Jacqueline Hibbert, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, & Immunology Morehouse School of Medicine B.Sc., General (Hon) University of West Indies (UWI), Jamaice M.S., UWI, Jamaica (Human Nutrition) Ph.D., UWI, Jamaica (Human Nutrition & Metabolism) Email: HibbertJ@msm.edu Office Phone: (404) 752-1737 Fax: (404) 752-1772

Research Interests

The research focus in my laboratory is intermediary metabolism of macronutrients. My primary interest has been the altered metabolic response to disease and its impact on nutritional requirements. Clinical studies are performed to determine how protein and energy metabolism are altered in diseases such as protein-energy malnutrition, obesity and sickle cell anemia. Stable isotope tracer methods are used in these studies.

The most recent research focus is to investigate nutritional implications of altered metabolism in blood disease. We have developed a stable isotope method specifically to measure hemoglobin synthesis rate in vivo. Our data show that hemoglobin synthesis is elevated in patients with sickle cell anemia, as are whole body protein turnover and energy expenditure. These results support the notion that a special dietary recommendation may benefit patients with sickle cell disease to satisfy these increased metabolic needs. The next step will be to investigate the potential health benefit of nutritional supplements in these patients.

Selected Publications

1.Hibbert, J, T Forrester and AA Jackson. Urea kinetics: comparison of oral and intravenous dose regimens. Europ J Clin Nutr 46:405, 1992.

2. Hibbert, JM, L Broemeling, N Isenberg and RR Wolfe. Determinants of free-living energy expenditure in normal weight and obese women measured by doubly labeled water. Obesity Research 2:44, 1994.

3. Hibbert, JM, Sutherland, GB, Wright, LL, Wolfe, LG, Wolfe, KA, Gore, DC and Abd-Elfattah, AS. Measurement of hemoglobin synthesis rate in vivo using a stable isotope method. Analyt Biochem 291: 118-123, 2001.

4. Hibbert, JM, Hsu, LL, Bhathena, SJ, Irune, I, Sarfo, B, Creary, MS, Gee, BE, Mohamed, AI, Buchanan, ID, Al-Mahmoud, A and Stiles, J.: Proinflammatory cytokines and the hypermetabolism of children with sickle cell disease. Exptl Biol Med 230: 68 -74, 2005.

5. Hibbert, JM, Creary, MS, Gee, BE, Buchanan, ID, Quarshie, A and Hsu, LL. Erythropoiesis and Myocardial Oxygen Consumption Contribute Significantly to Hypermetabolism of Childhood Sickle Cell Anemia. JPGN 43: 680-687, 2006.