BATON ROUGE - A researcher at Pennington Biomedical Research Center has been selected to receive an award from the American Society for Nutrition. 

Dr. Kaja Falkenhain will receive the Peter J. Reeds Early Career Investigator Award, which recognizes outstanding research done within five years of completing doctoral training. 

Falkenhain will be recognized for her achievements at the ASN meeting taking place in National Harbor, Maryland, July 25-28. The award will include a plaque and a $1,000 prize. 

"This recognition reflects Dr. Falkenhain's exceptional scientific contributions and the tremendous promise she has demonstrated early in her research career," Dr. Jennifer Rood, Interim Senior Vice Chancellor and Executive Director at Pennington Biomedical, said. 

Falkenhain's research focuses on how nutritional health affects cardiometabolic health. 

“This recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the support and mentorship I've received at Pennington Biomedical. I'm extremely grateful to my mentors and collaborators whose guidance has helped shape my research, and I look forward to continuing work that advances our understanding of metabolism and ultimately improves human health,” she said.