Dorothy Sears PhD

Dorothy Sears, Professor of Nutrition and Executive Director of Clinical and Community Translational Science in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Southern California and a doctorate in molecular biology and genetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She has conducted cardiometabolic disease and cancer research since 1995 and is an internationally recognized expert. Her scope of study spans the molecular to population health levels. Her transdisciplinary research approach incorporates dietary and behavioral intervention, systems biology, metabolomics, gut microbiome, epigenetics, gene expression profiling, and single-gene analyses in human and rodent models. Dr. Sears aims to identify and characterize novel health-promoting behaviors, therapeutic targets, and diagnostic tools. Sears is actively researching the health benefits associated with nightly fasting and circadian alignment of food intake. She leads the Women's Health Collaboratory. She is the lead or co-investigator of multiple clinical studies funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association. These studies investigate the health benefits of interrupting prolonged sitting and aligning food intake with innate circadian rhythms, primarily in postmenopausal women. Her collaborations include investigators from diverse research fields and institutions across the globe. She is passionate about mentoring trainees of all levels and supporting diversity in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine). She is actively engaged in community service, advocacy, and outreach related to her research and professional interests.