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Talcott, Susanne

Directory Profile for Susanne Talcott

Professor
Office:  
HEEP 431B
Email:  
Phone:  
979-314-3854

Education

Undergraduate Education
B.S./M.S. in Nutrition, University of Bonn, Germany, 1998
Graduate Education
Food Science and Nutrition, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 2004
Postdoctoral training, Pharmaceutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 2006
Awards
Excellence Award for Mentoring, Nutrition and Food Science Dept, Texas A&M University, 2011
Excellence Award for Research, Nutrition and Food Science Dept, Texas A&M University, 2009
ASN Mary Swartz Rose Young Investigator Award, 2009. American Society of Nutrition
Courses Taught
FSTC/NUTR 410: Nutritional Pharmacometrics of Food Compounds
FSTC/NUTR 610: Graduate Pharmacometrics of Food Compounds
FSTC 314: Food Analysis
FSTC/NUTR 420 Sustainable Nutrition and Food Processing in Brazil
FSTC/NUTR 420 Mediterranean Nutrition and Food processing in Italy

Areas of Expertise

Dr. Susanne Talcott’s research focuses on translational pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of botanical compounds and their physiological metabolites related to inflammation, cancer prevention, and intestinal health with a focus on human clinical trials.

Professional Summary

Research Focus

Millions of Americans consume plant-based foods, including dietary supplements and functional foods with the hope of preventing or even treating inflammation and associated chronic diseases. However, limited research is investigating safety, efficacy, and dosing recommendations of non-nutrient bioactive food compounds. Hence, consumers, public health care, as well as the food industry, have little to no guidance related to efficacy, safety and intake recommendations. The overall objective of our laboratory is to investigate pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of bioactive plant compounds and their metabolites and their anti-inflammatory efficacy in the reduction of risk factors for chronic degenerative diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease and their underlying molecular mechanisms. , pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and underlying molecular mechanisms in a translational research approach (bench to bedside) of polyphenolics in fruits and vegetables in collaboration with an interdisciplinary research team. It is our long-term goal to contribute valuable information to the future development of dosing recommendation for these non-nutrient food components that meets the needs of public health care, patients and consumers, and food and dietary supplement industry.

Research Areas

Phytochemical Analysis: Studying phenolics, flavonoids, and carotenoids in fruits, vegetables, and botanicals.

Translational Clinical Research: Investigating the effects of non-nutrient food components on chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Intestinal Microbiome: Exploring interactions between gallotannins, probiotics, and obesity-related dysbiosis.

Sustainable Food Production: Developing cactus-based crops and value-added ingredients for marginal lands.

Educational Outreach: Running summer research experiences for high school teachers and undergraduate students

Our Current Research Projects

Anti-inflammatory Interactions of Gallotannins with the Intestinal Microbiome in Obesity (Award No. 2023-68015-40572) (2023-2026)

This project aims to explore how probiotic strains can enhance the health benefits of gallotannins, particularly for individuals with obesity-related intestinal microbial dysbiosis.

Resilient Production of Food Ingredients and Agrochemicals from Cactus (Opuntia ssp.): Strengthening Domestic Supply Chains and Rural Economies (Award No. 2025-68012-44232) (2025-2030)

Our goal is to explore the feasibility of establishing PPC as a crop on marginal lands for value-added applications from foods to fuels. Focus areas in PPC cultivation on arid/semiarid lands, process optimization and safety of fresh nopal/tuna, fermentations to produce carboxylic acids, metabolomic health benefits, producer and consumer economics, and creating programs to integrate extension outreach, education, and mentorship to develop future leaders in agriculture

News

Selected Publications

  1. Kim, H, Venancio, VP, Fang, C, Dupont, AW, Talcott, ST, Mertens-Talcott, SU et al.. Mango (Mangifera indica L.) polyphenols reduce IL-8, GRO, and GM-SCF plasma levels and increase Lactobacillus species in a pilot study in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Nutr Res. 2020;75 :85-94. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2020.01.002. PubMed PMID:32109839 .
  2. Barnes, RC, Kim, H, Mertens-Talcott, SU, Talcott, ST. Improved recovery of galloyl metabolites from mango (Mangifera indica L.) in human plasma using protein precipitation with sodium dodecyl sulfate and methanol. Food Res. Int. 2020;129 :108812. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2019.108812. PubMed PMID:32036936 .
  3. Enes, BN, Moreira, LPD, Silva, BP, Grancieri, M, Lúcio, HG, Venâncio, VP et al.. Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) effects and their molecular mechanisms on unbalanced diet experimental studies: A systematic review. J. Food Sci. 2020;85 (2):226-239. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.15003. PubMed PMID:31972052 .

Publications