Stephen D. Hursting

Stephen D. Hursting is a Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. He also leads the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) in Kannapolis, NC, where he focuses on precision nutrition. Previously, he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, and held roles at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), including Deputy Director of the Office of Preventive Oncology and Chief of the Nutrition and Molecular Carcinogenesis Laboratory Section.

Education: PhD in nutritional biochemistry (UNC-Chapel Hill, 1992), MPH in nutritional epidemiology (UNC-Chapel Hill, 1984), and B.A. in Biology (Earlham College, 1980). Postdoctoral training in molecular carcinogenesis at the NCI.

Research interests include obesity-cancer mechanisms, energy balance interventions, and translational strategies to disrupt the obesity-cancer link. His lab uses genetically engineered mouse models and collaborates with clinical teams on trials involving dietary regimens and anti-inflammatory therapies. He emphasizes transdisciplinary approaches to bridge laboratory and clinical research.

• Awards:
  • University of Texas School of Human Ecology Award for Outstanding Service (2014)
  • NCI Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program Distinguished Alumni Award (2012)
  • Russ Klein Memorial Lectureship (2011)

His grants include a 16-year Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) award, totaling ~$250,000 annually. This funding supports research on mimicking bariatric surgery’s anticancer effects through dietary and pharmacological interventions, alongside microbiome studies.

As NRI director, he aims to strengthen collaborations between the institute and main campus, leveraging UNC’s resources to address obesity, cancer, and metabolic diseases. He mentors 10–12 undergraduates and several MS and PhD students annually, fostering their transition to advanced academic or professional roles. His leadership roles include directing the School of Medicine’s Nutrition Coil and co-directing the Animal Metabolism Phenotyping Core.