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Science is at the foundation of everything Abbott does, and our nutrition experts are pioneering research, education, and advancements to nourish bodies at every stage of life.

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BRIDGET CASSADY PhD, RDN, LD

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Bridget Cassady, PhD, RDN, LD, is a doctorate-level Senior Research Scientist and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) at Abbott. She supports the Global Adult Therapeutic Nutrition business with an emphasis on critical care and surgical patients.

Prior to joining Abbott, Bridget worked in various roles in the global food and healthcare industry and brings over a decade’s worth of experience in research and development to her current role. Her expertise includes adult medical nutrition therapy, biochemistry and physiology, aging, and cognitive sciences. Bridget is passionate about improving the standard of care in the aging population and her collaborative research efforts highlight the importance of nutritional therapies for older adults. She enjoys research and innovation and is the author of numerous scientific abstracts, peer-reviewed publications, and book chapters.

Bridget graduated from Winona State University, with a bachelor's degree in cell and molecular biology with a minor in biochemistry. She earned her PhD through the Interdepartmental Nutrition Program and Ingestive Behaviors Research Center at Purdue University. Bridget completed her dietetic internship through Iowa State University.

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Dominique R. Williams

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DOMINIQUE R. WILLIAMS, MD, MPH

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Dr. Dominique Williams is the Adult Nutrition Medical Director at Abbott, a global healthcare company. Her responsibilities include supporting the U.S. and global adult nutrition business in respect to Abbott’s adult nutrition products.  This includes collaborating with clinical teams on Abbott studies and driving the development, submission, and execution of investigator-initiated studies to ensure the completion and publication of studies. Dr. Williams also leads medical strategy and content review, including moderation for national and international advisory meetings and symposia with cross-functional teams.

Dominique is double board certified in Obesity Medicine and Pediatrics and is an active member of the Obesity Medicine Association. Dominique is a dedicated educator, nutrition scientist, and clinician with more than 19 years of experience in patient-centered care, holistic mentoring, and curriculum development.

In addition to her clinical work, she is a mentor to undergraduate and medical students, resident physicians, and junior faculty, including serving as Faculty Co-Advisor for student groups in the College of Medicine. Dominique has publications on the topics of mentoring, equity-focused initiatives in graduate education, and the care of children and adolescents with obesity. She also works on several hospital initiatives to address health disparities and is a member of the Section on Minority Health Equity and Inclusion in the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dominique obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from Case Western Reserve University, her medical degree from Wright State University School of Medicine, and her Master of Public Health in Nutrition from University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

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HAKIM BOUZAMONDO, MD, MSc, MBA

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Hakim Bouzamondo, MD, MSc, MBA, is Divisional Vice President of Global Research and Development for Abbott’s Nutrition business. He is responsible for pediatric and adult nutrition, product development, clinical and preclinical research, innovation, and education. Hakim redefined the Division’s science research platforms, focusing on gut/immunity, brain/cognition, muscle/metabolism, and created a user experience team to better address rapidly evolving consumer needs.

Before joining Abbott, Hakim spent 15 years in the pharmaceutical and the consumer packaged goods industries. He contributed to the development and launch of new products in multiple therapeutic areas and led the life cycle management of major $1B+ cardiovascular brands.

Hakim joined Abbott in 2014 and has since driven the launch of multiple science breakthrough technologies, including human milk oligosaccharides and numerous market-driven innovations. He’s also leveraged science platform’s microbiome expertise and has been actively leading Abbott’s global malnutrition research program.

Hakim is a medical doctor by training. He received a MSc degree from Paris University where he also completed his pharmacology post-doctoral trainings (pharmacokinetics, pharmacovigilance, trials methodology and psychoactive drugs pharmacology). He also completed an executive MBA in the United Kingdom.

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Jeffrey-Nelson

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JEFFREY NELSON, PhD

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Dr. Jeffrey Nelson is an Associate Research Fellow in the Adult Clinical Therapeutic Nutrition group within the Scientific and Medical Affairs department at Abbott. In this role, Dr. Nelson is responsible for clinical research in the area of adult therapeutic nutrition and scientific support for adult specialty products globally.

Before joining Abbott in 1997, he was a Senior Research Scientist at the Shriners Burns Institute for Burn-Injured Children and held an adjunct Assistant Professor position in the Department of Surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical School in Cincinnati, Ohio.

