Daniel Bessesen, MD, is director of the Center, is professor of medicine of endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes at CU, the director of fellowship training in endocrinology and the director of the Clinical Intervention and Translation Core of the NIH-funded Nutrition Obesity Research Center.

Dan received his MD with honors from CU. He completed residency and fellowship training at CU and has been on CU’s faculty since 1991.

Dan, who conducts studies in dietary fat metabolism, appetite and the clinical problem of obesity, has published more than 90 scientific articles and book chapters and is the coauthor of three books, including Treatment of the Obese Patient published in 2014.

Education & Certifications

• BS/MS, Brigham Young University
• PhD/Fellowship, East Carolina University

Areas of Specialization

• Director, NORC
• Research focus on understanding metabolic consequences of obesity and weight loss
• Obesity impact on breast cancer, mammary gland development and lactation
• Obesity impact in menopausal transition

Personal Notes

• Research director, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes
• Director, CORI Energy Metabolism Program
• Associate director, Nutrition and Obesity Research Center’s Metabolic Core and Energy Balance Laboratory

Education & Certifications

• BS, University of New Mexico
• MS, PhD Evolutionary Psychology, University of New Mexico
• Postdoc Anthropology, Emory University
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Areas of Specialization

• Evolutionary Psychology and Anthropology
• Energy balance
• Healthy Psychology
• Behavior change and maintenance interventions
• Anthropology fieldwork

Philosophy
My research interests are focused in the intersection of evolutionary and health psychology, primarily in the domain of energy balance, exercise and weight management. I am interested in applying life history theory to understand energy balance throughout the life course.

Personal Notes

• Previous Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease Fellow (T32)
• NIH K01 Career Development Awardee
• Active member of the Obesity Society and the Society of Behavioral Medicine
• Yoga Instructor

Education & Certifications

• BA/BS, University of Notre Dame
• MD, Yale University
• Residency in Internal Medicine, Yale-New Haven Hospital
• Chief Resident, Yale-New Haven Hospital
• Board Certification in Endocrinology

Areas of Specialization

• Physician-directed weight management

Philosophy

Individualized behavioral strategies for weight management along with weight-loss medications for appropriately selected patients.

Personal Notes

• Varsity Monogram Winner, Women’s Diving, University of Notre Dame
• NIH F32 National Research Service Award
• NIH K23 Career Development Award
• Principle investigator of five-year NIH-funded R01 to evaluate the optimal time to begin exercise within a behavioral weight-loss program

Education & Certifications

• BS, Lock Haven University
• MS/PhD, University of Pittsburgh
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Areas of Specialization

• Behavioral Weight Loss Interventions
• Doubly Labeled Water Assessment
• Physical Activity Assessment

Personal Notes

• Previous Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease Fellow (T32)
• Previous NIH F32 National Research Service Awardee
• NIH K01 Career Development Awardee
• Active member of the Obesity Society and the American College of Sports Medicine

Education & Certifications

• PhD, Arizona State University

Areas of Specialization

• Research focus on disease prevention and maintenance of functional independence in old age

Personal Notes

• Director of research, Geriatric Medicine
• Director, IMAGE (Investigations in Metabolism, Aging, Gender and Exercise)
• Director, Energy Balance Core, Nutrition and Obesity Research Center
• Chair, Scientific Advisory and Review Committee, Adult Clinical and Translational Research Center
• Distinguished Alumnus, University of Wisconsin ‑ Stevens Point
• Citation Award, American College of Sports Medicine
• Continuously funded by the NIH for more than 20 years with more than 140 original and solicited research publications

Education & Certifications

• BA, Cedarville University
• MA, University of Dayton
• PhD, Brigham Young University
• Residency/Internship, Duke University Medical Center

Areas of Specialization

• Clinical health psychology
• Spirituality and health
• Behavioral cardiology
• Health behavior change

Personal Notes

• Program Director, Clinical Health Psychology PhD Training Program, University of Colorado Denver
• Editor-in-Chief, Annals of Behavioral Medicine
• Past President, Society for Health Psychology (Division 38, American Psychological Association)
• Fellow American Psychological Association and Society of Behavioral Medicine
• Director of Behavioral Research, Anschutz Health and Wellness Center

John Peters, a leading researcher and strategist in nutrition, obesity and diabetes, is charged with developing groundbreaking research and programming in nutrition, exercise and healthy behavior.

Prior to joining CU, he spent 26 years in food and beverage, health care, and corporate new business research and development for Procter & Gamble Company.

He is also involved in public health initiatives promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors. He is co-founder and chief executive officer of America on the Move and past president of the International Life Science Institute Center for Health Promotion. Peters has published over 130 scientific papers and reviews and co-authored The Step Diet book.