Assistant Professor
Department of Nutrition, Food Science & Packaging

Email

Preferred: john.gieng@sjsu.edu

Telephone

Preferred: (408) 924-1277

Office Hours

Please refer to syllabus or set up an appointment.

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Nutrition & Metabolism, Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, 2013
• Doctor of Philosophy, Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 2006
  • Doctoral Minor, Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University, 2006
• Bachelor of Science, Nutritional Sciences, Emphasis in Physiology and Metabolism, University of California, Berkeley, 2001

Licenses and Certificates

• X-Ray Bone Densitometry (DXA) Technician, since 2018

Bio

Exploring the health and performance benefits of traditional and cultural foods, and, the use of novel tools for research and teaching in applied nutritional sciences 

Dr. John Gieng is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Science & Packaging, College of Health and Human Sciences, at San José State University where he has been a faculty member since 2017.

John completed his postdoctoral training in the Center for Nutrition and Metabolism at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI); and, his Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences (Minor: Physiology) at The Pennsylvania State University and his B.S. in Nutritional Sciences: Physiology & Metabolism at the University of California, Berkeley.

His research interests include:

• health and nutrition of traditional, cultural, and fermented foods
• role of food preparation techniques in nutrition, health, and disease
• nutritional value of sustainable food sources and systems
• effect of nutrition on athletic performance and general productivity
• efficacy of novel tools and biomarkers of health and disease

John has conducted research on nutrition ranging from basic laboratory science to applied community education. In this capacity, he has utilized both in vitro and in vivo models for this work (human and animal cell culture, rodents, and humans). His early research examined, through the use of mathematical modeling in a biological system, the effects of acute and chronic inflammation on the kinetics of whole-body vitamin A to better understand nutrient deficiency in the context of concurrent disease and inflammation. His research focus then shifted to understanding the role and interactions of gut microbiota with host physiology and health in the context of diet-induced obesity and chronic inflammation. His recent research sought to understand the efficacy of teenagers as teachers of elementary-aged children in a garden-enhanced nutrition education setting, and, how this experience might improve teen self-efficacy and empowerment to live healthier lives. At San José State University, John bridges his knowledge of basic science and applied community work into his ongoing scholarship and teaching.

Links

Twitter: @jgieng

LinkedIn: @johngieng