He has published over 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts, conducted research studies, and has given presentations in a number of areas including wound healing, burn trauma, oncology, sepsis, ARDS, diabetes, critical care, health economics, and other nutrition-related topics. Dr. Nelson also holds a patent related to the nutritional treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

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Jennifer-Williams

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JENNIFER WILLIAMS, MPH

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Jennifer Williams, MPH, is a research scientist at Abbott specializing in hydration and pediatric nutrition.

Jennifer has conducted more than 20 clinical trials for Abbott. She leads nutrition science research and education in the area of rehydration, examining the benefits of electrolytes and fluid replacement in children and adults who experience dehydration. She has also led research on feeding difficulties in children and the role of nutritional supplementation in healthy growth in children. In prior roles, she has studied the benefits of various nutrients in people managing diabetes.

Jennifer has authored 20+ peer-reviewed papers on nutrition, and has presented scientific data at both domestic and global scientific conferences.

Jennifer received her undergraduate degrees in biology and chemistry from Cedarville University in Ohio and a master’s degree in public health from The Ohio State University.

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John Stutts

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JOHN STUTTS, MD, MPH

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Dr. John Stutts is the Pediatric Medical Director at Abbott. His responsibilities include supporting the pediatric nutrition portfolio through external engagement of key opinion leaders, health care practitioners, and pediatric societies. He also oversees clinical trials and works closely with Abbott Nutrition Health Institute, an online unbranded nutrition education site for health care practitioners.

John has more than 23 years of clinical experience as a Pediatric Gastroenterologist and Associate Professor at the School of Medicine at the University of Louisville. He has also been a part of many clinical trials in his tenure including several studies with the Norton Children’s Medical Pediatric Clinical Research Unit. John has a long history of clinical service and focus on education. He is a past member of the Professional Education committee for the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) and currently serves as a member of the Public Education committee for NASPGHAN.

With a passion for education and teaching through the spoken word, John is a highly sought-after global speaker and lecturer. On three separate occasions, John was selected by the NASGHAN Foundation as a representative Grand Rounds Speaker/Liaison on focus topics for the organization.

John received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Louisville. He completed his Pediatric Residency, Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship and Master of Public Health from Vanderbilt University.

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Katie Robinson

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KATIE ROBINSON, PhD, MPH, PD, LD, CNSC

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Katie Robinson leads the Medical Science Liaison Team within Medical Affairs at Abbott.

Dr. Robinson completed her bachelor’s degree in dietetics at Iowa State University and her dietetic internship at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). During her time at UIUC, she also earned a Master of Public Health and a doctorate in nutritional sciences, taught multiple undergraduate and graduate courses and assisted with coordinating the undergraduate didactic program in dietetics. She then completed postdoctoral training at University of Iowa’s Diabetes Research Center. Her research investigated the impact of nutrition and genetics on outcomes of behavioral and surgical weight loss interventions.

Dr. Robinson is a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician and has served as a workgroup member for the Evidence Analysis Library of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is an advocate for dietitians in research and continues to publish in the areas of obesity, malnutrition and critical care nutrition.

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Matt-Kuchan

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MATT KUCHAN, PhD

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Matt Kuchan is a discovery scientist and leads scientific discovery and research on the impact of nutrition on cognition and memory.

Matt oversees a global team of cognition experts who are studying nutritional compounds and their benefits to discover new uses to develop nutritional therapies that address health needs in children and adults. His research has focused on the role of lutein and vitamin E in brain development in babies and in cognitive decline in older adults.

Matt joined Abbott in 1993 and has held various roles in research and development in pediatric and adult nutrition. He assumed the Global Cognition Platform Lead and Science Lead in 2011.

Matt earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Saint Louis University, a master’s degree in human physiology from Illinois State University and his PhD in nutritional science from the University of Illinois. He completed his post doctorate in chemical engineering at the Pennsylvania State University.

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Michelle-Johnson

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MICHELLE JOHNSON, RD

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Michelle Johnson is a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist and Research Scientist in Pediatric Nutrition Science & Education, where she provides global clinical and scientific leadership for Abbott’s infant nutrition products.

At Abbott, Michelle is involved in pediatric clinical research, new product development and provides scientific support for Abbott infant nutrition products and medical nutrition education. Prior to joining Abbott in 2014, Michelle was a neonatal and pediatric nutritionist for 17 years in multiple neonatal intensive care units and pediatric hospitals in the U.S. Her areas of expertise include neonatal and pediatric clinical nutrition. 

Michelle is an editor for the Pocket Guide to Neonatal Nutrition, 3rd edition, author for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics on the topic of neonatal nutrition, and is an author of consumer articles and peer-reviewed scientific publications on infant and preterm infant nutrition. She is passionate about nutrition care of the preterm infant and the importance of nutrition for improved outcomes.

