Maria Luz Fernandez, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences,
University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health & Natural Resources

Email: maria-luz.fernandez@uconn.edu | Phone: +1 860-486-5547

Maria Luz Fernandez has been a Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Connecticut since 2003. She is a leading authority on the role of dietary interventions on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and their effects on dyslipidemias, oxidative stress and inflammation as it relates to cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Her use of the guinea pig model for lipoprotein metabolism has supported the elucidation of the mechanisms by which different types of fat, dietary fiber, carbohydrate restricted diets and antioxidants reduce the risk for atherogenic lipoproteins, hepatic steatosis and atherosclerosis. Her research has been supported by the Federal Government, Industry and Food Commodities. She has co-authored 221 peer-reviewed papers, 12 book chapters plus over 220 scientific abstracts. She has been invited to present her research in the international arena including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, Ecuador, Korea, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. She has graduated 30 Ph.D. and 17 Master’s students who currently have prominent positions in industry and academia.