Our research group is interested in exploring the dynamics of nutrients and phytochemicals in the body, which is essential for understanding their functions. Our current research focuses on the bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and biological activities of micronutrients and phytochemicals, especially those associated with neonatal development, adipose tissue metabolism, or glucose homeostasis. Using in vivo and in vitro models, we investigate how various physiological or diseased states affect the pharmacokinetics and/or bioactivities; also we explore techniques, such as nano-encapsulation, that may improve the bioavailability and/or optimize the bioactivities.

Ongoing Research Projects

Vitamin A Kinetics and Supplementation in Neonates

Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient required for normal embryonic and neonatal development, in terms of growth, vision, lung development, and immunity. However, not much is known about the metabolism of vitamin A in the neonatal period. In collaboration with researchers from Pennsylvania State University, this NIH-funded project aims to study the whole-body metabolism and kinetics of vitamin A in neonatal rats as well as the effects of different forms of vitamin A supplementation on the kinetics.

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Vitamin A on Neonatal Adipose Tissue Development

Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of vitamin A, is known to be a key regulator of adipose tissue development in adult obese models. However, little is known about the effect of vitamin A or retinoic acid on obesity-associated developmental and metabolic conditions in early life. In this project, through a series of studies using Sprague-Dawley rats as the animal model, we assess the effects of dietary vitamin A supplementation or retinoic acid treatment on the adipose tissue development and associated metabolic conditions of neonatal rats from mothers consuming an obesogenic diet.

Nutritional Quality of Microgreens

​Microgreens are young and tender vegetable greens, and represent an exotic class of specialty crops. This project seeks to study the contents and bioavailability of phytochemicals and nutrients, especially those having antioxidant properties, in microgreens.

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Phenolics on Starch Digestion and Glucose Homeostasis

Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites produced in plants as a response to stressors. A large variety of phenolic compounds, e.g., phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tannins, have been documented to inhibit starch digesting enzymes. This project explores the effects of various phenolics on the in-vitro and in-vivo starch digestion kinetics as well as on glucose homeostasis.

Age-Mediated Lutein Pharmacokinetics

Lutein functions as an antioxidant in the body and accumulates in the macula of the eye to protect against light-initiated oxidative damage. Its decreased status or absence in the eye has shown to be a major risk factor for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of visual loss in people > 50 years old. Lutein is also the most abundant carotenoid in the brain and is associated with the cognitive development of infants. The detailed pharmacokinetic profile of lutein has not been elucidated yet. The study uses Sprague-Dawley rats as the animal model to explore lutein pharmacokinetics and to evaluate whether its bioavailability and distribution vary in different age groups.

Nanoencapsulation on Bioavailability of Biocompounds

In this project, we are developing supramolecular guest-host structures, including starch-guest inclusion complexes, as delivery systems for micronutrients and phytochemicals, so they can be protected against the adverse environment, and their bioavailability may be increased. Bioactive compounds that have been tested include beta-carotene, vitamin D, ascorbyl palmitate, retinyl palmitate, catechin, and phenolic acids.



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Our research is supported by