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Dr. Sarah Elzinga is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in physiology with additional roles in the Neuroscience Program and BioMolecular Science Gateway. She completed her Master's degree under the mentorship of Dr. Brian Nielsen in the Department of Animal Science and Dr. Ray Geor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, where she investigated the impact of age on nutrient digestibility in horses. This work led her to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of Kentucky, focusing on veterinary science with an emphasis on immune system dysregulation in horses with metabolic syndrome and the role of nutrition in modulating this dysregulation. Following her doctorate, Dr. Elzinga transitioned to the University of Michigan for her postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Eva Feldman, where she expanded her research to include the effects of metabolic dysregulation—such as obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes—on inflammation and immune system dysregulation in the nervous system. Currently, her research at Michigan State University aims to understand the mechanisms by which inflammation and immune system interactions contribute to cognitive impairment and dementias in individuals with obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes, particularly as they age.
Department of Psychology