Our research centers on understanding the pathways by which chronic consumption of energy-dense palatable food promotes overeating.
What Do We Study?
We are particularly interested in diet-induced dysregulation of gut-brain communication and the role of the gut microbiota.
Current projects in the lab center on:
- characterizing diet-driven alterations in gut-brain connectivity
- determining whether gut microbiota is responsible for rewiring the gut-brain axis.
We are especially interested in the role of the gut microbiota in driving feeding behaviors and the molecular mechanisms and cell types involved in transmitting bacterial-driven signals to the brain.
Other studies investigate dietary manipulations such as changes in feeding frequency and supplementation with bioactive food compounds to effectively manipulate microbiota composition and improved the host physiology
Dr. de La Serre is accepting new graduate students
Recent Awards
Our students rock!
New Investigator Travel Award, Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, 2019, Jiyoung Kim
Best poster presentation, Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, 2019, Carolina Cawthon
Irene J. Jones Memorial Scholarship, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation, 2019, Carolina Cawthon
Georgia Nutrition Council Holley B. Alley Scholarship, 2019, Elizabeth Klingbeil
Outstanding Dietetic Student-Intern Award, Georgia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2018, Elizabeth Klingbeil
Honorable Mention, Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, 2018, Ruth Schade
Recipient of the DAAD RISE Internship in Germany, 2017, Ruth Schade
Outstanding Dietetic Student-Intern Award, Georgia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2017, Carolina Cawthon
Georgia Nutrition Council Holley B. Alley Scholarship, 2017, Carolina Cawthon
Patsyjane O'Malley Memorial Scholarship, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation, 2017, Carolina Cawthon
Winner for North America of Alltech’s Young Scientist Competition, 2016, Sunhye Lee
View all Foods and Nutrition Awards
Meet the Staff
Featured Faculty
Claire de La Serre
Claire de La Serre studies the mechanisms that trigger overeating. She answers questions about her background and career so far at UGA.
