Jun Dai, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Master of Public Health Program

Jun Dai, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Master of Public Health Program

Additional Roles
Associate Professor, Department of Public Health

Contact

515-271-1367 (Office Phone)
515-271-4280 (Fax)

Email Jun Dai

Areas of Expertise

About

Service	Professional: Ad hoc Journal Reviewing Archives of Medical Research Journal of the American Dietetic Association Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics Br J Nutrition Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases Congestive Heart Failure The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Circulation The Journal of Nutrition Diabetes Care Grant Reviewer National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) University (selected): “Diet and Coronary Heart Disease – Independent of Familial Factors?” Presented at Des Moines University Research Seminar, Des Moines, IA, Feb 26, 2016 “Genetic Influences on Obesity in Male Twins – the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Twin Study” Presented at Des Moines University Research Seminar, Des Moines, IA, Jul 18, 2016 (Role: Mentor)

Education:
Ph.D., Nutrition and Health Sciences concentrating on Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
M.Sc., Nutrition and Food Hygiene concentrating on Clinical Nutrition Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China
M.D., Medicine with specialty in Clinical Nutrition, Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China

Research

Dr. Dai uses various epidemiological approaches to understand environmental (such as nutritional, sociobehavioral, and other environmental), epigenetic and genetic etiology and the prognosis of cardiovascular disease and other chronic disease (such as diabetes and obesity) in the context of the life-span. These approaches include the cross-sectional study, the prospective follow-up study, the randomized controlled trial, and the animal experiment.

A long-standing research area of Dr. Dai is diet/nutrition and cardiovascular risk. She has investigated whole diet measured as dietary pattern or diet quality in relation to cardiovascular pathophysiology and outcomes. Dr. Dai is also interested in food components (i.e. nutrients and non-nutrient compounds) and food items/groups (including alcohol) in relation to health outcomes.

She uses a variety of biomarkers to investigate pathophysiological mechanisms including inflammation, oxidative stress, glucose and lipid homeostasis disturbance, cardiac autonomic dysfunction, and epigenetics. Her current research investigates genome-wide DNA epigenetic modifications and microRNAs as the novel biomarkers among twins and general populations. Dr. Dai has experiences to design studies and to analyze data using different advanced biostatistics modeling.

Research Grants

Selected Extramural Fund:

Ongoing

NHLBI, 1R56HL133887-01 ($829,000 total), Dai, Jun (PI)
miRNAs, Whole Diet, and Coronary Heart Disease

Completed (in the recent five years)

NHLBI, 1R21HL127368-01 ($249,250 total) Dai, Jun (PI)
Characterizing Life-Span Sociobehavioral Determinants of DNA (Hydroxy)Methylation

American Heart Association Scientist Development Grant – National Center, 10SDG2630182 ($308,000 total) Dai, Jun (PI)
Mediterranean Diet, Biomarkers, Cardiovascular Death: the NHLBI Twin Study

Publications

Publications in peer-reviewed journals (selected in chronological order)

