The high-fat, high-sugar, low-fiber Western diet and binge drinking (4-5+ drinks within 2 hours) are both prevalent lifestyle factors that often accompany each other. However, very little research has been done on if their combination is worse than either alone. We are particularly interested in how this combination impacts the gut-liver-brain axis. 

Wastes generated from the alcohol industry, like brewers' spent grains and apple pomace, are significant environmental and financial burdens. However, they are also nutrient dense products with high potential for human consumption. We are seeking to understand if these products can play a role in human health, including if these wastes can be used as part of a circular food system with mealworms. 

Research shows small changes to the diet can have major impacts for health. We are interested in learning why these small changes are beneficial or harmful to health. We are focused on the role of different sweeteners on health with an emphasis on differences in antioxidant content and on combining different sweeteners with exercise to determine health and performance outcomes. 

Through our work on binge drinking and Western diet, we have become interested in how different types of sweeteners mixed with alcohol impact liver and gut health. Currently we are focusing on comparing sucralose and sucrose, but we plan on expanding this work in the near future!