Melissa Laska

Melissa Laska is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. She serves as Co-Director of the Healthy Weight Research Center and is a Member of the Masonic Cancer Center (MCC). With expertise spanning nutrition promotion, food access, and nutrition-related inequities, Dr. Laska leads a multifaceted research portfolio focused on supporting historically under-resourced communities in making healthy food choices.

Her research interests center on obesity prevention, food environments, nutrition policy, and food security. Dr. Laska's work examines modifiable and contextual determinants of obesity, dietary patterns, and food environments, with particular attention to health equity. Her scholarship has been instrumental in developing evidence-based approaches to address nutrition-related health disparities across diverse populations.

Analysis of Dr. Laska's publication record reveals consistent focus on food insecurity, weight-related health disparities across different populations (including college students, transgender individuals, and sexual minorities), and environmental determinants of eating behaviors. Her work spans multiple methodological approaches from systematic reviews to intervention studies and policy analyses, demonstrating her interdisciplinary approach to public health nutrition research.

• Sara Evans Faculty Woman Scholar and Leader Award (2019)
• Distinguished McKnight University Professor (2020)

Dr. Laska's research has been supported by major funding agencies including the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and American Heart Association. As Co-Director of the Healthy Weight Research Center, she leads interdisciplinary efforts to prevent obesity through research, training, and community engagement. Her role as senior research adviser to Healthy Eating Research (HER), a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has positioned her as a key leader in policy strategies to promote healthy eating among children and adolescents. Her work has influenced recommendations from major national and international bodies including the National Academy of Sciences, Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, and the Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health.

Dr. Laska leads the Healthy Weight Research Center, which brings together researchers from multiple disciplines to address obesity prevention through innovative research approaches. Her work with national scientific working groups and expert panels has created important connections between research, policy, and practice in the field of nutrition and obesity prevention.