Meet the Vitonomy Science Team

Haru Amagase, Ph.D. - Chief Scientific Officer

With a rich history in the nutraceutical industry, Dr. Amagase holds a doctorate in Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences from Hiroshima University in Japan, and performed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Nutrition at Pennsylvania State University. With more than 27 years of experience in research and development, Dr. Amagase has published more than 30 scientific papers, and holds 12 patents.

Rick Handel - Chief Product Officer

As Chief Product Officer, Rick Handel brings to Vitonomy more than 35 years of experience as one of America's leading experts in the formulation and manufacturing of nutritional products. A holder of numerous scientific patents, Rick works closely with Dr. Haru Amagase and Vitonomy's Scientific Advisory Board to ensure that all Vitonomy products deliver best-in-class benefits, and are backed with strong scientific support. Rick also lectures extensively on Vitonomy's products and clinical research, educating and informing the scientific community, the media and Vitonomy customers.

Carmia Borek, Ph.D. - Tufts University

As an antioxidant expert, Dr. Carmia Borek is a graduate of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel with a doctorate in genetics and molecular biology. Prior to that, Dr. Borek received a M.S. and B.S. degree in physiology from George Washington University. She has been published in over 300 scientific publications and has been the editor of several books in medicine and biology. Additionally, Dr. Borek is the author of over 80 educational and popular articles in the fields of diet and health, of which the most notable is titled, Maximize Your Health-Span with Antioxidants, a science-based book for the non-scientist.

Dr. Borek is currently a professor at the Community Health and Family Medicine/Nutrition and Infectious Disease Unit at Tufts University School of Medicine. She also serves as a consultant and on advisory committees for the food (nutraceuticals, health supplements, antioxidants disease prevention and control) and drug industry.

Julie Hazel Campbell, Ph.D. , AO, FAA - University of Queensland

An expert in cardiovascular disease, Dr. Julie Hazel Campbell received a doctorate in neurology from the University of Melbourne. Prior to that, Dr. Campbell received a bachelor's degree in physiology from the University of New South Wales. She has published over 210 publications, and she is the co-author of four books on cardiac muscle, vascular smooth muscle and tissue engineering of the arteries. She is also the author of Grow-your-own Designer Blood Vessels. Dr. Campbell is the recipient of a number of professional awards and honors, including The Queensland Businesswoman of the Year 2007 (Public and Not for Profit category), an officer for the Order of Australia in the General Division as well as the Queensland Greats Award. Dr. Campbell serves as a member of the Executive Committee and Council as well as the Secretary of Education and Public Awareness for the Australian Academy of Science.

Dr. Campbell is currently a professor and director of the Center for Research in Vascular Biology at the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Queensland. She also serves as the director of the Wesley Research Institute at the Wesley Hospital and as a senior principle research fellow at the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Dr. Jialiu Liu - The 'Father of Jiaogulan'

Dr. Liu is widely acknowledged to be the leading jiaogulan researcher in the world and has been called the “Father of Jiaogulan. ” For many years, he led a government-sponsored research team of 16 scientists studying the health-giving properties of jiaogulan. Dr. Liu enjoyed a long tenure as Professor of Pathology at Guiyang Medical College, and he has been awarded numerous honors by the Chinese government for his important research projects. Dr. Liu has been awarded the prestigious title of “Advanced Scientist” by the Ministry of Public Health, the National Committee of Education and the National Committee of Science. He was also honored with the "Outstanding Scientist" award by the Guizhou Provincial Government.

Dwight M. Nance, Ph.D. - University of California

As an expert immunologist, Dr. Dwight M. Nance is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a doctorate in psychology. Prior to that, he received a M.S. and a B.S. degree in psychology from Oklahoma State University. Dr. Nance has published over 120 articles and conducted several presentations throughout the years. He was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is affiliated with the Society for Neuroscience, the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society and the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society.

Currently, Dr. Nance is a professor at the University of California at Irvine in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine. He also serves as a senior scholar at the University of Manitoba in the departments of pathology, physiology, psychology, anatomy and immunology.

Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Ph.D., Columbia University

As an expert in weight control and cardiovascular disease management, Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge received her doctorate degree in human nutrition from Columbia University in Montreal, Canada. Prior to that, she received bachelor's and master's degrees in nutrition from Columbia University. Her post-doctoral work included training at Columbia University and the New York Obesity Research Center where she analyzed the effects of different mixes of nutrients on energy expenditure and examined brain activity in response to food stimuli. As an award-winning scientist, Dr. St-Onge has written and contributed to more than 40 publications and has co-authored several book chapters.

She is currently Assistant Professor at Columbia University and a Research Associate at the New York Obesity Center at St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital.

Vivienne Elizabeth Reeve, Ph.D. - The University of Sydney

An expert in photoimmunological research, Dr. Vivienne Reeve received her doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Sydney. Prior to that, Dr. Reeve received a B.S. degree in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of Sydney. As a chief investigator, Dr. Reeve holds or has requested nine research grants, on such topics as photoimmunosuppression, photoprotection and photocarcinogenesis. She has also published multiple articles – six alone in 2007 – as well as one other currently in press. Recently, Dr. Reeve has been recognized for pioneering and sustaining research into the immunological significance of the UVA waveband and has initiated scientific dialogue concerning future photoprotection and sunscreen design for humans. The significance lies not only in the pro-oxidant milieu created in the skin by the UVA waveband that stimulates natural antioxidant defenses, including GPX and HO, but also in previously unrecognized steroid hormone and cytokine regulatory mediators.

Since 1989, Dr. Reeve has served as a senior research fellow at the University of Sydney, and became a principal research fellow there in 2007. She serves as a member of the Sunscreen Committee for the American Society for Photobiology, and is the associate editor for the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology and for Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences.

Richard S. Rivlin, M.D. - Weill Cornell Medical College

An expert in clinical nutrition, endocrinology and internal medicine, Dr. Richard Rivlin received his medical doctorate from Harvard Medical School. Prior to that, Dr. Rivlin received a bachelor's degree in biochemical sciences from Harvard College. As a clinical-scientist, he has written over 160 research articles and is the author or editor of six books and symposia relating to nutrition and cancer prevention, vitamin metabolism and thyroid hormone action. As a physician, he treats patients with a wide variety of nutritional disorders, emphasizing the role of nutrition in disease prevention and control - particularly cancer. Dr. Rivlin is the recipient of a number of professional awards and honors including the lifetime achievement award from the American College of Nutrition, membership in the American Society for Clinical Investigation (an honorary society), fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and fellow of the American Society for Nutritional Sciences.

Dr. Rivlin is currently a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. He also serves as the director for the Nutrition Program at the Strang Cancer Prevention Center. Since 1980, Dr. Rivlin has served as principal investigator of the NCI-funded Clinical Nutrition Research Unit at Strang, one of only two such grant programs in the United States. Additionally, he served for 11 years as chief of nutrition service at Memorial-Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Judith S. Stern, Sc.D. - University of California

An expert on diet and nutrition, Dr. Judith S. Stern received her bachelor's degree in Foods and Nutrition from Cornell University and her doctor of science degree in nutrition from the Harvard University School of Public Health in Boston. She has been the recipient of numerous professional awards and honors and published more than 275 research papers in professional journals on topics such as obesity, exercise and dietary supplements. Dr. Stern has also written over 150 articles in popular magazines such as Vogue and contributed as an Editorial Advisor to Prevention magazine.

Dr. Stern co-founded the American Obesity Society, a lay advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the understanding of the disease of obesity. She currently serves as Distinguished Professor in both the College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences and the School of Medicine at the University of California at Davis (UCD).