Evan Spencer Berk, Ph.D.

EDUCATION

RESEARCH

2001-2006New York Obesity Research Center, St. Luke's Hospital, New York, NY
Performed pre- and postdoctoral research in the metabolism, obesity and diabetes laboratories of Jeanine Albu, M.D. and F.Xavier Pi-Sunyer, M.D. Have completed work to identify physiological reasons that explain differences in the increased prevalence of diabetes and obesity in African American vs. Caucasian females.
1997-2000Cornell University Nutrition Department, Ithaca, NY
Research assistant for three years in physiology and eating behavior laboratory. Completed senior honor's thesis in the laboratories of Virginia Utermohlen, M.D. and David Bauer Ph.D.
1994-1996Adelphi University Science Research Program, Garden City, NY
Performed original research in psychology and gender differences related to negative priming rates in the laboratory of Tramnell Neil, Ph.D.

TEACHING


2006+		Teacher's College, Columbia University,
Adjunct Assistant Professor
2003-2005Instructor Instructor for the Advanced Nutrition I: Carbohydrate, Lipids and Protein course for Master's Students at Teacher's College. This is an integrated metabolism course. Designed course structure and requirements. Mentor for Master's Student's Field Work: Eric Ho (Summer 2006)
2003-2006+Inspirica Tutors, Tutor
Individualized tutoring company that performs one-on-one test preparation and academic help. Prepared students for the new SATs, SAT II Subject Tests, SSATs, HSEE and Academic Science Programs.
2002-2006+New York Obesity Research Center, St. Luke's Hospital,
Laboratory Volunteer Program Coordinator Hired, trained, and managed pre-medical and medical students who have worked in the laboratory of Jeanine Albu, M.D.
1998-1999Cornell Cooperative Extension, Nassau County, Youth Instructor
Instructed 6-12 year olds in their summer enrichment programs. Course work included nutrition and health.

ACTIVITIES

2002-2006+Columbia University, Institute of Human Nutrition
Student Mentoring Program
This group meets with new and prospective students. Duties include participating in recruitment and orientation events, and advising students about the Human Nutrition program, quality of life issues and any other concerns.
2002-2005Columbia University Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC)
Nutrition Representative
This committee has representatives from every department in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and worked to improve quality of life issues for graduate students.
1998-2000Cornell University's Nutriquest
Nutrition Writer
This website was developed to answer nutrition questions for the public. Weekly tasks included an in depth analysis of one to two nutrition questions for the layperson.

SOCIETIES

AWARDS

PUBLICATIONS

MANUSCIPTS

  1. Berk ES, Kovera AJ, Boozer CN, Pi-Sunyer FX, Johnson J, Albu JB. Adiponectin levels during low and high fat eucaloric diets in lean and obese women. Obes Res 13: 1566-1571, 2005
  2. Albu JB, Kovera AJ, Allen L, Wainwright M, Berk ES, Raja-Kahn N, Janumala I, Burkey B, Heshka S, Gallagher D. Independent association of insulin resistance with increased inter-muscular adipose tissue and larger acute insulin response to glucose in African American vs. Caucasian non-diabetic women. Am J Clin Nutr 82:1210-1217, 2005
  3. Berk ES, Kovera AJ, Boozer CN, Pi-Sunyer FX, Albu JB. Metabolic Inflexibility is present in substrate use in African-American but not Caucasian pre-menopausal females. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 91:4099-4106, 2006)
  4. Albu JB, Kenya S, He Q, Liitschwager M, Berk ES, Heshka S, Kotler DP, Engelson ES. Increased whole-body inter-muscular and decreased leg subcutaneous adipose tissue depots are independent associates of insulin resistance in HIV-infected obese women. (Am J Clin Nutr, In Review, 2006). Berk ES, Johnson J, Lee, Boozer CN, Pi-Sunyer FX, Fried S, Albu J. Post-Absorptive Skeletal Muscle in African American vs. Caucasian Pre-Menopausal Women. (Obes Res, In Review, 2006)

