Emily E. Noble

Dr. Emily E. Noble serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences within the University of Georgia's College of Family and Consumer Sciences, where she directs the Nutritional Neuroscience Laboratory. Her research employs rodent models to investigate brain mechanisms controlling feeding behavior, energy balance, and diet-cognition relationships, with particular focus on obesity development and Western diet impacts.

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD in Nutrition, University of Minnesota (2014)
• MS in Nutrition, University of Minnesota (2010)
• BA in Natural Science, Hampshire College (2001)

Dr. Noble's research program examines neural signaling pathways regulating eating behaviors, body weight control mechanisms, and the cognitive consequences of adolescent nutrition and Western diets. Her laboratory investigates how dietary components alter hippocampal function and memory processes through gut-brain axis interactions, utilizing behavioral paradigms and neurobiological techniques to map neural circuits involved in food motivation and impulsivity. Current projects explore food insecurity effects, cannabinoid signaling, and developmental programming of obesity.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals consistent thematic focus on nutritional neuroscience with strong emphasis on developmental windows (adolescence/early life), sex differences, and translational mechanisms linking diet to neural function. Her work spans molecular neuroendocrinology (leptin, oxytocin, MCH systems), behavioral phenotyping (food impulsivity, memory tests), and metabolic outcomes, demonstrating interdisciplinary integration of nutrition science and neuroscience.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Fellow of The Obesity Society (2023)
• Charles B. Knapp Early Career Scholar Award (2022)
• Bioserv Award in Experimental Animal Nutrition (2022)
• Multiple early-career awards from UGA and professional societies

Dr. Noble actively mentors undergraduate researchers (evidenced by FACS Mentoring Award) and graduate students through FDNS 6900/8900 seminars. Her research is supported by grants from The Obesity Society and American Society for Nutrition, with recent funding recognizing innovative approaches to ingestive behavior research. She serves on editorial boards for Obesity Reviews and Physiology & Behavior, and holds leadership positions in The Obesity Society (Basic Science Representative) and Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior.

The Nutritional Neuroscience Laboratory maintains active rodent facilities for behavioral testing and neurobiological analysis, with current projects examining adolescent dietary interventions, astrocyte-neuron interactions in feeding circuits, and translational models of diet-induced cognitive impairment. Dr. Noble's team collaborates with exercise physiologists and microbiome researchers to investigate multi-system interactions in metabolic health.