ADRIANA M COLETTA, PhD, MS, RD portrait
  • Assistant Professor, Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program, Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
  • Assistant Professor, Health and Kinesiology
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Nutrition & Integrative Physiology

Research Summary

My research program integrates principles from exercise science and nutrition across the cancer care continuum to promote the most favorable outcomes for survival related to body composition, physical function and conditioning, and biomarkers linked with cancer risk and progression. The mission of my research program is to develop lifestyle strategies that help individuals effected by cancer maintain and/or improve independence and quality of life throughout their cancer care and beyond.

Education

  • Bachelors of Science, Nutrition Science, The Pennsylvania State University
  • Master of Science, Nutrition Science, minor in Exercise Science, University of Tennessee
  • Doctorate of Philosophy, Kinesiology, Texas A&M University
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Behavioral Science, Exercise Oncology, Clinical Cancer Prevention , University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Biography

After completing my M.S. in Nutrition Science (with minor in Exercise Science) and Dietetic Internship at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville, TN), I worked full time as a Pediatric Dietitian at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center (Baltimore, MD). This experience confirmed my interest in pursuing a research career related to the intersecton of nutrition dietary strategies, exercise, and chronic disease prevention and management. As such I returned to school full-time to pursue a PhD in Kinesiology. Within PhD experience, I earned additional training in genetics since my dissertation project included a large genetic component of the prospectively designed 24-week diet and exercise intevrention among apparently healthy women (pre- and postmenopausal) living with obesity. This additional training in genetics led to my interest in cancer prevention and survivorship and my pursuit of postdoctoral training in cancer research. I now hold a dual-appointment with the Huntsman Cancer Institute in the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program, and the University of Utah in the Department of Health and Kinesiology.

Other Profile Data

For a complete list of my publications, please see my ORCID profile: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2503-2792