Expertise
Nutritional Epidemiology, Gut Microbiome, Dietary Assessment, Musculoskeletal Health, Health Disparities
Research Interests
Unraveling the associations between diet quality and chronic diseases of aging in underrepresented populations, using novel analytical methods; determining the mediating role of the gut microbiome in these associations; designing and implementing dietary interventions.
Education
- Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: Nutritional Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts Lowell – Lowell, Massachusetts
- Doctor of Science (Sc.D.): Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts Lowell – Lowell, Massachusetts
- Master of Science (M.S.): Animal and Nutritional Sciences, University of New Hampshire – Durham, New Hampshire
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.): Political Science, University of New Hampshire – Durham, New Hampshire
Biosketch
Lisa Merrill, Sc.D. is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences. She investigates the role of nutrition on the bidirectional relation between the gut microbiome and physiological outcomes, including bone health, systemic inflammation, and cardiometabolic risk, with a focus on underrepresented populations. She has previously taught as an adjunct instructor and served on the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Interest Section (RIS) within the American Society for Nutrition.
Selected Awards and Honors
- 2025 American Society of Nutrition, Postdoctoral Research Award Competition Finalist
- 2024 11th International Symposium of Nutritional Aspects of Musculoskeletal Health, Peter Burkhardt Oral Presentation Award and Symposium Travel Award
- 2024 UMass Lowell 27th Annual Student Research and Community Engagement Symposium, Oral Presentation Award, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences
- 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Inaugural Member of Student Cohort Program
Selected Publications
- Merrill LC, Noel SE, Martinez RL, Mattei J, Palacios N, Wang Y, Tucker KL, Mangano KM. Performance of Cohort Adapted Dietary and Lifestyle Inflammation Scores Among Hispanic Adults. Front. Nutr., 2026 Jan;12:1675057. doi:10.3389/fnut.2025.1675057.
- Merrill LC, Martinez RL, Palacios N, Dawson-Hughes B, Noel SE, Wang Y, Tucker KL, Mangano KM. Gut microbes related to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension score are associated with bone quantity but not with bone quality in a cross-sectional study of older Puerto Rican adults. Am J Clin Nutr, 2025 Nov 27:101129. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.101129.
- Merrill LC, Thomas E, Wright JR, Lamendella R, Bhandari S, Bello D, Kelleher SL, Tucker KL, Mangano KM. Food Grade Titanium Dioxide is Related to Gut Dysbiosis, But Not Markers of Intestinal Inflammation Nor Permeability in Healthy, Young Adults. NanoImpact, 2025 Oct:40:100594. doi:10.1016/j.impact.2025.100594.
- Merrill LC, Noel SE, Wang Y, Dawson-Hughes B, Palacios N, Tucker KL, Mangano KM. The Association Between Dairy and Bone Quality in Puerto Rican Adults Varies by Dairy Food and Fat Content. JBMR Plus, 2025 May 28;9(8):ziaf094. doi:10.1093/jbmrpl/ziaf094.
- McGrail L, Vargas-Robles D, Correa MR, Merrill LC, Noel SE, Velez M, Maldonado-Contreras A, Mangano KM. Daily Yogurt Consumption Does Not Affect Bone Turnover Markers in Men and Postmenopausal Women of Caribbean Latino Descent: a Randomized Controlled Trial. BMC Nutr. 2024, 10(1), 12. doi:10.1186/s40795-023-00800-2.
- Merrill LC, Mangano KM. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Studies of the Gut Microbiome and Osteoporosis. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2023, 21(5), 578-59. doi:10.1007/s11914-023-00813-7.
Research Currently in Progress
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association – Beef consumption patterns and nutrient status among Puerto Rican adults