Chair, Department of Anthropology
Professor
Biological Anthropologist
althomps@email.unc.edu
919-843-2060
Alumni Building, Carolina Square 311A, 2106
Website
Research Interests
Child Growth and Development, Nutrition, Microbiome, Dual Burden, Infant Feeding
Research Background
I am a human biologist specializing in human growth and nutrition. I focus on the biological pathways linking early life social, behavioral and physical environments to health outcomes across a range of national and international settings, including North Carolina, China, and Ecuador. I am particularly interested in how early life nutrition and environmental exposures shape the development of obesity and chronic disease. My current projects focus on: the effects of early exposures on the development of the intestinal microbiome, immune function and obesity; the structural, social, maternal and infant characteristics contributing to infant feeding practices and the development of an obesogenic environment; and the physical and social environmental exposures, particularly those around food and water, associated with the development of dual burden in low and middle income countries.
Education
PhD, Emory University