*Corresponding author, ** Co-first author

Dai J*, Su Y, Ling W, Liang Y, Zhong C, Gao L. [Recommendation of dietary fatty acid composition ratios for type 2 diabetic patients.] Acta Nutrimenta Sinica. 2000;22(3):256-60
He M, Mei J, Jiang Z, Chen Q, Ma J, Dai J, Li M, Su Y, Lui SS, Yeung DL, Anderson GH. Growth of infants during the first 18 months of life in urban and rural areas of southern China. J Paediatr Child Health. 2001;37(5):456-64
He M, Ma J, Chen Q, Mei J, Dai J, Luo Y, Jiang Z, Lui SS, He Z, Yeung DL, Anderson GH. Growth and feed practices of 4 and 8 months infants in Southern China. Nutrition Research. 2001;21(1-2):103-20
Shen HM, Dai J, Chia SE, Lim A, Ong CN. Detection of apoptotic alterations in sperm in subfertile patients and their correlations with sperm quality. Hum Reprod. 2002;17(5):1266-73
Dai J*, Ling W, Su Y, Gao L, Zhuo S. [Effects of dietary fatty acid composition ratios on the development of atherosclerosis in New-Zealand Rabbits.] Acta Nutrimenta Sinica. 2003,25(1):25-8
Gregory CO, Dai J, Ramirez-Zea M, Stein AD. Occupation is more important than rural or urban residence in explaining the prevalence of metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk in Guatemalan adults. J Nutr. 2007;137(5):1314-9
Su S, Snieder H, Miller AH, Ritchie J, Bremner JD, Goldberg J, Dai J, Jones L, Murrah NV, Zhao J, Vaccarino V. Genetic and environmental influences on systemic markers of inflammation in middle-aged male twins. Atherosclerosis. 2008;200(1):213-20
Dai J, Miller AH, Bremner D, Goldberg J, Jones L, Buckham R, Murrah N, Veledar E, Wilson PW, Vaccarino V. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is inversely associated with circulating interleukin-6 among middle-aged males: a twin study. Circulation. 2008; 117(2):169-75
Vaccarino V, Brennan M-L, Miller AH, Bremner JD, Ritchie JC, Lindau F, Veledar E, Su S, Murrah NV, Jones L, Jawed F, Dai J, Goldberg J, Hazen SL. Association between major depressive disorder and serum myeloperoxidase and other markers of inflammation: A Twin Study. Biol Psychiatry. 2008;64(6):476-83
Dai J*, Jones DP, Goldberg J, Ziegler TR, Bostick RM, Wilson PW, Manatunga AK, Shallenberger L, Jones L, Vaccarino V. Association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and oxidative stress. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;88(5):1364-70
Dai J*, Su Y, Bartell S, Le N-A, Ling W, Liang Y, Gao L, Wu H, Veledar E, Vaccarino V. Beneficial effects of designed dietary fatty acid compositions on lipids in triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins among Chinese type 2 diabetic patients. Metabolism-Clinical and Experimental. 2009;58(4):510-51812.
Dai J*, Ziegler TR, Bostick RM, Manatunga AK, Jones DP, Goldberg J, Wilson PW, Jones L, Shallenberger L, Vaccarino V. High habitual dietary alpha-linolenic acid intake is associated with decreased plasma soluble interleukin-6 receptor concentrations among male twins. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Jul;92(1):177-85. Epub 2010 May 12.13.
Dai J*, Lampert R, Wilson PW, Goldberg J, Ziegler T, Vaccarino V. Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with improved cardiac autonomic function among middle-aged men: A twin study. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2010 Jul;3(4):366-73. Epub 2010 Jun 15.14.
Ferranti EP, Dunbar SB, Higgins M, Dai J, Ziegler TR, Frediani JK, Reilly C, Brigham KL. Psychosocial factors associated with diet quality in a working adult population. Res Nurs Health. 2013;36(3):242-56. 15.
Dai J*, Krasnow RE, Liu L, Sawada SG, Reed T. The association between postload plasma glucose levels and 38-Year mortality risk of coronary heart disease: the Prospective NHLBI Twin Study. PLOS One. 2013;8(7): e69332. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.006933216.
Wu S-H, Neale MC, Acton AJ Jr, Considine RV, Krasnow RE, Reed T, Dai J*. Genetic and environmental influences on the prospective correlation between systemic inflammation and coronary heart disease death in male twins. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2014;34(9):2168-74
Wu S-H, Guo Q, Viken RJ, Reed T, Dai J*. Heritability of usual alcohol hangover and intoxication in male twins: the NAS-NRC Twin Registry. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 2014;38(8):2307-13
Dai J*, Mukamal KJ, Krasnow RE, Swan GE, Reed T. Usual alcohol consumption is inversely associated with a 41-year coronary heart disease death risk independent of genes and common environment among men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015; May 6. pii: ajcn106435. [Epub ahead of print] (Honored as Editor’s Pick for Volume 102 Issue 1 of Am J Clin Nutr)
Dai J*, Krasnow RE, Reed T. Midlife Moderation-Quantified Healthy Diet and 40-year Mortality Risk from Coronary Heart Disease: the Prospective NHLBI Twin Study. Br J Nutr. 2016 Jul;116(2):326-34. doi: 10.1017/S0007114516001914. Epub 2016 May 18.20.
Wu S-H, Kim T-K, Wu X, Scherler K, Baxter D, Wang K, Krasnow RE, Reed T, Dai J*. Circulating microRNAs and life expectancy among identical twins. Ann Hum Genet. 2016 Jul 12. doi: 10.1111/ahg.12160.

