Skip to Main Content

The University of Tennessee

Enter the name of your College, Department, or Unit Here

Frequently Used Tools:



 


Faculty Profile

Melissa Beth Hansen-Petrik, Ph.D., R.D.

Melissa Beth Hansen-Petrik - click to enlarge

Education
2001, Ph.D., Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee

1992, M.S., Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

1991, Dietetic internship, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio (Registration 723018)

1990, B.S., Nutrition & Food Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota

Professional Experience
2005-present Research Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee

2002-present Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics, Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee

2001-2005 Lecturer/Instructor, Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee

1999-2001 Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee

1996-1999 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee

1995-1996 Adjunct Instructor, University of North Carolina, Wilmington, North Carolina

1992-1996 Clinical Nutritionist, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington, North Carolina

1989-1990 Dietetic Technician, VA Medical Center, Fort Meade, South Dakota

Honors
2005 Gemple Research Award, The American Dietetic Association Foundation

2001 Molecular and Biological Aspects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cancer Travel Award, Breckenridge, Colorado

2000 Graduate Student Research Award, American Society for Nutritional Sciences, Sponsored by Proctor & Gamble, Experimental Biology 2000, San Diego, California

2000 Chancellor’s Citation for Extraordinary Professional Promise, University of Tennessee

2000 Citation for Outstanding Research by a Graduate Student, College of Human Ecology, University of Tennessee

Professional Memberships and Positions
American Society for Nutrition, 2005-present

American Dietetic Association, 1988-present

Dietetic Practice Groups: Dietetic Educators of Practitioners, 2002-present

Tennessee Dietetic Association, 1996-present

Child Nutrition Task Force, 2005-present

Poster Session judge, TDA Annual Meeting, April 2003

Knoxville District Dietetic Association, 1997-present:

Career Guidance Chair 2005-06

Legislative liaison to State Representative Joe Armstrong 2002-present

Ask-A-Dietitian column contributor 2000-present

Invited speaker for KDDA meeting 2003 “Dietary Reference Intakes”

Coastal Carolina Dietetic Association, 1992-1996:

President-elect 1995-1996

Service Activity
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Chairperson, Department of Nutrition Undergraduate Curriculum Review Committee, 2004-present

College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences UT Alumni Outstanding Teacher Award nominating committee, 2003

Advisor, Undergraduate Nutrition Student Association, 2003-present

Dietetic Internship Selection Committee, 2001-present

Nutrition and Cancer
Journal Reviewer, 2001

Funding
Gemple Research Award 7/1/05-6/30/07
American Dietetic Association Foundation
Microarray analysis of gene expression profiles in epileptic mouse brain following treatment with a ketogenic diet.This study will generate preliminary microarray data to evaluate effects of the ketogenic diet on metabolic pathway activity in brain tissue of epileptic mice.
Role: PI Amount: $5,000

Epilepsy Foundation of East Tennessee 1/1/04-12/31/05
The ketogenic diet as treatment for intractable epilepsy in children. This study investigates the efficacy of implementing the ketogenic diet on an outpatient basis in children with epilepsy inadequately controlled by medications.
Role: Academic Advisor Amount: $40,500

 

Publications
Book chapters
Hansen-Petrik MB. Nutrigenomics in Medical Nutrition Therapy 1E textbook to be published by Wadsworth/Thomson Learning in April 2006, Nelms/Sucher/Anderson editors.

Articles published in peer-reviewed journals
Irwin KJ, Miller CA, Hansen-Petrik MB. Case report: The ketogenic diet eliminates seizures and enhances developmental outcome in a child with Angelman Syndrome. Manuscript in preparation for publication in Epilepsia.

Whelan J, Hansen Petrik MB, McEntee MF, Obukowicz MG. Dietary EPA reduces tumor load in ApcMin/+ mice by altering arachidonic acid metabolism, but conjugated linoleic acid, gamma- and alpha-linolenic acids have no effect. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2002; 507: 579-584.

Hansen-Petrik MB, McEntee MF, Johnson BT, Obukowicz MG, Masferrer J, Zweifel B, Chiu C-H, Whelan J. Selective inhibition of ?-6 desaturase impedes Apc-mediated tumorigenesis. Cancer Lett. 2002; 175: 157-163.

Hansen-Petrik MB, McEntee MF, Jull B, Whelan J. Prostaglandin E2 protects intestinal tumors from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced regression in ApcMin/+ mice. Cancer Res. 2002; 62: 403-408.

Hansen Petrik MB, McEntee MF, Johnson BT, Obukowicz MG, Whelan J. Highly unsaturated (n-3) fatty acids, but not ?-linolenic, conjugated linoleic or ?-linolenic acid, reduce tumorigenesis in ApcMin/+ mice. J Nutr. 2000; 130: 2434-2443.

Hansen Petrik MB, McEntee MF, Chiu CH, Whelan J. Antagonism of arachidonic acid is linked to the anti-tumorigenic effect of dietary eicosapentaenoic acid in ApcMin/+ mice. J Nutr. 2000; 130: 1153-1158.

Abstracts
Hansen-Petrik M. Enhancing the undergraduate curriculum to expand enrollment and prepare for the diverse needs of dietetics professionals of the future. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005; 105: A45.

Whelan J, McEntee MF, Hansen-Petrik M. PGE2 mediates intestinal tumorigenesis in vivo. FASEB J. 2002; 16(5): A998.

 

Contact the Department of Nutrition

1215 W. Cumberland Ave.
229 Jessie Harris Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-1920

Brenda Hart
bhart57@utk.edu

Phone: (865) 974-5445
Fax: (865) 974-3491