Our food experts are contributors to this site as a public service and to promote their research on food resources and production.
Ruth MacDonald, PhD, RD
Chair and Professor of the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition
Iowa State University
University Webpage:
http://info.iastate.edu/individuals/info/156137/MacDonald-Ruth
Read Blog Posts:
- Should I Be Eating Protein Bars?
- Does Milk Impact My Breast-Fed Baby?
- Is Non-Organic Food Full of Chemicals?
- Do Onions Absorb Bacteria That Cause Illness?
- Obesity: Are Sugar and Salt To Blame?
- Are GMOs Safe? Questions Continue...
- VIDEO: GMO Labeling - What Do You Think?
- How Long Can you Store Avocados in the Refrigerator?
- Is Wheat a "Perfect Chronic Poison?"
- GMOs in Our Food - Consumers Ask All
- Consumer Question - Using Leftover Onions?
- Milk Wars
- Omnivore's Dilemma - An Expert's Objection to One Perspective
- Gluten Intolerance and Grain Fed Meat
- Fertilizers, Fruits and Vegetables - Oh My!
- Meatless Mondays: Expert and Consumer opinions
- Genetically Engineered or Modified Foods - To Eat or Not To Eat
- What's Really in Our Food?
- Organic versus Conventional Foods: Is There a Nutritional Difference?
Education: Ph.D., Nutrition/Food Science, University of Minnesota, 1985
Interests: Identify factors in foods that reduce the incidence or progression of cancer.
Office: 2312 Food Sciences Building
Phone: (515) 294-5991
Fax: (515) 294-8181
Email: ruthmacd@iastate.edu
Research
Publications:
Slusarz A, Shenouda NA, Sakla MS, Drenkhahn SK, Narula A, MacDonald RS, Besch-Williford CL, Lubahn DB. Common botanical compounds inhibit the Hedgehog signaling pathway in prostate cancer. Cancer Research 70(8):3382-90, 2010
MacDonald RS, Pryzbyszewski J, Hsieh F-H. Soy Protein Isolate Extruded with High Moisture Retains High Nutritional Quality. J Agric Food Chem 57 (9):3550-3555, 2009.
Qin W, Zhu w, Shi H, Hewett JE, Ruhlen RL, MacDonald RS, Rottinghaus GE, Chien YC, Sauter ER. Soy isoflavone have an antiestrogenic effect and alter mammary promoter hypermethylation in healthy premenopausal women. Nutrition and Cancer 61(2):238-44, 2009.
MacDonald RS, Pryzbyszewski J, Hsieh F-H. Soy Protein Isolate Extruded with High Moisture Retains High Nutritional Quality. J Agric Food Chem 57 (9):3550-3555, 2009.
Przybyszewski J, MacDonald RS. Plant Polyphenols and phytoestrogens in cancer prevention, in Botanical Medicine in Clinical Practice, Watson, R. R. and Preedy, V. R. (eds) 2008, CABI, Wallingford, UK.
Shen H, Oesterling E, Stromberg A, Toborek M, MacDonald RS, Hennig B. Zinc deficiency induces vascular pro-inflammatory parameters associated with NF-kB and PPAR signaling. J Amer Clin Nutr, 27:577-587, 2008.
Fountain ED, Mao J, Whyte JJ, Mueller KE, Ellersieck MR, Will MJ, Roberts RM, MacDonald RS, Rosenfeld CS. Effects of Diets Enriched in Omega-3 and Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Offspring Sex-Ratio and Maternal Behavior in Mice. Biology of Reproduction, 78:211-217, 2008.
Shen H, Oesterling E, Stromberg A, Toborek M, MacDonald RS, Hennig B. Zinc deficiency induces vascular pro-inflammatory parameters associated with NF-kB and PPAR signaling. J Amer Coll Nutr 27:577-587, 2008.
Shenouda NS, Sakla MS, Newton LG, Besch-Williford C, Greenberg NM, MacDonald RS, Lubahn DB. Phytosterol Pygeum africanum regulates prostate cancer in vivo and in vitro. Endocrine 32:72-81, 2007.
Shen H, MacDonald RS, Bruemmer D, Stromberg A, Daugherty A, Li X, Toboreck M, Hennig B. Zinc Deficiency Alters Lipid Metabolism in LDL-Receptor-Deficient Mice Treated 2 with Rosiglitazone. J. Nutrition 137:2339-2345, 2007.
Sakla MS, Ansell PJ, Shenouda NS, Lubahn DB, MacDonald RS. Genistein Affects HER2 Protein Concentration, Activation and Promoter Regulation via Estrogen Receptor-and non-Estrogen Receptor-Mediated Mechanisms. Endocrine 32:69-78, 2007.
Wang Q, Simonyi A, Jensen MD, Shelat P, Rottinghaus GE, MacDonald R.S., Miller DK, Lubahn DB, Weisman GA, Sun AY, Sun GY. Curcumin Ameliorates Global Cerebral Ischemia-Induced Neuronal Apoptosis and Behavioral Deficits: Suppression of Oxidative Stress and Mitochondria Dysfunction. J. Neuroscience, 2005 82:138-148.
Wang Q, Simonyi A, Li W, Sisk BA, Miller RA, MacDonald, R.S., Lubahn DB, Sun GY, Sun AY. Dietary Grape Supplement Ameliorates cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal death in gerbils. Mol. Nut. Food Res. 2005 49:443-451.
Reiterer G, MacDonald R.S., Browning JD, Jr., Marrow J, Matveev SV, Daugherty A, Smart E, Toborek M, Hennig B. Zinc Deficiency Induces Atherogenic Events in LDL-Receptor Deficient Mice. J. Nutrition, 135(9):2114-8, 2005.
Guo, J.-Y., Li, X., Browning, J.D., Rottinghaus, G.E. and R.S. MacDonald. 2004. Soy isoflavones and estrone prevent colon cancer in mice. J. Nutrition, 134:179-182.
Curran, E.M., Judy, B.M., Newton, L.G., Lubahn, D.B., Rottinghaus, G.E., Macdonald, R.S., Franklin, C. and D.M. Estes. 2004. Dietary soy phytoestrogens and ERalpha signaling modulate interferon gamma production in response to bacterial infection. Clin & Exper Immun 2004 135(2):219-25.
Shenouda, N.S., Zhou, Q., Browning, J.D., Ansell, P.J., Sakla, M.S., Lubahn, D.B. and R.S. MacDonald. 2004. Phytoestrogens in Common Herbs Regulate Prostate Cancer Cell Growth in Vitro. Nutrition and Cancer 2004 49(2):200-208.
R.S. MacDonald. 2004. Regulation of Growth and the IGF System by Zinc. Invited book chapter, Nutrition and the IGF System, S. Houston editor, Human Press, 2004.