Scientists Who Are Conducting Research in Berry Health

Dr. Tomás Barberán's main research activity has been focused to understanding the role of phenolic secondary metabolites in plant-derived food quality and their health promoting properties. His most recent research aims to the identification of those food constituents that are responsible for the health benefits, and the biochemical and physiological mechanisms for this activity as well as the evaluation of agronomic, genetic, processing and storage factors on these interesting compounds.

Major accomplishments include: development of screening in human tumor/animal models for potential oncolytic viruses, discovery of "adeno-associated viruses (AAV)", development of quantitative in vitro techniques to identify and rank the oncogenic potency of chemical agents, development of short-term tests for evaluating the potential carcinogenicity of environmental chemicals, interactions between irradiation and chemical carcinogens in cell culture, inhibition of cell transformation by noncarcinogenic hydrocarbons, and chemoprevention of oral cancer. 

Determine the content phenolic acids in fruit and vegetables;
Assess which ones are nutritionally-relevant;
Establish whether they moderate the development of biomarkers of colon cancer;
Ascertain the mechanisms of how they influence colon carcinogenesis.

Protein-lipid interactions during oxidation; Functional properties of flavonoids and other phenolic compounds in fruits, berries, oilseeds, cereals, vegetables, and other natural sources; Action of natural antioxidants such as phenolic compounds and carotenoids; Food composition: flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, fat and fatty acids.

Dr. Howell is interested in the medicinal properties of cranberries and blueberries, especially their bacterial anti-adhesion and antioxidant capacities. Our research focus is on bioassay-directed fractionation of cranberry and blueberry to elucidate and characterize the compounds responsible for the medicinal effects. Breeding for higher levels of medicinal compounds has been a major component of our research. Here at the Rutgers Blueberry and Cranberry Research Center, we have access to a broad selection of germplasm. This allows us to incorporate many favorable characteristics into our crosses when we breed for enhanced levels.

Dr. Kalt's research at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has focused on 1) Potato storage physiology  2) Post harvest physiology and  3) Small fruit chemistry: Research in small fruit chemistry has focused primarily on bioactive components of fruits, particularly Vaccinium flavonoids.

Dr. Kresty's research is focused on evaluating cancer chemopreventive agents utilizing cell culture, preclinical animal models, and through conducting human clinical trials in patient cohorts at increased risk for cancer development. Her lab is focused on chemoprevention of aerodigestive tract cancers, particularly esophageal adenocarcinoma and the precursor lesion Barrett's esophagus. Surrogate endpoint biomarker development and assessment is an important component of Dr. Kresty's research.  

Identification, characterization, and efficient extraction of natural pigments and chemopreventive (anticarcinogenic and cardioprotective) phytochemicals from plants, and from the corresponding bioreactor-based cell cultures of the plants; Manipulation of the physical and chemical microenvironment to maximize biomass and active phytochemical production in vitro; Control of the bioprocess using machine vision.

Research Interests in the bioavailability and bioefficacy of soft fruit antioxidants: Determining relevance of soft fruit-derived antioxidants to cardiovascular disease by studying their ability to inhibit the free radical initiated oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL); The bioavailability of soft fruit-derived antioxidants will be determined using an in vitro digestion model which mimics the actions of the human stomach and digestive tract. Mechanistic studies will establish a relationship between the chemical structure of the antioxidants and their efficacy in a manner analogous to drug discovery which employs a "quantitative structure, activity relationship" (QSAR) methodology.

His current research deals with the physiological importance of bioactive compounds in the diet on cancer risk. Much of his current research focuses on the anticancer properties of garlic and associated allyl sulfur compounds. In addition to presentations about garlic and health he has been an invited to speak about selenium nutriture, antioxidants and health, functional foods and health promotion, and nutrition for cancer prevention.

Determination of Physiological Effects of Elderberry Biopolyhenols in Man Using ICU Equipment

Navindra Seeram's 15 years of experience in phytochemicals is currently directed towards the in vitro and in vivo evaluation of foods and dietary supplements for the prevention and treatment of chronic illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases

Molecular carcinogenesis and cancer chemoprevention, focusing principally on cancer of the lung, esophagus, and oral cavity; Tobacco-related cancers: lung, esophagus, oral cavity; Use of animal model and human tissue culture systems for investigations of carcinogen metabolism, carcinogen-DNA interactions, oncogene activation, tumor suppressor gene inactivation, and cell transformation; Chemoprevention of tobacco-related cancers with isothiocyanates and polyphenols; Human clinical trials of cancer chemopreventive agents.

Evaluating berry crops for their nutritional values, with special emphasis on antioxidants. Determining and modifying the physiological and environmental factors that affect phytonutrient content of small fruits in sustainable production systems. Evaluating the effect of preharvest and postharvest conditions on antioxidant capacity in berry fruits. Studying possible anticancer properties of berry fruits