Douglas Moellering

Douglas Moellering
Associate Professor

Scientist (C), Comprehensive Diabetes Center , School of Medicine
Scientist (C), Integrative Center for Aging Research , School of Medicine
Scientist (C), Minority Health & Research Center , General Clinical Research Center
Scientist (C), Center for Free Radical Biology (CFRB) , General Clinical Research Center
Scientist (C), Center for Cardiovascular Biology (Retired Org) , Medicine - Cardiovascular Disease
Associate Professor (P), Nutrition Sciences , School of Health Professions
Director for the Undergraduate Program in Biobehavioral Nutrition and Wellness, Nutrition Sciences Education , Nutrition Sciences
Scientist (C), Nutrition Obesity Res Center (NORC) , Nutrition Sciences Research
Scientist (C), Center for Exercise Medicine , Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology (CDIB)

Overview

Douglas “Doug” Moellering, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Health Professions, and Department of Nutrition Sciences. He also serves as the Director for Nutrition Sciences undergraduate programs and specifically for the undergraduate major in Biobehavioral Nutrition and Wellness. He is a past Chairperson of the UAB Faculty Senate Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the School of Health Professions Academic Affairs Committee. He is also the Director of the Bioanalytical Redox Biology (BARB) Core, serving multiple investigators in measuring functional mitochondrial physiology, bioenergetics, enzyme activity, markers of oxidative stress, and/or reactive oxygen species formation. Doug espouses and thinks education, either formal or informal, is meant to inspire us to think and positively influence a learner’s desire to ask questions and learn. Doug shares and disseminates knowledge from benchtop and clinical research not only in his published manuscripts and courses but to Birmingham and Alabama communities and has served as a representative on the One Great Community Council, which is the community engagement component for UAB’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science. He has been an invited speaker at local libraries to speak about Cities for Life for a Healthier Birmingham, through the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation, the Birmingham-Jefferson Food Policy Summit, local schools and other organizations. The School of Health Professions recognized him with an award in 2018 for “Excellence in Service”.

Selected Publications

Chapter

Year	Title	Altmetric
2000	Cytoprotective mechanisms of nitric oxide: the role of cell signaling. 191-199. 2000

Research Overview

Doug’s collaborative research interests support accumulating evidence that many chronic diseases involve mitochondrial dysfunction, retrograde redox mitochondrial signaling and free radical-mediated tissue injury. His research focus includes energy metabolism, mitochondrial physiology, redox biology, exercise and nutrition, psychosocial life stress and their contributions to health & wellness, health disparities, cardiometabolic disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and aging. Model systems include in vitro cell culture, yeast, Drosophila melanogaster, rodents, fish, and human translational research. One of the current projects involves investigating the adverse effects of life stress, including discrimination, and dietary choices that may contribute to increased levels of oxidative stress, cardiometabolic disease risk and obesity.

Investigator On

COPD Cachexia: Deciphering the Impact of Antioxidants, Iron and Mitochondrial Function Using 'Omics Approaches awarded by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute/NIH/DHHS

Exercise Intensity, Metabolic Rate & Insulin Sensitivity awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH/DHHS

Oncobioenergetics of Breast Carcinogenesis awarded by DOD - Department of Defense

Paracrine Signaling in Glioma: Bioenergetics Heterogeneity and Chemoresistance awarded by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/NIH/DHHS

Race - Adiposity Interactions Regulate Mechanisms Determining Insulin Sensitivity awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH/DHHS

Real Time Measurement of Host Bioenergetics During Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection awarded by DOD - ARMY MEDICAL RESEARCH ACQUISITION ACTIVITY

UAB Diabetes Research Center awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH/DHHS

UAB Diabetes Research Center - Bioanalytical REDOX Biology Core (BARB) awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH/DHHS

Teaching Overview

Teaching is Doug’s passion, extends far beyond the classroom or eLearning platform, and occurs anytime information, ideas, or beliefs are explained and interpreted in a way that inspires and facilitates a better way of thinking or understanding otherwise complex concepts or lessons. Doug is actively engaged in undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral training through mentoring. He teaches an undergraduate course in nutrition and metabolism, multiple sections of graduate courses, and embraces pedagogy. He thinks that there is no end to education; it is a process where we move fluidly between student and teacher based on our acquisition and dissemination of knowledge, our respect for the process, and our ability to share it effectively and accurately with others. In this light, some things he embraces to be the best teacher possible include: a love of learning, possessing an insatiable curiosity and imagination, comprehension and respect for his field of knowledge and expertise, and ensuring that the didactic process is done in a positive, meaningful, easily comprehensible, and inspirational way.