Emily Hill, PhD

Professional Titles

• Assistant Professor
• Nutrition Research Director, CCTSI Nutrition Core

Research Interests

My research focuses on understanding the relationship between dietary intake and health outcomes across the life course, particularly in the context of chronic diseases such as obesity and cancer. With over a decade of experience in academic nutrition research, my work integrates nutrition science, behavior change, dietary assessment methodology, and emerging -omics approaches to better characterize individual variability in response to changes in modifiable lifestyle behaviors. My program of research aims to design, optimize, evaluate, and implement sustainable behavioral interventions that improve adherence to evidence-based lifestyle recommendations. I conduct translational research spanning from the development and integration of nutrition interventions within clinical and community settings to the evaluation of clinical and biochemical outcomes in randomized controlled trials. Methodologically, I employ innovative approaches, including factorial optimization trial designs, to develop and test multi-component interventions. A central focus of my work is advancing dietary assessment through the integration of objective biomarkers. This includes the use of targeted metabolomics (e.g., carotenoids, polyphenols) to assess dietary intake, as well as untargeted approaches for dietary biomarker discovery. Additionally, I incorporate multi-omics strategies, such as epigenomics, proteomics, and microbiome profiling, to predict and evaluate response to behavioral interventions.

Publications

• Lu P, Reisdorph N, Hendricks AE, Reisdorph R, Quinn K, Armstrong M, Michel C, Doenges KA, Frank DN, Campbell WW, Hill EB, Krebs NF, Tang Y, Lin D, Tang M. Characterization of astaxanthin isomers in different types of salmon filets and human plasma after salmon consumption. Food Chem. 2025 Aug 1;482:144024. PubMed PMID: 40179560
• Hill EB, Pashkova A, Grainger EM, Roberts KM, Chitchumroonchokchai C, Braun AC, Ralston RA, Riedl KM, Spees CK, Clinton SK. Targeted Urinary Profiling as a Biomarker of Dietary Flavonoid Intake from Fruits and Vegetables and its Relationship to the Timing of Dietary Assessment. Curr Dev Nutr. 2025 Sep;9(9):107520. PubMed PMID: 41080470
• Saint-Cyr M, Shakya E, Siebert JC, Hill EB, Krebs NF, deZoeten E, Borengasser SJ. Network-Based Multiomic Nutrient-Associated Predictive Models for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Curr Dev Nutr. 2025 Nov;9(11):107567. PubMed PMID: 41368212
• Breit MJ, Caldwell AE, Ostendorf DM, Pan Z, Creasy SA, Swanson B, Clark K, Hill EB, MacLean PS, Bessesen DH, Melanson EL, Catenacci VA. Effects of 4:3 Intermittent Fasting on Eating Behaviors and Appetite Hormones: A Secondary Analysis of a 12-Month Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention. Nutrients. 2025 Jul 21;17(14). PubMed PMID: 40733010
• Hill EB, Tang M, Long JM, Kemp JF, Westcott JL, Hendricks AE, Reisdorph NA, Campbell WW, Krebs NF. mini-MED: study protocol for a randomized, multi-intervention, semi-controlled feeding trial of a Mediterranean-amplified vs. habitual Western dietary pattern for the evaluation of food-specific compounds and cardiometabolic health. Trials. 2024 Feb 2;25(1):101. PubMed PMID: 38302990
• Hill EB, Reisdorph RM, Rasolofomanana-Rajery S, Michel C, Khajeh-Sharafabadi M, Doenges KA, Weaver N, Quinn K, Sutliff AK, Tang M, Borengasser SJ, Frank DN, O'Connor LE, Campbell WW, Krebs NF, Hendricks AE, Reisdorph NA. Salmon Food-Specific Compounds and Their Metabolites Increase in Human Plasma and Are Associated with Cardiometabolic Health Indicators Following a Mediterranean-Style Diet Intervention. J Nutr. 2024 Jan;154(1):26-40. PubMed PMID: 37918675
• Siprelle K, Kennedy AJ, Hill EB, Hinton A, Shi N, Madril P, Grainger E, Taylor C, Nahikian-Nelms M, Spees C, Tabung FK, Hart PA, Roberts KM. An Improved Assessment Method to Estimate (Poly)phenol Intake in Adults with Chronic Pancreatitis. Dig Dis Sci. 2024 Aug;69(8):2996-3007. PubMed PMID: 38850506
• Hill EB, Cubellis LT, Wexler RK, Taylor CA, Spees CK. Differences in Adherence to American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8, Diet Quality, and Weight Loss Strategies Between Those With and Without Recent Clinically Significant Weight Loss in a Nationally Representative Sample of US Adults. J Am Heart Assoc. 2023 Apr 18;12(8):e026777. PubMed PMID: 37026539
• Hill EB, Baxter BA, Pfluger B, Slaughter CK, Beale M, Smith HV, Stromberg SS, Tipton M, Ibrahim H, Rao S, Leach H, Ryan EP. Plasma, urine, and stool metabolites in response to dietary rice bran and navy bean supplementation in adults at high-risk for colorectal cancer. Front Gastroenterol (Lausanne). 2023;2. PubMed PMID: 38469373
