William W. Allen Endowed Chair
William W. Allen Endowed Chair in Nutrition and Chronic Disease at Texas A&M University
Dr. Joanne Lupton earned her bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Mount Holyoke College, her master’s degree in food and nutrition from California State University and her doctorate in nutrition from the University of California, Davis. She is a widely published researcher focusing on the effect of diet on colon physiology and colon cancer with a particular emphasis on dietary fiber and n-3 fatty acids known as the “healthy fats.”
She has been recognized with numerous academic honors at Texas A&M including University Fellow, Regents Professor and the William W. Allen Endowed Chair in Nutrition.
After her retirement, the baton was passed and Dr. Robert Chapkin named as the William W. Allen Endowed Chair in Nutrition in December 2017. He has continued the work of scientific advancement through focusing on dietary and botanical modulators related to prevention of cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease. His research centers on colon cancer prevention by investigating the impact of dietary fat, fiber and gut microbiota status on chronic disease processes.
Dr. Lupton made many contributions to not only Texas A&M but communities around the world through her work. Her presence on campus was missed when she retired, and we are further saddened to share that on June 17, 2020 she passed away. Lupton biography
Update February 8, 2023: With great excitement, it was announced in 2022 that Dr. Robert S. Chapkin has been reappointed the holder of the William W. Allen Chair in Nutrition & Chronic Disease Prevention in the Department of Nutrition for a second 5-year term from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2027.
