Mary Playdon

Dr. Mary Playdon is an Assistant Professor in the Nutrition & Integrative Physiology department at the University of Utah, with an adjunct appointment in Population Health Science. Her research focuses on understanding the role of diet and obesity in cancer development and prognosis, leveraging metabolomics to identify dietary biomarkers and metabolic pathways underlying cancer risk.

Education & Professional Background: She holds a PhD in Chronic Disease Epidemiology from Yale University (2016), an MPH from Queensland University of Technology (2010), and a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics (2003). Her postdoctoral training at the National Cancer Institute (2018) further specialized her in metabolic epidemiology.

Research Interests: Dr. Playdon’s work integrates metabolomics, epidemiology, and clinical studies to address gaps in dietary measurement accuracy. Key areas include:

• Developing dietary biomarkers for objective assessment of food intake
• Examining metabolic dysregulation (e.g., ceramides) in obesity-related cancers
• Studying gut microbiome interactions with eating behaviors
• Evaluating lifestyle interventions (diet, fasting, exercise) for cancer survivors

Grants & Leadership: She leads multiple NIH-funded grants, including studies on ceramides in colorectal cancer risk and metabolic syndrome. She chairs the Diet Working Group in the NCI’s Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk (MeDoc) Consortium and participates in the NIH Consortium of Metabolomics Studies (COMETS).

Recent Contributions: Over 80 peer-reviewed articles, with recent emphases on malnutrition in cancer patients, overnight fasting effects on weight, and the role of microbiome diversity in gastrointestinal cancers.