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RACHAEL BUCK, PhD

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RACHAEL BUCK, PhD

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Rachael Buck, PhD, is a senior research fellow at Abbott and works on the forefront of infant nutrition. As a discovery scientist in the field of immune health, Rachael studies the components of breast milk to help Abbott nutritionists develop infant formulas that are as close as possible to breast milk. She helps design clinical trials to study the effects of these nutrients on babies’ development in the first year of life.

Rachael leads Abbott’s pioneering research program for human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). HMOs are beneficial prebiotics found in breast milk that help support immune and gut health. Clinical research on HMOs has demonstrated improved immunity benefits similar to breast-fed infants.

Rachael joined Abbott in 1995 and over her career, she has received numerous prestigious awards for her research on nucleotides, pediatric immunity and HMOs. She was also named a Senior Research Fellow for her pioneering work. She has authored more than 50 publications and has over 120 granted patents. She is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and is a member of the American Association of Immunologists. Rachael received her PhD degree in immunology from the University of Cambridge, U.K. and BSc (1st Class Honors) from the University of Ulster, U.K.

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Refaat-Hegazi

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REFAAT HEGAZI, MD, PhD, MPH , MS, MBA

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Dr. Refaat Hegazi is divisional vice president of Global Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, and Health Economics and Outcomes Research at Abbott. As a physician scientist, Dr. Hegazi oversees a team of nutrition experts and medical directors who advance education, clinical research, science, and clinical development of nutrition products.

He is passionate about leading his team to uncover the role of nutrition in health and disease. He has interest in studying the correlation between nutrition, immune, and glycemic responses to develop therapies to manage chronic and acute diseases. Dr. Hegazi joined Abbott in 2009 and helped develop a global diabetes nutrition care model that encompassed transcultural differences in diets and lifestyle. Also an expert in malnutrition, he has contributed to advances in the treatment of malnutrition through healthcare coalitions and educational programs.

Dr. Hegazi is a graduate of Mansoura University Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura, Egypt. He earned a Master of Occupational Health and Industrial Medicine from Mansoura University Faculty of Medicine in Mansoura, Egypt. He also has a Master of Public Health from the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. Additionally, he has a PhD in Nutritional Epidemiology from the Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh and Master of Business Administration from Franklin University. He completed his Post-Doctoral fellowship in Gastrointestinal Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Dr. Hegazi is certified by the American Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists and has authored 74 peer reviewed articles and seven book chapters.

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RICARDO RUEDA

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RICARDO RUEDA

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Ricardo Rueda is a Volwiler Senior Research Fellow and Global Lead for Mobility and Metabolism Early Science at Abbott.

He obtained his medical degree at the University of Granada, Spain. He earned a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology at the same University and a master’s degree in biotechnology at the University “Autonoma” of Madrid, Spain. He completed his postdoctoral studies in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California in Los Angeles, U.S. After working for the Spanish nutrition company PULEVA for five years, he joined Abbott in 1994. He also earned a master’s degree in Leadership and Management at the University “San Pablo CEU” of Madrid, Spain.

During his professional career, he has published numerous studies related to effects of dietary components in both pediatric and adult medical nutrition. Currently he leads a global strategic task force working on early stage mobility and metabolism research in collaboration with KOLs worldwide. He also leads an Abbott Research facility located at Granada.

Ricardo is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications, and more than 150 Congress abstracts. He also has interaction with multiple scientific societies, institutions, consortia and academic committees. Key examples include: elected member of the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN); represents Abbott’s nutrition business at EIT-Health; member of the board of CIDAF (Center for Research on Functional Food Foundation at University of Granada Health Sciences and Technology Park); inducted at the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows; and member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of ILSI Europe.

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Sara-Thomas

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SARA THOMAS, PhD, RD

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Sara Thomas is a registered dietitian and a research scientist supporting the Global Science team at Abbott. Sara provides clinical and scientific expertise for Abbott’s adult nutrition products and specializes in diabetes, obesity and renal nutrition.

Previously, Sara has worked in various roles in the field of nutrition including academic, government, and industry settings. Her previous nutrition research experience includes carotenoids, adult obesity, and dietary supplements.

Sara earned her master’s degree and PhD in Nutrition Science. She completed her dietetic internship at the Ohio State University and conducted her postdoctoral training at the USDA.

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Steven-Hertzler

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STEVEN HERTZLER, PhD, RD

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Steve Hertzler is a senior scientist of clinical research with Abbott’s Global Scientific and Medical Affairs team. He supports the scientific research and product development for adult nutrition products.