ABSTRACTS

  1. Kovera AJ, O'Rourke B, Matthews DE, Cho A, Johnson JA, Berk ES, Pi-Sunyer FX, Albu JB. Epinephrine- Stimulated in vivo Lipolysis and Fat Oxidation in African American vs. Caucasian Women. J Invest Med. v51: S384 (2003).
  2. Berk ES, Kovera AJ, Zhang K, Boozer CN, Wainwright M, Pi-Sunyer FX, Albu JB. Systemic Fat Oxidation Inflexibility in African American vs. Caucasian Obese Women. Diabetes. v52: A24 (2003).
  3. Berk ES, Kovera AJ, Boozer CN, Pi-Sunyer FX, Johnson JA, Albu JA. Adiponectin Levels and Insulin Sensitivity during Low and High Fat Diets in Obese, Premenopausal Non-Diabetic Women. Obes Res. v11 p. A34 (2003).
  4. Berk ES, Wainwright M, Kovera AJ, Zhang K, Boozer C, PI-Sunyer F.X., Albu J. Insulin resistance and metabolic inflexibility in African American pre-menopausal women. Obes Res. v12: A136 (2004).
  5. Johnson JA, Berk ES, Garcia-Lorda P, Burkey BF, Fried SK, Albu J. Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) Secretion from Adipose Tissue Decreases with Weight Loss in Obese Premenopausal Women. Diabetes. V54: A351 (2005).
  6. Berk ES, Shen W, Mao X, Shungu D, FX Pi-Sunyer, Ravussin E, Albu JB and the Adipose Tissue Study Group of the LOOK AHEAD Study. Intramyocellular Lipids (IMCL) in Obese Patients with and without Type 2 Diabetes: Effects of Weight Loss. Obes Res. V13: A11, (2005).
  7. Berk ES, Fried SK, Lee M, Boozer CN, Pi-Sunyer FX, Albu JB. Skeletal Muscle, Heparin-Releasable, Lipoprotein Lipase Activity (SM-LPL) Is Increased in Obese African American (AA) vs. Caucasian (C) Women, During an Eucaloric Low Fat Diet. Obes Res. V13: A49, (2005).
  8. Albu JB, Wainwright M, Kovera AJ, Berk ES, Heshka S, Pi-Sunyer, FX. Increased Acute Insulin Response to Glucose (AIRg) in African American (AA) Women Is Independent of Degree of Insulin Resistance (IR) or Glucose Tolerance. Obes Res. V13: A110, (2005).
  9. Albu JB, Engelson E, He Q, Berk ES, Kotler D. Upper Body Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue (AT) Distribution and Increased Intermuscular Adipose Tissue (IMAT) Independently Predict Insulin Resistance (IR) in HIV+ Obese Women. Obes Res. V13: A48, (2005).
  10. Heshka S, He Q, Berk ES, Kotler D, Engelson E, Albu JB. Inter-Muscular Adipose Tissue (IMAT) is increased in obese women with HIV compared to HIV-Controls. Obes Res. V13: A187, (2005).
  11. Kovera AJ, Berk ES, Jamula I, Heshka S, Gallagher D, Albu JB. Indepednent Association of Insulin Resistance with Intermuscular Adipose Tissue in African American and Caucasian Non-Diabetic Women. Obes Res. V13: A186, (2005).
  12. Berk ES, Shen W, Kindermann S, Mao X, Shungu D, Albu J. Manifestations of Metabolic Inflexiblity in Healthy, Pre-Menopausal African-American women. Obes Res, V14: A67, (2006).
  13. Vemula M, Park S, Albu JB, Berk ES, Burkey B. Weight loss through diet restriction showed improved insulin sensitivity in obese insulin resistant human subjects as revealed by standard clinical measurements and gene expression profiling. Obes Res, V14: A31, (2006).

STAFF PAGE
OBESITY RESEARCH CENTER HOME PAGE