Natalia I. Krupenko

Natalia I. Krupenko is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her research focuses on the role of folate in health and disease, particularly in cancer biology and molecular pathways. She holds affiliations with the Nutrition Research Institute in Kannapolis, NC, and has contributed to understanding folate's dual role as both a beneficial nutrient and a potential risk factor under certain conditions.

Education: B.S. Biochemistry (Byelorussian State University, 1980); Ph.D. Bioorganic Chemistry (Byelorussian Academy of Sciences, 1987); Rockefeller Foundation Fellow in Population Sciences (Vanderbilt University, 1994).

Research Interests: Dr. Krupenko investigates folate metabolism’s impact on cancer, apoptosis regulation, and enzyme functions (e.g., glycine N-methyltransferase, ceramide synthase). She explores how folate stress triggers cellular responses and identifies novel tumor suppressor mechanisms. Her work bridges biochemistry, molecular biology, and public health implications.

Publications: Her key studies include discovering CerS6’s role in p53-mediated stress responses and elucidating folate’s adverse effects through molecular mechanisms. Recent work highlights the tumor-suppressor function of glycine N-methyltransferase and its nuclear localization requirements.

Awards: 1st Place Poster Award (2012) for contributions to B-vitamin research. Her findings advance translational therapies targeting folate pathways and cancer.

Labs/Teams: Affiliated with the Nutrition Research Institute, focusing on nutritional science and translational research. Collaborates on interdisciplinary projects linking basic science to public health outcomes.