The Community, Environment and Policy Department presents:                                               

   

    Metabolism - Targeted Behavior Interventions for Improving Cancer Outcomes
   
     Wednesday April 10, 2024
     12:00 –12:50 pm
     Drachman Hall A114 or
     Zoom:  https://arizona.zoom.us/j/89505558744
     

 

Dorothy Sears, PhD

Abstract: Cancer risk, survival, and survivorship is impacted by metabolic dysfunction associated with overweight. Simple lifestyle behaviors changes improve metabolism and can reduce cancer burden across the cancer care continuum. Our research centers on improving circadian alignment and breaking up prolonged bouts of sitting time. Simple strategies are tested that individuals of nearly any age, socioeconomic status, and physical capability can adopt. Outcomes tested include glycemic control, postprandial insulin exposure, vascular functioning, cognition, sleep, and fatigue. Circadian alignment of food intake and exposure to blue light, and shorter mean bouts of sitting are associated with beneficial metabolic and cancer outcomes. Initial results from our laboratory and others indicated that interventions on these behaviors and exposures can have impactful health benefits.

Bio: Dr. Dorothy Sears is a Professor of Nutrition and Executive Director of Clinical and Community Translational Science in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University. She is Co-Lead of the Cancer Prevention & Control Translational Team. Dr. Sears obtained her PhD training in Molecular Biology & Genetics at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed fellowship training in the Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism at UC San Diego. She has been conducting obesity-related cardiometabolic disease and cancer research since 1995 using cellular and animal models and clinical studies. She has been continuously funded by NIH since 2006. Her on-going transdisciplinary scope of research spans the molecular to population health levels. Dr. Sears studies health-promoting behaviors and the molecular mechanisms that underly these. She aims to identify new prevention and therapeutic targets. Her most active areas of translational research are focused on the health benefits of aligning food intake with circadian rhythms and reducing prolonged sitting time. Her food intake timing studies involve tandem, integrated mouse model and human participant intervention efforts which serve to optimize translational impact and mechanistic discovery. Lastly, she is a member of the Arizona/New Mexico American Diabetes Association Community Leadership Board.