Connie J Rogers

College of Family and Consumer Sciences

Nutritional Sciences

Professor and Department Head, Bill and June Flatt Professor of Nutritional Sciences

Bill and June Flatt Professor of Nutritional Sciences and Department Head

Education

Degree Field of Study Institution Graduation
Ph.D. Cell Biology and Physiology University of Pittsburgh 1998
M.P.H. Epidemiology University of Pittsburgh 2003
M.S. Physiology Penn State University 1992
B.S. Biology Penn State University 1990

Research

My laboratory is exploring the role of changes in energy balance, (i.e. obesity, exercise and dietary restriction) and various nutritional interventions on inflammatory mediators, metabolic hormones, and immune pathway in breast cancer using both animal models and human subjects. A second focus area of my laboratory is to explore if and how several nutritional factors modulate inflammatory and immune responses in humans at risk of cardiometabolic disease and osteoporosis.

Teaching

First Year Odyssey Seminar (FYOS 1001) entitled "Food is Medicine"

Prior Professional Positions

Organization Title Years of Service
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Penn State University Professor 2022
Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University Associate Director 2018-2022
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Penn State University Associate Professor 2016-2022
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Penn State University Assistant Professor 2010-2015
Laboratory of Tumor Immunology & Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health Senior Research Fellow 2008-2010
Laboratory of Tumor Immunology & Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health Cancer Prevention Fellow 2004-2008

Awards

Award Name Awarded By Year Awarded
Women’s Leadership Fellow University of Georgia 2023
Collaborative Research Award College of Medicine, Penn State University 2021
Russell Klein Research Award Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Ohio State University 2017
Teaching Excellence Award College of Health & Human Development, Penn State University 2017
Collaborative Research Award College of Medicine, Penn State University 2016
Teaching Excellence Award Teaching Excellence Award, Office of Undergraduate Programs and Outreach, Penn State University 2015
Chair, Diet and Cancer, Research Interest Section American Society for Nutrition 2013
Broadhurst Career Development Professorship College of Health & Human Development, Penn State University 2010
NCI Technology Transfer Award National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health 2009
NCI Merit Award National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health 2008

Editorial Appointments

Position Name of Journal Year(s)
Editorial Board Member Recent Progress in Nutrition 2021-present
Editorial Board Member International Journal of Health and Nutrition 2013-2016

Service

Organization Title Year(s) Service Type
American Institute for Cancer Research Grant Review Panel Member 2018-2024
American Cancer Society Grant Review Panel Member 2021-2022
Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Program Review Panel Member 2022
National Cancer Insitute, NIH Grant Review Panel Member, A Special Emphasis Panel NIH Research Enhancement Award (R15) in Oncological Sciences 2022
Microbiome Center, Penn State University Executive Committee 2017-2022
Communication, Science, and Society Initiative, Penn State University Executive Committee 2019-2022
National Cancer Insitute, NIH Ad hoc grant reviewer, Cancer Prevention Study Section 2021
USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Panel Reviewer, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s (AFRI) Education and Workforce Development (EWD) Portfolio 2020
USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Office of Scientific Quality Review (OSQR) Panel Reviewer, Human Nutrition, ARS Project Plan Panel 2018
Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences. College of Education and Human Sciences Academic Program Review Panel Member 2018
National Cancer Insitute, NIH Ad hoc Reviewer, NCI Provocative Question 3: How do variations in tumor-associated immune responses contribute to differences in cancer risk, incidence, or progression? 2017-2018
National Cancer Insitute, NIH , Cliinical and Translational R21 and Omnibus R03 Special Emphasis Panel 2017
National Cancer Insitute, NIH Grant Review Panel Member, Physical Activity and Weight Control Interventions among Cancer Survivors Special Emphasis Panel 2016-2017
USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Office of Scientific Quality Review (OSQR) Panel Reviewer, Immunity/Inflammation, ARS Project Plan Panel 2014
USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Panel Reviewer, Function and Efficacy of Nutrients Panel 2013-2014
National Cancer Insitute, NIH Ad hoc Reviewer, Chemo /Dietary Prevention (CDP) Study Section 2013-2014

Books

Edited Books:

Hursting , S.D., Rogers, C.J., Mahabir, S., Nunez, N.P., Barrett, J.C., Perkins, S.N., Forman, M.R. "Energy Balance and Cancer”. In: Nutritional Oncology, 2nd Edition. D. Heber, G. Blackburn, V. Go, J. Milner, editors. Academic Press, Amsterdam, 2006, pp. 69-83.

