Janos Zempleni, WILLA CATHER PROFESSOR OF MOLECULAR NUTRITION AND DIRECTOR OF THE NEBRASKA CENTER FOR THE PREVENTION OF OBESITY DISEASES

The Zempleni lab has a long track record of research in nutrition and epigenetics. More recently, He discovered a novel class of bioactive food compounds, i.e., dietary microRNAs. He has demonstrated that:

1) humans absorb microRNAs in foods of animal origin

2) absorption is mediated by endocytosis of exosomes and their microRNA cargo

3) dietary microRNAs are delivered to peripheral tissues where they affect human gene expression

4) endogenous microRNA synthesis is not sufficient to compensate for dietary microRNA depletion

5) dietary microRNA status elicits phenotypes regarding fertility, body fat mass, and purine metabolism. Studies of dietary microRNAs are currently the exclusive research focus in the Zempleni laboratory, using cell culture, human and animal models.

The Zempleni lab has been continuously funded by NIH, USDA/NIFA, NSF, and various foundations and external sources since 2001. The lab values high-quality, innovative research paired with a rewarding educational experience for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students.

He is also working as Principal Investigator of COBRE, Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases through Dietary Molecules, Nebraska

Janos Zempleni | College of Education and Human Sciences (unl.edu)