Christy Tangney, PhD, FACN, CNS

Professor         
Department of Clinical Nutrition, College of Health Sciences
Department of Preventive Medicine, Rush Medical College 
Role: Faculty
Joined Rush in 1980

Bio

I am the Associate Dean for Research and a professor for both the Department of Clinical Nutrition and the Department of Preventive Medicine. My expertise is in assessment of dietary behaviors of individuals and population samples in relation to cardiovascular and cognitive health.

What inspired you to get into your field?

I wanted to understand the power of food and overall health. My first job out of college was in the lab of Dr. Pete Ahrens and Dr. Jules Hirsch at the Rockefeller Institute where the cholesterol metabolism of morbidly obese adults was being studied. It was a wonderful environment, and these researchers encouraged my entry into graduate school and nutrition research.

What excited you about your work at Rush?

The opportunity to work with other researchers in Preventive Medicine, Women’s Health and neurologists who specialize in movement disorders to improve health is what I love about my work at Rush.

What is your opinion of mentoring and sponsorship? Please comment about your experiences.

Mentoring students and fellow faculty is so fulfilling. It gives me so much joy to see students and faculty I have mentored grow and add so much to our understanding of nutrition science and practice.

Do you have tips or advice you would recommend for someone looking to enter your field of work?

I recommend getting involved in research as soon as possible.

What are your hobbies? How do you like to spend your free time?

I enjoy cycling, motor cycling and gardening.