 7, 2025
Geoffrey Preidis, M.D., Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Pediatrics- Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition & CNRC
鈥淚n the Committee Room: The Review Process for Fellowship and Career Awards鈥
Nov. 4. 2025
Lacey Schmidt, Ph.D., Organizational and Occupational Health Psychologist, Dept. Pediatrics
鈥淐hoosing to Communicate Effectively鈥
Dec. 2, 2025
Blaine Ganter, Ed. D., Lead, BCM Academic Success Center
鈥淭ime Management for Postdoc Scientists鈥
Jan. 6, 2026
Evelin Young, Ph.D., Lead, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
鈥淎dapting Your IDP for Your Evolving Training Needs鈥
Feb. 3, 2026
Lindsey Cauthen, Ph.D., Career Services Principal, BCM Career Development Center
鈥淧reparing for Job Interviews and Job Talks鈥
March 3, 2026
Smita Jha, Ph.D., Director, Office of Training Grants and Fellowships
鈥淣avigating the Private Funding Landscape鈥
April 7, 2026
Guest Speakers: Anthony Scott, Ph.D.; Marko Rudar, Ph.D.; Hesong Liu, Ph.D.; Erin Posey, Ph.D.
"The View from Former CNRC Postdocs - Panel Discussion with Early Career Industry, Government, and Academic Scientists"
May 5, 2026
Stephanie Sisley, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics-Nutrition, USDA/ARS Children鈥檚 Nutrition Research Center, 91国产视频
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Recorded only with the speaker's permission. Lectures prior to Dec. 13, 2022 were not recorded.
Past Postdoctoral Seminar Schedules
Monthly Journal Clubs
CNRC postdocs, faculty, and staff participate in the monthly Journal Club program to review recent research findings. Four different thematic Journal Clubs are offered: Translational Metabolism and Digestive Diseases; Interdisciplinary Genetics; Neuroregulation of Metabolism, and Behavioral Basis of Energy Balance.