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Christifano Research Laboratory

Research in this lab at KU Medical Center focuses on the intersection of nutrition and lifestyle in maternal and child health.

Mom and child play together on the floorResearch Focus Areas

Research by Danielle Christifano, Ph.D., aims to incorporate diet and lifestyle interventions that impact maternal and infant autonomic nervous system function and development. In addition, her lab collaborates with neurocognitive scientists in order to answer questions regarding the impact of dietary interventions on infant health and cognition.

Portrait of Danielle ChristifanoLab Director

Danielle Christifano, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor


Recent Publications

Essman M, Christifano D, Sullivan DK, Chalise P, Carbuhn A. Assessing Omega-3 Intake in Sport: Brief Food Frequency Questionnaire is Associated with Omega-3 Index in Collegiate Women Soccer Players. J Athl Train. 2022 Feb 23. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0549.21. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35192716.
 
Christifano DN, Crawford SA, Lee G, Gajewski BJ, Carlson SE. Utility of a 7- question online screener for DHA intake. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2022 Feb;177:102399. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2022.102399. Epub 2022 Jan 8. PMID: 35063885; PMCID: PMC8825685.
 
Crawford SA, Christifano DN, Kerling EH, Gajewski BJ, Valentine CJ, Gustafson KM, Mathis NB, Camargo JT, Gibbs HD, Sullivan DK, Sands SA, Carlson SE. Validation of an abbreviated food frequency questionnaire for estimating DHA intake of pregnant women in the United States. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2022 Feb;177:102398. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2022.102398. Epub 2022 Jan 13. PMID: 35063884; PMCID: PMC8825687.
 
Gustafson KM, Christifano DN, Hoyer D, Schmidt A, Carlson SE, Colombo J, Mathis NB, Sands SA, Chollet-Hinton L, Brown AR, Mudaranthakam DP, Gajewski BJ. Prenatal docosahexaenoic acid effect on maternal-infant DHA-equilibrium and fetal neurodevelopment: a randomized clinical trial. Pediatr Res. 2021 Sep 22:1–10. doi: 10.1038/s41390-021-01742-w. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34552200; PMCID: PMC8456398.
 
Christifano DN, Taylor MK, Carlson SE, Colombo J, Gustafson KM. Higher maternal weight is related to poorer fetal autonomic function. J Dev Orig Health Dis. 2021 Jun;12(3):354-356. doi: 10.1017/S2040174420000653. Epub 2020 Jul 14. PMID: 32662379.
 
Gustafson KM, Liao K, Mathis NB, Shaddy DJ, Kerling EH, Christifano DN, Colombo J, Carlson SE. Prenatal docosahexaenoic acid supplementation has long-term effects on childhood behavioral and brain responses during performance on an inhibitory task. Nutr Neurosci. 2022 Jan;25(1):80-90. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2020.1712535. Epub 2020 Jan 20. PMID: 31957558; PMCID: PMC7369249.
 
Moukarzel S, Ozias M, Kerling E, Christifano D, Wick J, Colombo J, Carlson S. Maternal Vitamin D Status and Infant Infection. Nutrients. 2018 Jan 23;10(2):111. doi: 10.3390/nu10020111. PMID: 29360733; PMCID: PMC5852687.

View more publications on PubMed.

School of Health Professions

Dietetics and Nutrition
KU Medical Center
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Mailstop 4013
Kansas City, KS 66160
913-588-5355 • 711 TTY