Experts by Expertise: Obesity

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For help reaching an expert on deadline, please contact UB's media relations team at 716-645-6969 or ub-news@buffalo.edu.

Note to members of the news media:

The correct name of the university is “University at Buffalo,” not “University of Buffalo.”

  • Head shot of Stephanie Anzman-Frasca.
    2/5/26

    Stephanie Anzman-Frasca

    Associate Professor of Pediatrics

    Expertise: childhood obesity, children’s eating habits, infant and child behavior and development  

    Contact: Stephanie Anzman-Frasca can be reached through Ellen Goldbaum in University Communications at 716-645-4605 or goldbaum@buffalo.edu.

  • Portrait of Katherine N. Balantekin.
    8/21/24

    Katherine N. Balantekin

    Assistant Professor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences

    Expertise: obesity, disordered eating, parental influences on child eating behavior, childhood obesity, diet culture, anti-obesity drugs

    Phone: 716-829-5578

    Email: knbalant@buffalo.edu

     

  • Head shot of Paresh Dandona, University at Buffalo faculty expert on diabetes and obesity.
    2/5/26

    Paresh Dandona

    SUNY Distinguished Professor of Medicine

    Expertise: diabetes; obesity; endocrinology; insulin, testosterone and other hormone treatments; anti-inflammatory agents

    Phone: Dandona can be contacted through Ellen Goldbaum in UB Media Relations at 716-645-4605 or goldbaum@buffalo.edu

    Email: dandona.diabetes@gmail.com

  • Portrait of Leonard Epstein.
    3/12/26

    Leonard H. Epstein

    SUNY Distinguished Professor and Division Chief, Behavioral Medicine

    Expertise: Childhood and family obesity; weight control and family-based intervention; food insecurity and weight; behavioral medicine, exercise interventions     

    Email: lhenet@buffalo.edu

    Contact: Epstein can also be reached through Ellen Goldbaum in University Communications at 716-645-4605 or goldbaum@buffalo.edu, or Douglas Sitler in University Communications at 716-645-9069 or drsitler@buffalo.edu.

  • Head shot of Myles Faith, University at Buffalo expert on childhood obesity and children's eating behavior.
    12/19/18

    Myles S. Faith

    Professor of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology

    Expertise: childhood obesity, children’s eating habits, family health

    Phone: 716-645-1124

    Email: mfaith@buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of Lucia A. Leone, University at Buffalo food access expert.
    3/3/26

    Lucia A. Leone

    Associate Professor of Community Health and Health Behavior

    Expertise: food access, mobile produce markets, WIC, obesity prevention, physical activity

    Phone: 716-829-6953

    Email: lucialeo@buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of Charles Lindsey.
    8/16/21

    Charles Lindsey

    Associate Professor of Marketing

    Expertise: consumer behavior, advertising, marketing strategy and research, brand loyalty, serving and package sizes

    Contact: Charles Lindsey can be reached most quickly through Jackie Ghosen in the School of Management Communications Office at 716-645-2833 or mgt-pr@buffalo.edu.

  • Portrait of Charlotte Lindqvist.
    3/9/26

    Lucy Mastrandrea

    Professor of Pediatrics and Chief, Division of Endocrinology/Diabetes

    Expertise: Type 1 and 2 diabetes in children and adolescents, obesity in children and adolescents, GLP-1 medications for weight management, endocrine disorders

    Email: ldm@buffalo.edu

    Contact: Lucy Mastrandrea can also be reached through Ellen Goldbaum in University Communications at 716-645-4605 or goldbaum@buffalo.edu, or Douglas Sitler in University Communications at 716-645-9069 or drsitler@buffalo.edu.

  • Head shot of Teresa Quattrin, University at Buffalo clinical trials and childhood diabetes and obesity expert.
    2/5/26

    Teresa Quattrin

    Senior Associate Dean for Research Integration

    Expertise: childhood diabetes; family-based obesity treatment; clinical translational research and trials, with a focus on diversity and inclusion

    Phone: 716-323-0170

    Email: quattrin@buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of Samina Raja.
    6/17/25

    Samina Raja

    SUNY Distinguished Professor of Urban and Regional Planning 

    Expertise: food access, food systems planning, food and urban planning, local government food policy

    Phone: 716-829-5881

    Email: sraja@buffalo.edu

  • Portrait of Lisa Ranzenhofer.
    3/10/26

    Lisa Ranzenhofer

    Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

    Expertise: eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, atypical anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. 

    Phone: 716-887-2579

    Email: lisaranz@buffalo.edu

  • Jennifer Temple.
    8/16/21

    Jennifer L. Temple

    Professor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, and Community Health and Health Behavior

    Expertise: caffeine use among kids, energy drinks, obesity

    Phone: 716-829-5593

    Email: jltemple@buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of Panayotis (Peter) K. Thanos, University at Buffalo addiction and reward pathways expert.
    2/5/26

    Panayotis (Peter) K. Thanos

    Senior Research Scientist of Pharmacology and Toxicology

    Expertise: ADHD treatment, addiction; brain imaging; alcohol and drug abuse, obesity, binge eating disorder, bariatric surgery, prenatal nicotine use, prenatal cannabis

    Phone: 716-881-7520

    Email: pthanos@ria.buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of Xiaozhong Wen.
    2/5/26

    Xiaozhong Wen

    Associate Professor of Pediatrics

    Expertise: diet and health in infants and young children, origins of obesity, smoking cessation during pregnancy

    Phone: 716-829-6811

    Email: xiaozhon@buffalo.edu