With 25 years of experience as a dietitian, researcher and professor, Steve drives the development of new adult products by advising on key nutrients and therapeutic formulations to support healthy aging and recovery from health setbacks.

Steve joined Abbott in 2007; he is the author of multiple chapters on nutrition and has published more than 20 peer-reviewed scientific research articles. He’s been a speaker for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, addressing muscle health, diet and ingredients including HMB.

Prior to joining Abbott, Steve was a faculty member at The Ohio State University in the Division of Medical Dietetics and the Department of Human Nutrition. Steve earned his Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from the University of Minnesota and his bachelor’s degree in Community-Medical Dietetics at Viterbo College.

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Suela-Sulo

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SUELA SULO, PhD, MSc

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Suela Sulo, PhD, is a health outcomes researcher and implementation scientist currently leading the Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Real-world Evidence, and Policy work for Abbott’s global nutrition research and development. Since joining Abbott in 2016, Suela has helped design and disseminate numerous research studies and quality improvement programs, which support the development of pathways to care for at-risk or malnourished patients across different healthcare settings and demonstrate the impact of nutrition interventions on improving process and patient outcomes, reducing healthcare costs, and advancing health equity. Suela’s work has been instrumental in the development and inclusion of the first ever nutrition-focused quality measure in the US government pay-for-performance payment program.

Prior to joining Abbott, Suela was the manager of Patient-Centered Outcomes Research for one of the largest healthcare systems in the US, where amongst conducting research studies and programs in different therapeutic areas, she also led the efforts to implement the first nutrition-focused quality improvement program developed to reduce 30-day readmissions, length of stay, and costs in hospitalized patients. This program has been implemented in hundreds of hospital systems across the US and internationally, and has contributed to important advancements in nutrition policies globally.

Suela received a Bachelor and Master of Science in psychology and counseling from University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, and a Ph.D. in organizational leadership with concentration in healthcare and human services from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, USA.

Suela has over 15 years of research experience and has published more than 100 articles and book chapters in the areas of medicine and medicine education, nutrition, healthcare management, psychology, and health policy.

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Suzette-Pereira

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SUZETTE PEREIRA, PhD

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Suzette Pereira, PhD, is a Volwiler Research Fellow at Abbott, and an internally and externally recognized expert in the field of muscle, sarcopenia, and nutrition, with a robust background in molecular biology and biochemistry. Over her career, Dr. Pereira has conducted pioneering research towards developing novel nutrition therapies to address muscle loss due to aging (sarcopenia), chronic disease, hospitalization, and malnutrition. Her research has propelled the science behind HMB, the lead innovation in Ensure that drives sales and differentiation. Dr. Pereira pioneered the use of HMB in hospitalized and sarcopenic patients through her groundbreaking clinical studies. She is also responsible for developing an innovation pipeline for Ensure, with the goal of transforming global healthcare and addressing malnutrition.

Suzette actively collaborates with external key opinion leaders and scientists across Abbott divisions. She has collaborated with Abbott Diagnostics division on the development of malnutrition and sarcopenia biomarkers to transform global health care. She served as Abbott’s representative to external organizations such as the ‘FNIH- Sarcopenia Biomarker Consortium’ and the ‘Aging in Motion Coalition’, committed to driving research and awareness of sarcopenia. She is also active in educating consumers and health care professionals on the importance of muscle and nutrition through various media outlets.

Prior to joining Abbott, Suzette completed a doctorate in microbiology at The Ohio State University (Columbus), followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in microbiology. She has coauthored 70 peer-reviewed manuscripts and ~230 patents/patent applications.

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YEN LING LOW, PhD

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Yen Ling Low, PhD, is the Senior Director of International Nutrition Science & Global Research & Innovation for Abbott's nutrition business. She leads an international multi-disciplinary team of scientists, researchers and specialists to discover and design science-based nutrition innovations to help people live healthier lives and conduct scientific studies to demonstrate the importance of nutrition in growth, development, health and recovery.

Yen Ling has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of food and nutrition, spanning government, academic and industry settings. She joined Abbott in 2009 as a scientist and has held roles of increasing responsibilities, leading nutrition projects and studies globally, including in Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam, China, India, United Kingdom and United States. Prior to Abbott, she held appointments at the Ministry of Health in Singapore and the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

Dr. Yen Ling graduated with BSc (Hons) nutrition and dietetics from the University of Surrey and completed her PhD in nutrition from the University of Cambridge in UK.

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