AIMRC Seminar: Diet, Phytochemicals, and Colon Cancer Risk: Mechanistic Insights From Cells to Humans

The Arkansas Integrative Metabolic Research Center will host Sabrina Trudo, an associate professor of human nutrition and dietetics at the University of Arkansas, at 12:55 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, in CHEM 0144.

Trudo's research investigates how bioactive compounds influence colorectal cancer through effects on carcinogenesis, inflammation, gut microbiota, and gene expression. In her talk, Dr. Trudo will share how molecular, cellular, and dietary mechanisms influence inflammation and carcinogenesis-relevant pathways.

Abstract: Trudo's research investigates how dietary patterns, whole foods, and bioactive compounds modulate inflammation, xenobiotic metabolism, gut microbiota, and colon cancer risk. In vitro studies demonstrate that apiaceous (celery, parsnip) phytochemicals can repolarize pro-inflammatory macrophages toward anti-inflammatory phenotypes and inhibit CYP1A2-mediated procarcinogen activation. Rodent studies reveal that Western-style diets exacerbate colitis, alter microbial diversity, and promote colonic preneoplastic lesions, while apiaceous and cruciferous (broccoli, cabbage) vegetables mitigate these effects through suppression of inflammatory signaling, remodeling of microbial communities, modulation of lipid, bile acid, and xenobiotic metabolism, and regulation of DNA adduct formation. Apiaceous vegetables also modulate efflux transporter and miRNA expression, whereas cruciferous vegetables suppress colonic preneoplastic lesions and β-catenin-associated signaling. In human studies, single meals containing apiaceous and cruciferous vegetables produce distinct urinary metabolomic signatures linked to xenobiotic handling and potential epigenetic regulation. Collectively, these findings highlight integrated molecular, cellular, and dietary mechanisms influencing inflammation- and carcinogenesis-relevant pathways.

Biography: Sabrina Trudo is an associate professor of human nutrition and dietetics in the School of Human Environmental Sciences at the University of Arkansas. She also serves as co-director of the Ph.D. Program in Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences (Human Nutrition Concentration) and holds the 21st Century Endowed Chair in Human Environmental Sciences. She earned her Ph.D. in nutritional sciences and a certificate in public health genetics from the University of Washington. Trudo's research spans cell culture, animal, and human studies investigating how bioactive compounds influence colorectal cancer through effects on carcinogenesis, inflammation, gut microbiota, and gene expression. As a registered dietitian with nearly 20 years of university-level teaching experience, she also studies the integration of AI in dietetics education.

This event is supported by NIGMS of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P20GM139768. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Pizza and beverages will be served. Please contact Kimberley Fuller, fullerk@uark.edu, for more information.

For those unable to attend in person, this seminar will also be available via Zoom.