Nancy Engelmann Moran, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

(713) 798-0520

Email

nancy.moran@bcm.edu

Positions

Associate Professor: Pediatrics
Nutrition
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, US

Member: USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas

Member: Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Program
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas

Addresses

USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center (Office): 1100 Bates St.
Room: CNRC-9068
Houston, TX, 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-0520
Nancy.Moran@bcm.edu

Education

BS from University of Illinois: 05/2005 - Urbana, Illinois, United States; Molecular and Cellular Biology, Major, Chemistry, Minor

PhD from University of Illinois: 12/2010 - Urbana, Illinois, United States; Nutritional Sciences

Postdoctoral Fellowship at The Ohio State University: 06/2016 - Columbus, Ohio, United States; Nutritional Biochemistry

Professional Interests

Carotenoids
Nutritional Biochemistry
Genetics
Nutritional Pharmacokinetics
Pregnancy and Lactation
Infant and Toddler Nutrition

Professional Statement

My research program seeks to understand how dietary carotenoids impact human health. Carotenoids are a class of colorful orange, red, and yellow compounds found in fruits and vegetables. Some carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and alpha-carotene are converted to vitamin A in the body- and therefore play an important role in development and health. Other carotenoids, such as red lycopene and yellow lutein, are not pro-vitamin A, but may play a role in cancer prevention and promotion of cognitive & visual functions, respectively.

We engage a translational research approach. We are currently studying how the mechanisms by which carotenoids are absorbed from foods, distributed throughout the body, and metabolized using in vitro and animal models. We are also studying how human genetic variation impacts the levels of carotenoids found in the body and affects the use of carotenoid measurements as biomarkers of dietary intake. In addition, we are studying the reliability and validity of carotenoid measurements as biomarkers of dietary intake in humans.

Websites

Nancy E. Moran Lab Website

My NCBI Bibliography

USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine

VIICTR Profile

Selected Publications

Moran NE, Chang J, Stroh R, Zaid Y, Hason N, Musaad S, O'Connor T. " Non-invasive, reflection spectroscopy measurement of skin carotenoid score in infants is feasible and reliable " J Nutr. 2023 Jan 23; 152 (12) : 2966-2977.
Pubmed PMID: 35981784.
Zaidi Y, Stroh R, Moran NE. " Systematic review of carotenoid concentrations in human milk and infant blood " Nutr Rev. 2022 Aug 8; 80 (9) : 2029-2050.
Pubmed PMID: 35389473.
Jilcott Pitts SB, Moran NE, Wu Q, Harnack L, Craft N, Hanchard NA, Bell R, Moe SG, Johnson N, Obasohan J, Carr-Manth PL, Laska M. " Pressure-mediated reflection spectroscopy criterion validity as a biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake: a two-site cross-sectional study of four racial or ethnic groups " J Nutr. 2022 Jan 11; 152 (1) : 107-116.
Pubmed PMID: 34562088.
Cepni AB, Taylor A, Crumbley C, Thompson D, Moran NE, Olvera N, O’Connor DP, Arlinghaus KR, Johnston CA, Ledoux TA. " Feasibility and efficacy of the “FUNPALS” Playgroup” intervention to improve toddler dietary and activity behaviors: A pilot randomized, controlled trial " Int J Environ Res Pub Hlth. 2021 ; 2021 (18) : 7828.
Jilcott Pitts SB, Moran NE, Laska MN, Wu Q, Harnack L, Moe S, Carr-Manthe P, Gates E, Change J, Zaidi Y, Gelineau A, Berg L, Craft NE. " Reflection Spectroscopy-Assessed Skin Carotenoids Are Sensitive to Change in Carotenoid Intake in a 6-Week Randomized Controlled Feeding Trial in a Racially/Ethnically Diverse Sample " J Nutr. 2023 Apr ; 153 (4) : 1133-1142.
Pubmed PMID: 36804322.
Moran, NE, Alexander B, Garg S, Marchant N, Hason, NA. " Relative uptake of tomato carotenoids by in vitro intestinal and prostate cancer cells " J Nutr. 2024 Dec ; 154 (12) : 3639-3651.
Norman A, Palmer D, Jahns L, Moran NE, Roemmich J, Casperson S. " Association of Candidate Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Genotypes with Plasma and Skin Carotenoid Concentrations in Adults Provided a Lycopene-Rich Juice " J Nutr. 2024 Jul ; 154 (7) : 1985-1993.
Senawong T, Nguyen T, Mirabile YZ, Senkus KE, Musaad S, Moran NE. " Carotenoid and vitamin A intake in infants and toddlers (0-24 months) - sources, contribution to vitamin A requirements, and demographic patterns (NHANES 2015-2020) " Nutr Res. 2025 Nov ; 143 : 29-43.
Pubmed PMID: 41124779.

Projects

The Effect of Pregnancy and Lactation on Carotenoid Status and Bioactivity: USDA/ARS (10/2019 - 09/2024); Baylor College of Medicine; Principal Investigator
Genetic Determinants of Skin Carotenoid Responses to Diet in Diverse Adults: NIH/NHLBI (06/2019 - present); Baylor College of Medicine; Co-Investigator (PI: Jilcott Pitts and Laska)
Non-invasive marker of infant food intake: NIH/NIDDK; Baylor College of Medicine and University of Colorado Denver; Co-Investigator
Carotenoid Biomarkers of Intake in Infants and Toddlers: NIH/NICHD; Baylor College of Medicine; Principal Investigator

Memberships

The American Society for Nutrition: Member (10/2005)

The International Carotenoid Society: Member (07/2016)

Nutrition Research (Journal): Editorial Review Board Member (11/2016)

Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine: Member (12/2016)