Rogers, C.J., Colbert, L.H., Perkins, S.D., Hursting, S.D. “Calorie Restriction, Exercise and Colon Cancer Prevention: A Mechanistic Perspective”. In: Physical Activity, Dietary Calorie Restriction and Cancer, Volume 3. A. McTiernan, editor. Springer, New York, 2010. pp. 69-89.

Meng, H., Rogers, C.J. 2012. “Exercise Impact on Immune Regulation of Cancer”. In Exercise, Energy Balance and Cancer. N. Berger, editor. Springer, New York, 2012. pp.37-57.

Rogers, C.J., Hoffman-Goetz, L. “Cancer, Exercise & Immunity”. In Encylcopedia of Lifestyle Medicine. J. Rippe, editor. Sage Publications, 2012, Volume 2, pp. 176-179.

Oh, E.S., Petersen, K.S., Kris-Etherton, P.M., Rogers, C.J. “The Effect of Culinary Spices on Oxidative Stress and Inflammation to Target Cardiovascular Disease: A Literature Review of Clinical Studies”. In Current Advances for Development of Functional Foods Modulating Inflammation and Oxidative Stress. B. Hernandez-Ledesma and C. Martinez-Villaluenga, editors. 2021. Elsevier. pp.545-580.

Oh, E.S., Rogers, C.J., Petersen, K.S., Kris-Etherton, P.M. "The Effect of Consuming Spices on Vascular Function". In Food Chemistry, Function and Analysis No. 39. Dietary Supplements with Antioxidant Activity: Understanding Mechanisms and Potential Health Benefits. C. Alasalvar, F. Shahidi and C-T. Ho, editors. 2023. The Royal Society of Chemistry. pp. 106-129.

Journal Articles

Recent Refereed Journal Articles (since 2020):

Petersen KS, Rogers CJ, West SG, Proctor DN, Kris-Etherton PM. The effect of culinary doses of spices in a high-saturated fat, high-carbohydrate meal on postprandial lipemia and endothelial function: a randomized, controlled, crossover pilot trial. Food Funct. 2020 Apr 1;11(4):3191-3200. doi: 10.1039/c9fo02438g. Epub 2020 Mar 25. PubMed PMID: 32211679.

Oh ES, Petersen KS, Kris-Etherton PM, Rogers CJ. Spices in a High-Saturated-Fat, High-Carbohydrate Meal Reduce Postprandial Proinflammatory Cytokine Secretion in Men with Overweight or Obesity: A 3-Period, Crossover, Randomized Controlled Trial. J Nutr. 2020 Jun 1;150(6):1600-1609. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa063. PubMed PMID: 32211803; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7269750.

Xu Y, Rogers CJ. Impact of physical activity and energy restriction on immune regulation of cancer. Transl Cancer Res. 2020 Sep;9(9):5700-5731. doi: 10.21037/tcr.2020.03.38. Review. PubMed PMID: 35117934; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8798226.

Xu Y, Rogers CJ. Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention: Possible Role of Immune Mediators. Front Nutr. 2020;7:557997. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.557997. eCollection 2020. Review. PubMed PMID: 33134306; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7578403.

Oh ES, Na M, Rogers CJ. The Association Between Monocyte Subsets and Cardiometabolic Disorders/Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2021;8:640124. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.640124. eCollection 2021. PubMed PMID: 33681309; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7925827.

Bruinsma TJ, Dyer AM, Rogers CJ, Schmitz KH, Sturgeon KM. Effects of Diet and Exercise-Induced Weight Loss on Biomarkers of Inflammation in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2021 Jun;30(6):1048-1062. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-20-1029. Epub 2021 Mar 18. PubMed PMID: 33737299; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8172485.

