About

Human physiologist studying the effects of food and physical activity on human health.

Dr. van Vliet earned his PhD in Kinesiology and Community Health as an ESPEN Fellow from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and received post-doctoral training at the Center for Human Nutrition in the Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine. Dr. van Vliet also holds a Masters in Nutrition Science.

As a member of the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute within the Duke University School of Medicine, his work focuses on the effects of primary (protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins) and secondary compounds (phytochemicals, polyphenols, antioxidants) and the molecular mechanisms by which they impact human metabolism. His work often also involves physical activity interventions and utilizes an integrative approach to improve human health.

Dr. van Vliet performs clinical and translational studies to evaluate the effects of whole food ingestion and physical activity interventions on body composition, physical function, inflammation, insulin action, and intracellular signaling pathways involved in regulating muscle mass with advancing age. His work has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the Journal of Nutrition, and the Journal of Physiology.

Current Research Interests

Agricultural Production Systems and Human Health
This research line studies the impact of agricultural production systems on nutrient density, and metabolic health of consumers using ‘omics-based’ techniques.

Proteome and Lipidome Dynamics in Hearts of Cardiac Rehabilitation Patients
This research line studies the impact of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation on the turnover rates of lipids and proteins in the hearts of transplant patients.