Samaneh Farsijani, PhD

I am a dietitian and nutritional epidemiologist with extensive interdisciplinary research background from basic biology to epidemiology. My career goal is to leverage my diverse research skills in nutrition, dietetics, and epidemiology of aging to launch an independent academic career in “Precision Nutrition” aimed to optimize nutritional recommendations for older adults. My research emphasis is on the integration of omics (e.g., gut microbiome and metabolome) and non-omics (i.e., actual dietary intake) data to develop age-specific dietary recommendations, replacing the current one-size-fits-all approach, to promote healthy aging.

My contributions to the field of nutrition and aging began during my PhD training at McGill University, where I determined the relationships between dietary protein intake, body composition, and physical function in a cohort of community-dwelling older adults. I continued my training as an NIA T32 Post-Doctoral Scholar at University of Pittsburgh to leverage the expertise and resources at the Center for Aging and Population Health to better understand age-related biological changes and their potential to be targeted by nutritional interventions by adopting omics approaches. Currently, I am leading the Microbiome & Inflammaging Ancillary Study of Muscle, Mobility, and Aging (SOMMA) cohort. 

• University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA | NIA T32 Post-Doctoral Scholar (Aging)
• McGill University, Montréal, Canada | Ph.D. Human Nutrition
• University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA | M.S. Epidemiology
• King’s College, University of London, London, UK | M.Sc. Nutrition (with Merit)
• Shahid Beheshti Medical University, Tehran, Iran | B.Sc. Nutrition and Dietetics (with Honors)

• Nutritional epidemiology and gut microbiome
• Energy and macronutrient relationship with body composition and physical function
• Dietary approaches to prevent age-related health issues (e.g., sarcopenia and frailty) and to promote healthy aging
• Nutritional strategies (e.g., meal timing) in prevention and management of metabolic diseases

Ongoing Research Support

K01 AG071855-01A1                   (PI: Farsijani)                    2021 - 2026

Role: Principal Investigator (Pending, received a fundable score)

P30AG024827-16                        (PI: Greenspan)                01/01/2021-Present

Role: Pepper Scholar/Junior Faculty

P30AG024827-16 [Sub# 6306]  (PI: Farsijani)                    01/01/2021-Present

Role: Principal Investigator

Completed Research Support

T32 AG000181                             (PI: Newman)                    04/2018-12/2020

Role: Post-Doctoral Scholar

1. Farsijani S, Morais JA, Payette H, Gaudreau P, Shatenstein B, Gray-Donald K, Chevalier S. Relation between mealtime distribution of protein intake and lean mass loss in free-living older adults of the NuAge study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016; 104:1–10. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.130716.
2. Farsijani S, Payette H, Morais JA, Shatenstein B, Gaudreau P, Chevalier S. Even mealtime distribution of protein intake is associated with greater muscle strength, but not with 3-year decline, in free-living older adults: The NuAge study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2017, 106:113-124. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.146555.
3. Labonte C, Farsijani S*, Marliss EB, Gougeon R, Morais JA, Pereira S, Bassil M, Winter A, Murphy J, Combs TP, Chevalier S. Plasma amino acids versus conventional predictors of insulin resistance measured by the hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic clamp. Journal of the Endocrine Society. 2017,1: 861–873. DOI: 10.1210/js.2016-1108. *Co-first author.
4. Farsijani S, Santanasto A, Nancy Glenn, Jane Cauley, Newman A. Transition to a more even distribution of daily protein intake is associated with enhanced fat loss during a hypocaloric & physical activity intervention in obese older adults. Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging. 2020;24(2):210-217. doi: 10.1007/s12603-020-1313-8.
5. Farsijani S, Santanasto A, Miljkovic I, Boudreau R, Goodpaster B, Kritchevsky S, Newman A. The Relationship between Inter-muscular Fat and Physical Performance Is Moderated by Muscle Area in Older Adults. J of Gerontology, Series A: Medical Sciences. 2021 Jan 1;76(1):115-122. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glaa161.
6. Farsijani S, Marron M, Miljkovic I, Baugh M, Kritchevsky S, Newman A. Metabolic markers demonstrate the heterogeneity of myosteatosis in community-dwelling older adults from the Health ABC study. Metabolites. 2021, 11(4), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo11040224 (registering DOI).
7. Farsijani S, Xue L, Boudreau R, Santanasto A, Kritchevsky S, Newman A Body composition by computed tomography vs. dual energy x-ray absorptiometry: Long-term prediction of all-cause mortality in the Health ABC cohort. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences (Accepted).

Full bibliography: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=farsijani+S&sort=date