Ba Z, Lee Y, Meng H, Kris-Etherton PM, Rogers CJ, Lewis ZT, Mills DA, Furumoto EJ, Rolon ML, Fleming JA, Roberts RF. Matrix Effects on the Delivery Efficacy of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 on Fecal Microbiota, Gut Transit Time, and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Healthy Young Adults. mSphere. 2021 Aug 25;6(4):e0008421. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00084-21. Epub 2021 Jul 7. PubMed PMID: 34232082; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8386398.

Petersen KS, Davis KM, Rogers CJ, Proctor DN, West SG, Kris-Etherton PM. Herbs and spices at a relatively high culinary dosage improves 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in adults at risk of cardiometabolic diseases: a randomized, crossover, controlled-feeding study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021 Dec 1;114(6):1936-1948. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab291. PubMed PMID: 34510174; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8634565.

Zhang X, Wang G, Forman MR, Fu Q, Rogers CJ, Wu S, Gao X. In utero and childhood exposure to the Great Chinese Famine and risk of cancer in adulthood: the Kailuan Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021 Dec 1;114(6):2017-2024. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab282. PubMed PMID: 34582544.

Oh ES, Petersen KS, Kris-Etherton PM, Rogers CJ. Four weeks of spice consumption lowers plasma proinflammatory cytokines and alters the function of monocytes in adults at risk of cardiometabolic disease: secondary outcome analysis in a 3-period, randomized, crossover, controlled feeding trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Jan 11;115(1):61-72. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab331. PubMed PMID: 34601551; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8755038.

Arnold CRK, Srinivasan S, Rodriguez S, Rydzak N, Herzog CM, Gontu A, Bharti N, Small M, Rogers CJ, Schade MM, Kuchipudi SV, Kapur V, Read AF, Ferrari MJ. A longitudinal study of the impact of university student return to campus on the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among the community members. Sci Rep. 2022 May 21;12(1):8586. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-12499-5. PubMed PMID: 35597780; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9124192.

De Souza MJ, Strock NCA, Rogers CJ, Williams NI, Ferruzzi MG, Nakatsu CH, Simpson AMR, Weaver C. Rationale and study design of Randomized Controlled Trial of Dietary Supplementation with prune (dried plums) on bone density, geometry, and estimated bone strength in postmenopausal women: The Prune study. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2022 Aug;28:100941. doi: 10.1016/j.conctc.2022.100941. eCollection 2022 Aug. PubMed PMID: 35669487; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9163423.

Rogers CJ, Petersen K, Kris-Etherton PM. Preventive Nutrition: Heart Disease and Cancer. Med Clin North Am. 2022 Sep;106(5):767-784. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2022.06.001. Epub 2022 Aug 26. Review. PubMed PMID: 36154699.

Van Syoc E, Weaver E, Rogers CJ, Silverman JD, Ramachandran R, Ganda E. Metformin modulates the gut microbiome in broiler breeder hens. Front Physiol. 2022;13:1000144. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1000144. eCollection 2022. PubMed PMID: 36203937; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9531308.

Damani JJ, De Souza MJ, VanEvery HL, Strock NCA, Rogers CJ. The Role of Prunes in Modulating Inflammatory Pathways to Improve Bone Health in Postmenopausal Women. Adv Nutr. 2022 Oct 2;13(5):1476-1492. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmab162. Review. PubMed PMID: 34978320; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9526830.

De Souza MJ, Strock NCA, Williams NI, Lee H, Koltun KJ, Rogers CJ, Ferruzzi MG, Nakatsu CH, Weaver C. Prunes preserve hip bone mineral density in a 12-month randomized controlled trial in postmenopausal women: the Prune Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Oct 6;116(4):897-910. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqac189. PubMed PMID: 35798020.

Simpson AMR, De Souza MJ, Damani J, Rogers CJ, Williams NI, Weaver C, Ferruzzi MG, Chadwick-Corbin S, Nakatsu CH. Prune supplementation for 12 months alters the gut microbiome in postmenopausal women. Food Funct. 2022 Nov 28;13(23):12316-12329. doi: 10.1039/d2fo02273g. PubMed PMID: 36350082.

