My research focuses on epidemiology of obesity, muscle, and metabolism, in particular skeletal muscle adipose tissue infiltration (i.e. myosteatosis). Specifically, I study concepts to better understanding of clinical consequences of myosteatosis, race/ethnic and sex differences in myosteatosis, aging-related increases in myosteatosis, as well as lifestyle, biological, metabolic, genetic and molecular factors that underlie variation in myosteatosis and differential adipose tissue deposition in general. More recently, I have been pioneering research on the role of muscle, myosteatosis, and metabolism in brain health. My long-term goal is to identify risk factors and potential biological targets for novel strategies to preserve a healthier body fat distribution and skeletal muscle, and thus, to improve metabolic and brain health of the typically underserved and understudied older and minority populations, locally and globally. My research portfolio in global health has contributed to advancing chronic disease research in the Caribbean Region.
2000 / University of Novi Sad, School of Medicine, Novi Sad, Serbia /MD
2004 / University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA / PhD
2008 / University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA / Post-Doctoral Degree
2013-present: Chronic Disease Epidemiology (EPIDEM 2170)
- Rosano C, Karikari TK, Cvejkus R, Bellaver B, Ferreira PCL, Zmuda J, Wheeler V, Pascoal TA, Miljkovic I. Sex differences in Alzheimer's disease blood biomarkers in a Caribbean population of African ancestry: The Tobago Health Study. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 2024 Apr 12;10(2): e12460. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38617114/
- Tilves T, Mueller NT, Zmuda JM, Kuipers AL, Methé B, Li K, Carr JJ, Terry JG, Wheeler V, Nair S, Miljkovic I. Associations of Fecal Microbiota with Ectopic Fat in African Caribbean Men. Microorganisms. 2024 Apr 17;12(4):812. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38674756/
- Acevedo-Fontanez, A, Cvejkus R; Zmuda J, Kuipers A, Barinas-Mitchell E; Sekikawa, A; Wheeler V; Rosano C, Miljkovic I. Skeletal Muscle Adiposity is a Novel Risk Factor for Poor Cognition in African Caribbean Women. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2023 Sep;31(9):2398-2406. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37475604/
- Rosano C, Newman A, Santanasto A, Zhu X, Goodpaster B, Miljkovic I. Increase in skeletal muscular adiposity and cognitive decline in a biracial cohort of older men and women. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2023 Sep;71(9):2759-2768. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37282843/
- Santanasto A, Zmuda M, Cvejkus R, Gordon C, Nair S, Carr JJ, Terry J, Wheeler V, Miljkovic I. Thigh and Calf Myosteatosis are Strongly Associated with Muscle and Physical Function in African Caribbean Men. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2023 Mar 1;78(3):527-534. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35661875/
- Miljkovic I, Cvejkus R, An P, Thyagarajan B, Christensen K, Wojczynski M, Nicole Schupf, Joseph M. Zmuda. Low Risk for Developing Diabetes Among the Offspring of Individuals with Exceptional Longevity and Their Spouses. Front Clin Diabetes Health. 2022; Apr; 3:753986. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36992755/
- Marron M, Allison M, Kanaya A, Larsen B, Wood A, Herrington D, Greenland P, Miljkovic I. Associations Between Lipoprotein Subfractions and Area and Density of Abdominal Muscle and Intermuscular Adipose Tissue: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Front Physiol 2021 Sep 27;12: 713048. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34646150/
- Miljkovic I, Vella C, Allison M. Computed Tomography-Derived Myosteatosis and Metabolic Disorders. Diabetes Metab J. 2021 Jul; 45(4):482-491. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34352985/
- Tilves C, Zmuda J, Kuipers A, Nair S, Carr JJ, Terry JG, Peddada S, Wheeler W, Miljkovic I. Relative Associations of Abdominal and Thigh Compositions with Cardiometabolic Diseases in African Caribbean Men. Obes Sci Pract. 2021 May 21;7(6):738-750. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34877013/
- Miljkovic I, Kuipers AL, Cvejkus RK, Carr JJ, Terry JG, Thyagarajan B, Wheeler VW, Nair S, Zmuda JM. Hepatic and Skeletal Muscle Adiposity Are Associated with Diabetes Independent of Visceral Adiposity in Nonobese African-Caribbean Men. Metab Syndr Relat Disord. 2020 Aug;18(6):275-283. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32392448/
