Renalison Farias-Pereira, Ph.D.
Dr. Renalison is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Kean University. He received his Ph.D. in 2020 in Food Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Since then, he has completed two post-doctoral experiences at Rutgers University and Salve Regina University. His previous research contributions focused on the anti-obesity effects of food compounds, where he suggested new insights into the mechanisms of action of coffee and medicinal plants-related compounds on lipid metabolism. He started his investigation with well-known coffee compounds, but further advanced his studies to investigate the lesser known coffee diterpenes and other plant compounds. He has published several manuscripts investigating the effects of food compounds and toxicants on lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism, and inflammation.
His current research interests are still related to the molecular pathways involved in obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome that can be regulated by diet. He uses cells, worms, and fruit flies as biological models to elucidate these molecular pathways and their relevance to humans. Using knockout animals and molecular biology techniques, he continues to apply his multidisciplinary interests and knowledge to investigate the potential treatments for metabolic syndrome and its associated diseases at Kean University.
Selected Publications
Vassiliou, E., & Farias-Pereira, R. (2023). Impact of Lipid Metabolism on Macrophage Polarization: Implications for Inflammation and Tumor Immunity. International journal of molecular sciences, 24, 12032. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241512032
Farias-Pereira, R., Zuk, J. B., & Khavaran, H. (2023). Plant bioactive compounds from Mediterranean diet improve risk factors for metabolic syndrome. International journal of food sciences and nutrition, 74, 403–423. https://doi.org/10.1080/09637486.2023.2232949
Sailaja, B. S., Hassan, S., Cohen, E., Tmenova, I., Farias-Pereira, R., et.al. (2022). Moringa isothiocyanate-1 inhibits LPS-induced inflammation in mouse myoblasts and skeletal muscle. PloS one, 17, e0279370. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279370
Kim, J. H., Barbagallo, B., Annunziato, K., Farias-Pereira, R., Doherty, J. J., et. al. (2021). Maternal preconception PFOS exposure of Drosophila melanogaster alters reproductive capacity, development, morphology and nutrient regulation. Food and chemical toxicology, 151, 112153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2021.112153
Farias-Pereira, R., Park, C. S., & Park, Y. (2019). Mechanisms of action of coffee bioactive components on lipid metabolism. Food science and biotechnology, 28, 1287–1296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-019-00662-0
Farias-Pereira, R., Kim, E., & Park, Y. (2020). Cafestol increases fat oxidation and energy expenditure in Caenorhabditis elegans via DAF-12-dependent pathway. Food chemistry, 307, 125537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125537
Farias-Pereira, R., Oshiro, J., Kim, K. H., & Park, Y. (2018) Green coffee bean extract and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid regulate fat metabolism in Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of Functional Foods, 48, 586-593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2018.07.049