Oh, ES, Rogers, CJ, Petersen, KS, Kris-Etherton, PM. The Effect of Consuming Spices on Vascular Function.. In: Dietary Supplements with Antioxidant Activity - Understanding Mechanisms and Potential Health Benefits The Royal Society of Chemistry.; 2023 06. 106--129p.

Damani JJ, De Souza MJ, Strock NCA, Koltun KJ, Williams NI, Weaver C, Rogers CJ. Associations Between Inflammatory Mediators and Bone Outcomes in Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Baseline Data from the Prune Study. J Inflamm Res. 2023;16:639-663. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S397837. eCollection 2023. PubMed PMID: 36814438; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9939790.

Lin D, Thompson CL, Ba DM, Muscat JE, Zhou S, Rogers CJ, Sturgeon KM. Associations Between Leisure-Time Physical Activity Level and Peripheral Immune Cell Populations in the US General Population, Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data, 1999-2018. Sports Med Open. 2023 Oct 28;9(1):101. doi: 10.1186/s40798-023-00643-y. PubMed PMID: 37897560; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10613194.

Van Syoc E, Nixon MP, Silverman JD, Luo Y, Gonzalez FJ, Elbere I, Klovins J, Patterson AD, Rogers CJ, Ganda E. Changes in the Type 2 diabetes gut mycobiome associate with metformin treatment across populations. bioRxiv. 2023 Nov 3;. doi: 10.1101/2023.05.25.542255. PubMed PMID: 37398234; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10312434.

Van Syoc EP, Damani J, DiMattia Z, Ganda E, Rogers CJ. The Effects of Bifidobacterium Probiotic Supplementation on Blood Glucose: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Animal Models and Clinical Evidence. Adv Nutr. 2024 Jan;15(1):100137. doi: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.10.009. Epub 2023 Nov 2. PubMed PMID: 37923223; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10831893.

DiMattia Z, Damani JJ, Van Syoc E, Rogers CJ. Effect of Probiotic Supplementation on Intestinal Permeability in Overweight and Obesity: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials and Animal Studies. Adv Nutr. 2024 Jan;15(1):100162. doi: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.100162. Epub 2023 Dec 8. Review. PubMed PMID: 38072119; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10771892.

Simpson AMR, De Souza MJ, Damani J, Rogers CJ, Williams NI, Weaver CM, Ferruzzi MG, Nakatsu CH. Gut microbes differ in postmenopausal women responding to prunes to maintain hip bone mineral density. Front Nutr. 2024;11:1389638. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1389638. eCollection 2024. PubMed PMID: 38706560; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11067506.

Damani JJ, Oh ES, De Souza MJ, Strock NC, Williams NI, Nakatsu CH, Lee H, Weaver C, Rogers CJ. Prune Consumption Attenuates Proinflammatory Cytokine Secretion and Alters Monocyte Activation in Postmenopausal Women: Secondary Outcome Analysis of a 12-Mo Randomized Controlled Trial: The Prune Study. J Nutr. 2024 May;154(5):1699-1710. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.11.014. Epub 2023 Nov 19. PubMed PMID: 37984741; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11347809.

Damani JJ, Rogers CJ, Lee H, Strock NC, Koltun KJ, Williams NI, Weaver C, Ferruzzi MG, Nakatsu CH, De Souza MJ. Effects of Prune (Dried Plum) Supplementation on Cardiometabolic Health in Postmenopausal Women: An Ancillary Analysis of a 12-Month Randomized Controlled Trial, The Prune Study. J Nutr. 2024 May;154(5):1604-1618. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.03.012. Epub 2024 Mar 13. PubMed PMID: 38490532; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11347804.

Van Syoc E, Nixon MP, Silverman JD, Luo Y, Gonzalez FJ, Elbere I, Klovins J, Patterson AD, Rogers CJ, Ganda E. Changes in the type 2 diabetes gut mycobiome associate with metformin treatment across populations. mBio. 2024 Jun 12;15(6):e0016924. doi: 10.1128/mbio.00169-24. Epub 2024 May 20. PubMed PMID: 38767350; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11237675.

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