• Hill EB, Konigsberg IR, Ir D, Frank DN, Jambal P, Litkowski EM, Lange EM, Lange LA, Ostendorf DM, Scorsone JJ, Wayland L, Bing K, MacLean PS, Melanson EL, Bessesen DH, Catenacci VA, Stanislawski MA, Borengasser SJ. The Microbiome, Epigenome, and Diet in Adults with Obesity during Behavioral Weight Loss. Nutrients. 2023 Aug 16;15(16). PubMed PMID: 37630778
• Hill EB, Grainger EM, Young GS, Clinton SK, Spees CK. Application of the Updated WCRF/AICR Cancer Prevention Score as an Outcome for Cancer Survivors Participating in a Tailored and Intensive Dietary and Physical Activity Intervention. Nutrients. 2022 Nov 10;14(22). PubMed PMID: 36432442
• Braun A, Hill E, Gallo S, Landry MJ, Vitolins M, Papoutsakis C, Jimenez EY, Rozga M. Research at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: What, How, and Why?. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2022 Nov;122(11):2150-2162. PubMed PMID: 35998865
• Hill EB, Siebert JC, Yazza DN, Ostendorf DM, Bing K, Wayland L, Scorsone JJ, Bessesen DH, MacLean PS, Melanson EL, Catenacci VA, Borengasser SJ. Proteomics, dietary intake, and changes in cardiometabolic health within a behavioral weight-loss intervention: A pilot study. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2022 Nov;30(11):2134-2145. PubMed PMID: 36321274
• Hill EB, Chen L, Bailey MT, Singh Khalsa A, Maltz R, Kelleher K, Spees CK, Zhu J, Loman BR. Facilitating a high-quality dietary pattern induces shared microbial responses linking diet quality, blood pressure, and microbial sterol metabolism in caregiver-child dyads. Gut Microbes. 2022 Jan-Dec;14(1):2150502. PubMed PMID: 36457073
• Braun A, Simons C, Kilbarger J, Hill EB, Xu M, Cleary D, Spees CK. Sensory perceptions of survivors of cancer and their caregivers upon blinded evaluation of produce from two different sources. Support Care Cancer. 2021 Oct;29(10):5729-5739. PubMed PMID: 33728487
• Hill EB, Kennedy AJ, Roberts KM, Riedl KM, Grainger EM, Clinton SK. Considerations for Use of the Phenol-Explorer Database to Estimate Dietary (Poly)phenol Intake. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2021 May;121(5):833-834. PubMed PMID: 33744235
• Pratt KJ, Hill EB, Kiser HM, VanFossen CE, Braun A, Taylor CA, Spees C. Changes in Parent and Child Skin Carotenoids, Weight, and Dietary Behaviors over Parental Weight Management. Nutrients. 2021 Jun 29;13(7). PubMed PMID: 34209574
• Jontony N, Hill EB, Taylor CA, Boucher LC, O'Brien V, Weiss R, Spees CK. Diet Quality, Carotenoid Status, and Body Composition in NCAA Division I Athletes. Am J Health Behav. 2020 Jul 1;44(4):432-443. PubMed PMID: 32553025
• Trujillo EB, Claghorn K, Dixon SW, Hill EB, Braun A, Lipinski E, Platek ME, Vergo MT, Spees C. Inadequate Nutrition Coverage in Outpatient Cancer Centers: Results of a National Survey. J Oncol. 2019;2019:7462940. PubMed PMID: 31885583
• Spees CK, Braun AC, Hill EB, Grainger EM, Portner J, Young GS, Kleinhenz MD, Chitchumroonchokchai C, Clinton SK. Impact of a Tailored Nutrition and Lifestyle Intervention for Overweight Cancer Survivors on Dietary Patterns, Physical Activity, Quality of Life, and Cardiometabolic Profiles. J Oncol. 2019;2019:1503195. PubMed PMID: 31871455
• Braun A, Portner J, Grainger EM, Hill EB, Young GS, Clinton SK, Spees CK. Tele-Motivational Interviewing for Cancer Survivors: Feasibility, Preliminary Efficacy, and Lessons Learned. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2018 Jan;50(1):19-32.e1. PubMed PMID: 29325658
• Fitz E, Warner J, Braun A, Hill E, Wolf K, Spees C. Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Evidence-Based Cooking Videos for Cancer Survivors. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2017 Jun;49(6):525-526.e1. PubMed PMID: 28442283
• Spees CK, Hill EB, Grainger EM, Buell JL, White SE, Kleinhenz MD, Clinton SK. Feasibility, Preliminary Efficacy, and Lessons Learned From a Garden-Based Lifestyle Intervention for Cancer Survivors. Cancer Control. 2016 Jul;23(3):302-10. PubMed PMID: 27556671
• Dorrance AM, Neviani P, Ferenchak GJ, Huang X, Nicolet D, Maharry KS, Ozer HG, Hoellarbauer P, Khalife J, Hill EB, Yadav M, Bolon BN, Lee RJ, Lee LJ, Croce CM, Garzon R, Caligiuri MA, Bloomfield CD, Marcucci G. Targeting leukemia stem cells in vivo with antagomiR-126 nanoparticles in acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia. 2015 Nov;29(11):2143-53. PubMed PMID: 26055302

Professional Memberships

• American Society for Nutrition, Member
• International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Member, Cancer Prevention and Management Executive Committee
• Society of Behavioral Medicine, Member, Optimization of Behavioral and Biobehavioral Interventions Executive Committee
• Metabolomics Society, Member
• The Obesity Society, Member, Nutrition Action Alliance Representative

Practice Locations

Center Affiliations

• Anschutz Health & Wellness Center
• Colorado Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI)
• University of Colorado Cancer Center
• Nutrition Obesity Research Center

Specialty Information

Specialties

• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Specialized Training (2017)