Assistant Professor

Hi! I am Dr. Chris Skinner, Assistant Professor Nutrition within the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences at UVM. I am a nutritional physiologist by training, and my research primarily focuses on improving metabolic health and finding sustainable alternatives for food processing "wastes." Specifically, I'm deeply interested in liver health and how nutrient metabolism influences its well-being and disease states. I also have a broader curiosity about overall health and the potential impact of small, realistic changes on improving people's quality of life. Collaboration is essential to me, and I'm always excited to work with fellow curious minds to explore intriguing scientific questions.

When it comes to teaching, my goal is to make classes interesting, engaging, and enjoyable. I like to integrate pop culture references and my interests to connect course content to real-world applications. I'm also dedicated to helping students succeed both inside and outside the classroom. In my teaching, you can expect a touch of dry humor and the incorporation of ideas from different fields to build a holistic, cross-disciplinary approach to my classes. I strongly believe in the value of undergraduate research experiences for students, as they can open new opportunities. If you're interested in learning more about my research or joining my lab, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I'm here to support and guide you on your academic journey.

Research and/or Creative Works

  • Investigating the synergy of binge drinking and high-fat, high-sugar consumption on hepatic health.
  • Repurposing “wastes” from the craft beverage industry as functional foods.
  • Investigating common and novel sweetener metabolism.

Publications

  • Skinner, R.C., Hagaman, J.A. (2021). The interplay of Western diet and binge drinking on the onset, progression, and outlook of liver disease, Nutrition Reviews. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuab031
  • Skinner, R. C., Warren, D. C., Naveed, M., Agarwal, G., Benedito, V. A., & Tou, J. C. (2019). Apple pomace improves liver and adipose inflammatory and antioxidant status in young female rats consuming a Western diet. Journal of Functional Foods, 61, 103471. doi: 10.1016/j.jff.2019.103471
  •  Skinner, R. C., Warren, D. C., Lateef, S. N., Benedito, V. A., & Tou, J. C. (2018). Apple pomace consumption favorably alters hepatic lipid metabolism in young female sprague-dawley rats fed a western diet. Nutrients, 10(12), 1882. doi:10.3390/nu10121882
  • Warren, D., Soule, L., Taylor, K., Skinner, R. C., Ku, K. M., Matak, K., Benedito, V.A., Tou, J. C. (2020). Protein quality and safety evaluation of sarcoplasmic protein derived from silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) using a rat model. Journal of Food Science. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.15321
  •  Brooks, S., Brnayan, K. W., DeVallance, E., Skinner, R.C., Lemaster, K., Sheets, J. W., ... & Frisbee, J. C. (2018). Psychological stress‐induced cerebrovascular dysfunction: the role of metabolic syndrome and exercise. Experimental physiology, 103(5), 761-776. doi:10.1113/EP086892

Associations and Affiliations

  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • American Physiological Society
  • American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
R. Chris Skinner, PhD

Areas of Expertise and/or Research

  • Nutritional physiology
  • Liver diseases
  • Repurposing food waste as functional foods

Education

  • PhD, Animal and Food Science, emphasis: Human Nutrition, West Virginia University, 2019
  • MS, Exercise Physiology, West Virginia University, 2016
  • BS, Exercise Science, West Virginia Wesleyan College, 2014

CV

PDF icon R_Chris_Skinner_CV.pdf

Contact

Email:

Chris.Skinner@uvm.edu

Phone:
  • 802-656-0304
Office Location:

251 MLS Carrigan Wing

Office Hours:

By appointment

Website(s):
  1. rchrisskinner.com
  2. RAMP Lab

Courses Taught

  • NFS 1043: Fundamentals of Nutrition