Hea Jin Park

Education

Research

My research focuses on defining the beneficial role of bioactive food compounds and functional foods in human health and on investigating their mechanisms of action in chronic diseases and perinatal development. For more information, see the Bioactive Compounds and Health Laboratory.

Teaching

Human Nutrition and Food, Honors (FDNS2100H)

Cultural Aspects of Foods and Nutrition (FDNS4630/6630)

Nutrition and Disease Processes II (FDNS8550)

Study Away Program: Nutrition and Culinary Study in Korea and Japan

Journal Articles

1. S Dubrof#, SL Schantz, TH LePage, SE Sneed, SR Cheek, HA Kinder, KJ Duberstein, DA DeWahl, JO Stern, AB Baguisi, EE Kaiser, FD West, HJ Park*. Catalase activity in the brain is associated with recovery from brain injury in a piglet model of traumatic brain injury. Brain Sciences, In press, 2025
2. S Dobrof#, JG Zukaitis#, I Ahmed, W Sun, Q Zhao, HJ Park*. The effect of perinatal supplementation of DHA on specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators in the brain of offspring. BBA Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, In press, 2025
3. SL Schantz et al, CMX-2043 Treatment Limits Neural Injury Pathophysiology and Promotes Neurological and Cognitive Recovery in a Porcine Traumatic Brain Injury Model. Journal of neurotrauma, In press, 2025
4. SL Schantz, GS Cosgrave, AG Schifino, TH LePage, ST Dubrof#, SE Sneed, SR Cheek, HJ Park, HA Kinder, KJ Duberstein, JA Call, EE Kaiser, FD West, Combined Human Neural Stem Cell and Structured Treadmill Walking Therapy Enhances Recovery in a Pediatric Porcine Traumatic Brain Injury Model. Journal of Neurotrauma, In press, 2025
5. S Dubrof#, J Zukaitis#, I Ahmed, W Sun, KM Scheulin, X Fang#, J Jeon#, Q Zhao, FD West, HJ Park*. Maternal supplementation of egg yolk modulates brain functional organization and functional outcomes of offspring. Nutrition Research, Nov:131:147-158, 2024
6. X Fang#, S Lee#, S Rayalam, HJ Park*. DHA supplementation and infant brain development: Role of gut microbiome. Nutrition Research, Nov:131:1-13, 2024
7. JM Fleming#, G Rosa, V Bland, GPA Kauwell, OV Malysheva, A Wettstein, DB Hausman, LB Bailey, HJ Park* Response of One-Carbon Biomarkers in Maternal and Cord Blood to Folic Acid Dose During Pregnancy. Nutrients, Oct; 16(21):3703, 2024
8. W Sun, I Ahmed, S Dubrof#, HJ Park, FD West, Q Zhao. Affinity of Structural White Matter Tracts between Infant and Adult Pigs. Journal of Neuroscience Methods. Jun 406:110134, 2024
9. BT Hudson, ST Dubrof#, SE Settles, HJ Park*, NM Filipov. Effect of maternal supplementation with DHA and/or egg yolk powder on monoamine homeostasis in the perinatal piglet brain. Nutritional Neurosciences. Apr 25:1-10, 2024
10. M Fagan, CB Welch, KM Scheulin, S Sneed, J Jeon#, ME Golan, SR Cheek, DA Barany, G Oeltzschner, TR Callaway, Q Zhao, HJ Park, JM Lourenco, KJ Duberstein, FD West. Fecal microbial transplantation limits neural injury severity and functional deficits in a pediatric piglet traumatic brain injury model. Frontiers in Neuroscience, Sep 28:17:1249539, 2023
11. J Jeon#, EE Kaiser, ES Waters, X Yang, JM Lourenco, MM Fagan, KM Scheulin, SE Sneed, SK Shin, HA Kinder, A Kumar, SR Platt, J Ahn, KJ Doberstein, MK Rothrock Jr., TR Callaway, J Xie, FD West, HJ Park*. Tanshionone IIA-loaded nanoparticles and neural stem cell combination therapy improves gut homeostasis and recovery in a pig ischemic stroke model.  Scientific Reports, Feb 13;13(1):2520. 2023
12. I Ahmed, W Revees, W Sun, ST Dubrof#, J Zukaitis, FD West, HJ Park, Q Zhao. Nutritional supplement induced modulations in the functional connectivity of a porcine brain. Nutritional Neurosciences, Jan 19;1-12, 2023
13. Y Li, HJ Park, CC Akoh, F Kong. Predicting intestinal effective permeability of different transport mechanisms: comparing ex vivo porcine and in vitro dialysis models. Journal of Food Engineering, 2023
14. EE Kaiser, ES Waters, X Yang, MM Fagan, KM Scheulin, SE Sneed, S Cheek, J Jeon#, S Shin, H Kinder, A Kumar, SR Platt, KJ Duberstein, HJ Park, J Xie, FD West. Tanshinone IIA-loaded nanoparticle and neural stem cell therapy enhances recovery in a pig ischemic stroke model. Stem Cells Translational Medicine. 2022 
15. J Jeon#, JM Lourenco, MM Fagan, C Welch, SE Sneed, ST Dubrof, KJ Duberstein, TR Callaway, FD West, HJ Park*. Changes in Oral Microbial Diversity in a Piglet Model of Traumatic Brain Injury. Brain Sciences. 2022