Book Chapters (selected in chronological order)

Dai J. [How to add weaning foods? In: What food will improve the health of infants and children?] Xi-An Publishing House. Xi-An, PR China. 1998
Dai J. [Clinical nutrition support in otolaryngological trauma. In: Su Z-F, ed. Otolaryngological Trauma.] 1^st Beijing, PR China: People’s Medical Publishing House; 2004

Peer-reviewed presentations (selected in chronological order)

Oral Presentations

Stein AD, Dai J, Gregory C, Ramirez-Zea M. The nutrition transition in Guatemala: Rural to urban migration, lifestyle, and the metabolic syndrome. The XVII IEA World Congress of Epidemiology (WCE 2005). Bangkok, Thailand, Aug 21-25, 2005 (Abstract No.10370)
Dai J, Miller AH, Bremner D, Goldberg J, Jones L, Foster J, Buckham J, Murrah N, Vaccarino V. Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Decreases Systemic IL-6 among Middle-aged Monozygotic Male Twins Free of Symptomatic Cardiovascular Diseases. American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2006, Chicago, IL, the US, Nov 12-16, 2006 (Abstract No. 13758 & Presentation No. 4095)
Dai J, Miller AH, Bremner D, Goldberg J, Jones L, Buckham R, Murrah N, Veledar E, Vaccarino V. Shared Environmental and Genetic Effects Do Not Confound the Association between the Mediterranean Diet and Inflammation. 47^th AHA Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention and Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism, Orlando, FL, the US, Feb 28-Mar 3, 2007 (Abstract No. 400 & Presentation No. 14)
Dai J, Jones DP, Goldberg J, Ziegler TR, Bostick RM, Wilson PW, Manatunga AK, Shallenberger L, Jones L, Vaccarino V. Shared Genetic and Environmental Factors Do Not Confound the Association between Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Oxidative 48^th AHA Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention and Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism, Colorado Springs, Colorado, March 11 –15, 2008 (Abstract No. 456 & Presentation No. 38)

Moderated Poster Presentations

Dai J, Krasnow RE, Reed T. Usual Alcohol Consumption Is Inversely Associated With a 38-Year Coronary Heart Disease Death Risk Independent of Genes and Common Environment among Men. Final Program and Abstract of the 51th American Heart Association Scientific Session on Joint Conference on Cardiovascular Epidemiology and Prevention; Nutrition, Metabolism, and Physical Activity. Mar 22-29, 2011, Atlanta, GA.

Honored Poster Presentations

Dai J, Krasnow RE, Reed T. Usual Alcohol Consumption Is Inversely Associated With a 38-Year Coronary Heart Disease Death Risk Independent of Genes and Common Environment among Men. The American Heart Association Scientific Session 2011. Fall 14-16, 2011, Orlando, FL (Honored as the best presentation at the AHA Specialty Conferences 2011).

Invited Speaker (selected in chronological order)

“Diet for Heart Disease Prevention and Treatment”. Presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American Society for Nutrition Joint Meeting on Nutrition 2010 “Therapeutic Diets for Cardiometabolic Disorders: What is the Evidence”?, Boston, MA, April 21, 2010.
“Mediterranean Diet, Biomarkers, Vascular and Neural Disease”, presented at the 7^th International Stroke Summit, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, July 8-11, 2011 (presented as Keynote speaker)

Awards and Honors