About Us

The primary role of the Center for Health and Disease Research (CHDR) is to promote biomedical and health-related research advances to support and enhance the development of a sustainable industrial economic sector. The CHDR performs basic and applied research in several key areas of chronic and acute health problems such as cardiovascular disease, eye disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, inflammation and Alzheimer's disease and functions as a cohesive, interdisciplinary facility, which serves to unify scientists with common interests. More recently, CHDR has become actively involved in developing nano-delivery systems for nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and cosmeceuticals. As a result, researchers in CHDR have engaged in initiating efforts resulting in intellectual property, patents, commercialization and the formation of two spin off companies. The CHDR actively promotes mutual University, Hospital and Industrial collaboration to ensure multidisciplinary approaches to sustain funding for its research agenda, while facilitating the rapid transfer of innovative and new technologies. The CHDR expects to play a significant role in the future economic development of the region by engaging in outreach disease prevention/wellness initiatives that involve hospitals, corporations, nursing homes and assisted senior living facilities.

Robert J. Nicolosi, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Health and Clinical Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Dr. Nicolosi is also Director of the Center for Health and Disease Research at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. His research interests include pharmaceutical and nutraceutical interventions for the treatment and prevention of hypercholesterolemia, cardiovascular disease, age-related macular degeneration, diabetes and cancer; nanoemulsion technology as it relates to the delivery of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and cosmecuticals and the formulation of films and coatings for application of food packaging and flavor enhancement. Dr. Nicolosi also has held an Associate Professor appointment at the Harvard Medical School and was Chairman in the Division of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School’s New England Regional Primate Research Center. He is also an adjunct Professor in Biochemistry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts. He has served as a member of the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association and Chairperson of the Nutrition Subcommittee of the American Heart Association. At the Massachusetts affiliate level of the American Heart Association, Dr. Nicolosi has served as chairperson of the Cholesterol Education Task Force and Heart Health Education Task Force for the Young. He is also on the Board of Governors at Saints Memorial Hospital and Board of Directors at D'Youville Senior Care Center. He serves on several scientific journal editorial and advisory boards and Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) panels of major food and pharmaceutical industries. Dr. Nicolosi holds a Ph.D. from the University of New Hampshire.