16. Y Li, J Feng, HJ Park, H Prabhakar, F Kong. Effect of cinnamon on starch hydrolysis of rice pudding: comparing static and dynamic in vitro digestion models. Food Research International, 2022
17. J Barta#, SJ Kim, HJ Park*. Energy-dense diets lower in protein, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids among US adults with a self-reported head injury with loss of consciousness: A nationawide study, NHANES 2011-2014. Nutrition Research, 2022
18. ES Waters, EE Kaiser, X Yang, MM Fagan, KM Scheulin, J Jeon#, SK Shin¸ HA Kinder, A Kumar, SR Platt, KJ Duberstein, HJ Park, J Xie, FD West. Intracisternal administration of tanshinone IIA-loaded nanoparticles leads to reduced tissue injury and functional deficits in a porcine model of ischemic stroke. IBRO Reports, 5;10: 18-30, 2021
19. J Jeon#, J Lourenco, EE Kaiser, ES Waters, KM Scheulin, X Fang#, HA Kinder, SR Platt, MJ Rothrock Jr, TR Callaway, FD West, HJ Park*. Dynamic changes in the gut microbiome at the acute stage of ischemic stroke in a pig model. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 3;14: 587986, 2020
20. X Fang#, W Sun, J Jeon#, M Azain, H Kinder, J Ahn, HC Chung, Q Zhao, S Rayalam,  HJ Park*. Perinatal docosahexaenoic acid supplementation improves cognition and alters brain functional organization in piglets. Nutrients, 15; 12(7): E2090, 2020
21. EE Kaiser, ES Waters, MM Fagan, KM Scheulin, SR Platt, J Jeon#, X Fang#, HA Kinder, SK Shin, KJ Duberstein, HJ Park, FD West. Characterization of tissue and functional deficits in a clinically translatable pig model of acute ischemic stroke. Brain Research, 1;1736:146778, 2020
22. X Fang#, M Azain, K Crowe-white, JL Mumaw, JA Grimes, C Schimdt, M Barletta, S Rayalam, HJ Park*. Effect of acute ingestion of green tea extract and lemon juice on oxidative stress and lipid profile in pigs fed high-fat diet. Antioxidants (Basel), 23;8(6): 195, 2019
23. X Fang#, J Chung, E Olsen, Snider I, Earls RH, JH Jeon#, HJ Park*, JK Lee. Depletion of Regulator-of-G-protein signaling-10 in mice exaggerates high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance and inflammation, and this effect is mitigated by dietary green tea extract. Nutrition Research, 70: 50-59, 2019
24. G Simchick, A Shen, B Campbell, HJ Park, FD West, Q Zhao. Pig brains have homologous resting state networks to human brains. Brain Connectivity, 9(7): 566-579, 2019
25. AK Knight, HJ Park+,DB Hausman, J Fleming#, V Andersen, G Rosa, M Caudill, O Malysheva, GPA Kauwell, A Sokolow, S Fisher, AK Smith, LB Bailey. Association between one-carbon metabolism indices and DNA methylation status in maternal and cord blood. Scientific Reports, 15 ;8(1):16873, 2018
26. RA Reed, M Barletta, JA Grimes, JL Mumaw, HJ Park, X Fang#, M Azain, S Giguere, and JE Quandt. Accuracy of an oscillometric blood pressure monitor in anesthetized pigs. Laboratory Animals. 52(5):490-496, 2018
27. NM Hohos, AK Smith, HJ Park, DB Hausman, LB Bailey, DC Shade, RB Meagher. CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-specific DNA cytosine methylation differences associated with obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring), 26(8): 1312-1321, 2018
28. Park HJ*, Bailey LB, Shade DC, Hausman DB, Hohos NM, Meagher RB, Kauwell GP, Lewis RD, Smith AK. Distinctions in gene-specific changes in DNA methylation in response to folic acid supplementation between women with normal weight and obesity. Obesity Research and Clinical Practice. 11(6): 665-676, 2017.
29. DC Shade, HJ Park*, DB Hausman, Hohos NM, RB Meagher, GPA Kauwell, V Kilaru, RD Lewis, AK Smith, LB Bailey. DNA Methylation Changes in Whole Blood and CD16+ Neutrophils in Response to Chronic Folic Acid Supplementation in Women of Childbearing Age. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. 87 (5-6):271-278, 2017
30. AK Knight, JM Craig,… Park HJ,… AK Smith. An epigenetic clock for gestational age at birth based on blood methylation data. Genome Biology. 2016 Oct 7;17(1):206. doi: 10.1186/s13059-016-1068-z. PubMed PMID: 27717399; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5054584.
31. JD Gordon#, DB Hausman, LB Bailey, RD Lewis, EM Laing, HJ Park*. Impact of gluten-containing foods on folate intake of women of childbearing age. The Digest, Research Dietetics Practice Group's newsletter, 51(1): 2-7, 2016