We are a group of energetic and diverse individuals with a passion for understanding how nutrients and genetics influence overall health. Alumni from the lab have continued their careers both in academia and in the private sector. The lab is funded by the NIH, the American Heart Association, and the Busch Biomedical Grant Program and is housed within the Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health (IFNH). We are always interested in welcoming talented postdoctoral fellows and graduate and undergraduate students to the team.
PI: Harini Sampath
I am an Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences and resident faculty at the New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, where I also direct the Quantitative Lipidomics Core.I received my Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and my B.S. from the University of New Hampshire, both in Nutritional Sciences. I use my training in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition to identify cellular alterations that underlie metabolic and inflammatory diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. My work has been funded by the NIH, the Marie-Curie Foundation, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, and the American Heart Association. In my free time, I enjoy traveling for work and for fun, attempting to grow vegetables in my garden of obligation, and spending time with my family and friends.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Natalie Burchat: Having completed my doctoral training in the Sampath Lab, I am currently a Cancer Metabolism and Tumor-Host Interactions T32 grant Postdoctoral Fellow. I am leading a project focused on elucidating the role of delta-9 desaturases in the intestine and colon. In my free time, I like to exercise and to cook.
Graduate Students
Matthew Selby: I am a Nutritional Sciences graduate student. I joined the lab in 2022, and my research examines how tissue-specific stearoyl-CoA desaturases modulate whole-body lipid and energy homeostasis. In my free time, I enjoy weightlifting, gardening, and being outraged at TikTok dietary advice.
Souvik Mandal: I am a graduate student in Nutritional Sciences, and I joined the lab in 2025. My research is focused on the role of MUFAs in adipocyte function and adipose tissue health. When not in the lab, I’m either traveling or finding new hobbies.
Linh Vu: I am a graduate student in Nutritional Sciences and joined the lab in 2025. I am currently investigating the impact of intestinal lipids on interorgan communication, including the gut–liver signaling axis. Outside of research, I enjoy spending time with my two cats, Palette and Graphite, as well as traveling, journaling, and photography.
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate researchers are a vital part of our team. Each year, we host several talented undergraduates from various departments, including Nutritional Sciences, Biochemistry, Genetics, Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Food Science and more. In addition, Dr. Sampath serves as a trainer in several prestigious undergraduate research pipelines, including the Aresty Program, the RUYES Program, the IMSD/McNair program, and the G.H.Cook Scholar program. Our undergraduates go on to Medical school, graduate training programs around the world, or the biotech industry. If you would like to be a part of the team, please contact Dr. Sampath with your CV, transcript, and reasons for wanting to join our team.
Current Undergraduates
Undergraduate Research Guidelines for the Sampath Lab
Sampath Lab Alumni
Alumni (partial list) – please be sure to keep in touch!
Postdoctoral fellows
Priyanka Sharma, 2018-2026, Currently: Mom to an adorable baby
Anupom Mondal, 2018-2019, Currently: Senior Scientist Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Jana Tumova, 2016-2018, Currently: Assistant Professor, Charles University, Czech Republic
Graduate Students
Camille Duchamp-Smith, Ph.D. 2026, Currently: Project Manager and Scientist, Research Diets, Inc.
Bhavya Blaze, Ph.D. 2024, Currently: Postdoctoral Associate, Rutgers University
Emmanuel Marfo, M.S. 2019, Currently: Medical Student at Eastern Virginia Medical School
Tasleenpal Akal, M.S. 2020, Currently: Research Associate, Novartis
Sai Santhosh Komakula, Ph.D. 2020, Currently: Postdoctoral fellow, University of Illinois
Natalie Burchat, Ph.D. 2023, Currently: Cancer Metabolism and Tumor-Host Interactions T32 Fellow, Rutgers University
Undergraduate Students with Research-based Theses– GH Cook, RISE/IMSD, RUYES Scholars
Bhavya Prakash Gupta, GH Cook Scholar June 2024 – May 2025
Thesis title: Differential channeling of exogenous and endogenous lipids in Caco-2 cells
Jeanine Vidola, GH Cook Scholar, June 2023 – May 2024
Thesis title: Impact of Intestinal Deletion of SCD on Hepatic and Fecal Lipids
Aishvarya Indiran , GH Cook Scholar, June 2023-May 2025
Thesis title: The Impact of a High-Fat Diet of Colonic Lipid Composition
Chardege Exantus, RUYES Scholar, June 2023-August 2023
Project title: Examining Lipidomic Signatures/ Structures Stemming from Stearoyl – CoA Desaturase (SCD) Inhibition
Mark Hachicho, RISE Scholar, June 2022 – August 2022
Project title: Spatial regulation of intestinal delta-9 desaturases in response to dietary stressors
Nirali Trivedi – GH Cook Scholar, IMSD/RISE Scholar, June 2021-May 2022
Thesis title: The impact of deletion of intestinal SCD2 on lipid content and composition of intestines, plasma, and liver
Ranjita Suresh – GH Cook Scholar, Sept 2021 – May 2022
Thesis title: Intestinal Lipid Composition After Olive Oil or Butterfat Challenge
in Mice Lacking Intestinal SCD1 or SCD2
Sarah Pfreundschuh – GH Cook Scholar, Sept 2021 – May 2022
Thesis title: The impact of deletion of intestinal SCD2 on bile acid homeostasis
Camila Silva, GH Cook Scholar, Sept 2020-May 2021
Thesis title: The role of the gut microbiome in mediating the metabolic effects of 7,8-dihydroxyflavone
Emmanuel Encarnado, GH Cook Scholar, Sept 2020-May 2021
Thesis title: Fatty acid regulation of GLP-1 secretion from L-cells
Gloria Awuku, RISE Scholar, June 2019 – May 202Thesis title: The effects of exercise on mitochondrial protein expression
Terianne Englis, GH Cook Scholar, January 2017-December 2017
Thesis title: Fatty acid regulation of lipid metabolism in Caco-2 cells
