Katherine H. Ingram, Ph.D.
My research team studies the impact of gestational obesity and inactivity on maternal
metabolic health. This interest stems from my alarm at the increasing prevalence of
obesity in the United States and its strong link to 
cardiometabolic disease. In parallel with obesity, the prevalence of diabetes is
also increasing at an alarming rate in EVERY AGE GROUP in the United States and worldwide.
Children born to adults with obesity are predisposed from birth to obesity and diabetes. The risk is even higher if the mother develops diabetes during pregnancy. It is critical to understand the influence of obesity and inactivity on risk for diabetes during pregnancy. With this knowledge, we can study how changes in exercise and improvements in diet can help to reduce a woman’s risk for developing diabetes in her pregnancy. The purpose for my research is to eradicate transgenerational obesity by resolving gaps in knowledge that will help researchers develop effective lifestyle interventions using diet and exercise.
My research program provides numerous opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to gain experience in research. Students on the research team assist in all parts of the research cycle, including project development, subject recruitment and testing, data collection and analysis, and interpretation of results. Most of the students who work in my laboratory present their work at scientific conferences and continue their education in post-graduate programs. If you are interested in a student assistantship, I would love to hear from you!
Education
PhD: Georgia State University, 2009, Exercise Physiology with concentration in Nutrition
Postdoctoral Training: University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2009-2011, Nutrition and Obesity Research Center
Postdoctoral Training: University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2011-2012, Diabetes Research Center
