Mary Dawn Koenig

Mary Dawn Koenig is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing, where she directs the PhD program and conducts pioneering research on maternal obesity, perinatal nutrition, and iron metabolism. Her work investigates the bidirectional relationship between nutritional status and immune responses, with a focus on developing interventions to optimize maternal-fetal iron bioavailability and cardiometabolic health.

• Education: PhD in Nursing Science (University of Pennsylvania), MSN in Nurse-Midwifery (Yale University), BSN in Nursing (McMaster University)

Her research has advanced prenatal care practices globally, particularly in probiotic supplementation for iron deficiency anemia prevention. Current projects include NIH-funded studies on probiotics, time-restricted eating, and structural violence's impact on maternal health.

The most recent publications highlight her focus on ethnographic dietary studies, multimodal wellness interventions, and structural inequities in maternal health. These works span subfields including nutritional education, health disparities, and clinical implementation science.

• Scientific Awards: Senior Career Award (MNRS, 2025), Fellow of AWHONN (2024), Fellow of ACNM (2022), DAISY Faculty Award (2014)

She has secured multiple NIH grants as Primary Investigator, including R01HD114624 and U54 MD012523 subaward, focusing on probiotic mechanisms and health disparities in Black pregnant women.