Leadership

Kent Thornburg, Ph.D.
Director
503-494-2382
Email

Jonathan Purnell, M.D.
Associate Director for Clinical Research
503-494-1056
Email

Leslie Myatt, Ph.D., FRCOG
Associate Director for Women's Health
Bob and Charlee Moore Endowed Professor
503-418-2781
Email

Diane Stadler, Ph.D., R.D.
Associate Director for Nutrition
503-494-0168
Email

Staff

Fred Gregory
Director of Global Development

Liana Haywood, M.P.H.
Senior Communications Specialist

Susan McGinn
Accountant

Kim Rogers
Administrative Assistant

Steering committee

Susan Bagby, M.D.

Professor in the Department of Medicine; Chair of the Community Education and Outreach Committee, Moore Institute

Dr. Bagby's career-long research program focuses on mechanisms of hypertension and the roles of the kidney and the renin-angiotensin system. This led to an early interest in the importance of poor nutrition in the womb as a cause of later hypertension, and hence to the revolutionary work of Professor David Barker and the concept of developmental origins of chronic disease. She currently studies developmentally-induced hypertension in a novel model of perinatal maternal protein restriction in microswine, including work on enhanced arterial reactivity to angiotensin II in juveniles as a manifestation of early nutritional programming and as a precursor to adult hypertension.

Irene Barhyte, C.P.A., C.T.P.

Senior Associate Dean for Finance and Administration, OHSU School of Medicine

Irene has responsibility and oversight both for the finances of the School of Medicine and the OHSU Practice Plan. She has a deep knowledge of OHSU's organization and financial systems. She was involved in planning for and implementing the integration of OHSU Medical Group into the School of Medicine as the Faculty Practice Plan (renamed OHSU Practice Plan in January 2017), and has been involved in special projects related to research administration.   

Janne Boone-Heinonen , M.P.H., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, OHSU-PSU School of Public Health

Aaron Caughey, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor and Chair in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Director of the OHSU Center for Women's Health

Dr. Caughey is nationally recognized as a dedicated clinician, accomplished educator and prolific researcher. In his clinical practice, Dr. Caughey has a special interest in diabetes in pregnancy. His research interests over the past decade have focused on utilizing a broad array of methodologies including standard biostatistical techniques as well as decision- and cost-effectiveness analysis to address questions in obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine regarding post-term pregnancy, preeclampsia, and diabetes in pregnancy, obesity and weight gain, as well as prenatal diagnosis. He believes that a key component to obesity prevention is using the energy and focus of pregnant mothers to change their habits for the sake of their children.

"If we can get pregnant women to eat better and exercise, this may fundamentally change not only their habits, and the habits of others in their family, but also will improve the intrauterine environment for their babies as well." - Dr. Caughey

David Ellison, M.D.

Professor of medicine, department of physiology and pharmacology; director, Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (OCTRI)

Dr. Ellison joined the Division of Nephrology at OHSU in August 2000 as professor of medicine and division head. Dr. Ellison received his nephrology training at Yale University. Dr. Ellison`s research investigates the molecular regulation of renal salt excretion and its impact on blood pressure. Specifically, his work focuses on electroneutral salt transporters and on Gitelman's and Bartter's syndromes, two inherited diseases caused by mutations in the genes responsible for mediating salt movement in the kidney. Dr. Ellison is also interested in the pathogenesis and treatment of edema. His work is funded by the NIH and Department of Veterans Affairs.

Julia Goodman, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Julia Goodman, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Assistant Professor, OHSU-PSU School of Public Health

Lynne Messer, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Assistant Professor, OHSU-PSU School of Public Health

Leslie Myatt, Ph.D., FRCOG

Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, OHSU; Associate Director for Women's Health, Moore Institute

Myatt's research applies basic science approaches to clinical problems in perinatology, including preeclampsia, preterm birth and gestational diabetes. His research interests include control of fetal placental vascular reactivity, the role of obesity, oxidative and nitrative stress in placental function and fetal programming and the regulation of prostaglandin synthesis and action in intrauterine tissues at parturition. His current work focuses on the role of maternal adiposity on epigenetic regulation of placental function and on the placental mitochondrial energetics.

Jonathan Purnell, M.D.

Professor in the Department of Medicine, Divisions of Endocrinology and Cardiovascular Medicine; Associate Director for Clinical Research, Moore Institute

Dr. Purnell’s research has focused on understanding the causes and consequences of obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes in humans.  Early in his career he explored the relationships between fat distribution and risk for cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance. This led to nutritional intervention studies testing the effects of diets of differing macronutrient content (fat, carbohydrate and protein) on hormonal signals that determine appetite and body weight. Most recently he is using advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques to understand how the brain responds to changes in diet and weight regulatory hormones as well as returning to intensive metabolic studies of pregnant women to learn more about how maternal obesity and diabetes effects the health of the placenta and baby.

“What drives us is the sense that we are participating in a program that will have a meaningful and measurable impact on the health of our community for generations to come." - Dr. Purnell

David Robinson, Ph.D.

Professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, with joint appointments in the Department of Ophthalmology and the Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology; Executive Vice Provost

Dr. Robinson's research interests have been directed toward gaining a better understanding of the role retinal development plays in the maturation of the circadian and visual systems. Most recently he has been leading the OHSU participation in the NCRR funded eagle-i Consortium, made up of nine member institutions, which is building a prototype of a national research resource discovery network that will help biomedical scientists search for and find previously invisible, but highly valuable, research resources.

"Among the many things that excite me about the Moore Institute is the strong emphasis on better educating not only the public on the importance of nutrient-rich diets based on wholesome foods in the prevention of chronic diseases, but also future healthcare professionals through the development of a robust interprofessional curriculum for our students." - Dr. Robinson

Robert Schelonka, M.D.

Professor, Department of Pediatrics, OHSU School of Medicine; Credit Union for Kids Professorship in Neonatology

Dr. Schelonka specializes in caring for newborn infants who have special needs immediately after birth and beyond. Many of the babies he cares for are born prematurely and need help breathing. Others may be born on time but have lung, heart or intestinal problems. Dr. Schelonka enjoys working with babies because so many will grow and develop 'before your very eyes', and one day be strong enough to go home in their parents' arms.

Lori Sobelson

Director of Community Outreach, Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods

Lori is responsible for overseeing funding that founders Bob and Charlee Moore have donated to various Oregon institutions. In addition to working closely with these institutions she oversees the company's cooking school, teaches cooking and nutritional classes and travels throughout the United States speaking and teaching on behalf of the company to educate the public that "Whole Grains Foods For Every Meal of the Day" yields positive change in the health of individuals and our society as a whole.

Diane Stadler, Ph.D., RD

Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine; Director of the OHSU Graduate Programs in Human Nutrition; Chair of the Inter-Professional Nutrition Education Subcommittee; Associate Director for Nutrition, Moore Institute

Kent Thornburg, Ph.D.

Professor in the Department of Medicine; Director, Knight Cardiovascular Institute Center for Developmental Health; Director, Moore Institute

Dr. Thornburg is an internationally known expert in cardiopulmonary physiology, placentology, developmental programming and pregnancy. His research focuses on the roles of the placenta and the intrauterine environment as programming agents for adult-onset chronic disease and he leads studies on maternal diet and body in regulating fetal growth in women of Oregon. He is committed to community service within OHSU and beyond including K-12 education programs, undergraduate research training programs and ethnic health programs.

“Working together, we can play a key role in understanding how the first 1000 days following conception can set a person on a trajectory for a long and healthy life, or a life beset by diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.” - Dr. Thornburg