# Botanical Approaches to Combat Metabolic Syndrome

> **NIH NIH T32** · LSU PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CTR · 2020 · $534,217

## Abstract

Project Summary
 This application requests a second renewal for our Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award
(NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) entitled “Training in Botanical Approaches to Combat
Metabolic Syndrome.” This training program is a collaborative effort between the Pennington Biomedical
Research Center of Louisiana State University and the Departments of Plant Biology and Food Science at
Rutgers University. The objective of this program is to train the highest caliber of postdoctoral fellows to become
productive scientists integrating biomedical research methods and botanical discovery research with the
capability of establishing successful scientific careers in academia, academic medicine, governmental agencies,
and in the private sector. Metabolic syndrome is prevalent, poses a significant threat to public health, and it is
characterized by the presence of co-existing traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease (e.g. hypertension,
dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, obesity and insulin resistance). Preventative approaches for metabolic
syndrome often primarily focus on lifestyle interventions. However, maintenance of lifestyle changes over time
is poor. Thus, nutritional supplementation with botanicals that effectively address pathogenic mechanisms,
combined with the acceptance and widespread use of supplements by the general public, present an attractive,
novel and potentially effective approach to combat metabolic syndrome. Therefore, research training provided
by this T32 will be directed toward evaluating the interactions between botanical characterization and the
molecular, genetic, and physiologic approaches to achieve the ultimate goal of understanding how botanicals
can contribute to health and normal tissue function. The program emphasizes hands on research training in an
environment that encourages and facilitates transdisciplinary research and team science. The program will also
benefit from the synergy and cutting-edge technologies of the NCCIH-sponsored Botanical Dietary Supplements
Research Center (BDSRC) also focused on botanical supplements and metabolic syndrome. This integration
between the T32 and the BDSRC provides trainees the opportunity to pursue studies with investigators whose
interest span all organ systems impacted by obesity and metabolic syndrome. Since it began in 2009, this T32
program has graduated 15 postdocs who have remained in research-oriented careers and have acquired 30
grants (8 from NIH). Eleven graduates are now in academia and four are in industry. Seven postdocs are still in
training. In total, this program’s 22 trainees have published 124 papers on their T32 projects including 66 first
author papers. We are requesting 7 full-time postdoctoral trainee positions per year (5 at Pennington Biomedical
and 2 at Rutgers) for the next five-year grant cycle (2020-2025). Trainees will be supported for two to three
years. Each postdoctoral fellow will be encouraged ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9855102
- **Project number:** 2T32AT004094-11
- **Recipient organization:** LSU PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** PHILLIP J BRANTLEY
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $534,217
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2009-05-01 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9855102

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9855102, Botanical Approaches to Combat Metabolic Syndrome (2T32AT004094-11). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9855102. Licensed CC0.

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