Other Appointments
Co-Director, Center for Dietary Supplements Research
Education
2008, PhD, University of Lethbridge, Biomolecular Sciences
2001, MD, Ivano-Frankivsk State Medical University, Ukraine
Research Interest
Being both an MD and PhD, I have a long lasting interest in diet and dietary supplements and their impact on human health. Therefore, the major focus of my research is safety, efficacy and mechanisms of action of dietary supplements and understanding how diet and dietary supplements can modulate tissue response to cancer therapy. I am heavily involved in a number of safety and efficacy studies on various dietary supplements and herbs, including methionine supplementation, green tea extract and cannabidiol. My studies on the multi-ingredient exercise performance enhancement formulation, OxyELITE Pro – New Formula (an adulterated product that caused a spate of severe liver injury cases across the nation) funded by the U.S. FDA and the Department of Justice, were instrumental in a federal law suit against the product’s manufacturer – USP Labs. I have testified at FDA on the safety of cannabidiol and cannabidiol-rich cannabis extract and my research on cannabidiol has been covered by media, including Forbes, Nutraingredients, Whole Foods Magazine and Motley Fool.
In 2018, I have initiated the development of the Center for Dietary Supplements Research (CDSR) at UAMS. The mission of the Center is to provide regulatory agencies, industry and the public with credible information, assessments, expert opinions, and risk communications as well as professional and educational services relating to the efficacy and safety of dietary supplements.
Courses Taught
REGS 6023: Product Safety Assessment (Course Director)
COPH 5003: Introduction to Public Health (Course Director)
REGS 6101: Good Regulatory Practices (Co-instructor)
PCOL 6203: Systems Therapeutics (Co-instructor)
Recent Publications:
Ewing LE, Skinner CM, Pathak R, Yee EU, Krager K, Gurley PC, Melnyk S, Boerma M, Hauer-Jensen M, Koturbash I. Dietary Methionine Supplementation Exacerbates Gastrointestinal Toxicity in a Mouse Model of Abdominal Irradiation. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2021 Feb 1;109(2):581-593. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.09.042. Epub 2020 Sep 28. PMID: 33002540; PMCID: PMC7855316.
Kutanzi KR, Ewing LE, Skinner CM, Quick CM, Kennon-McGill S, McGill MR, Walker LA, ElSohly MA, Gurley BJ, Koturbash I. Safety and Molecular-Toxicological Implications of Cannabidiol-Rich Cannabis Extract and Methylsulfonylmethane Co-Administration. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Oct 21;21(20):7808. doi: 10.3390/ijms21207808. PMID: 33096940; PMCID: PMC7656295.
Skinner CM, Nookaew I, Ewing LE, Wongsurawat T, Jenjaroenpun P, Quick CM, Yee EU, Piccolo BD, ElSohly M, Walker LA, Gurley B, Koturbash I. Potential Probiotic or Trigger of Gut Inflammation – The Janus-Faced Nature of Cannabidiol-Rich Cannabis Extract. J Diet Suppl. 2020;17(5):543-560. doi: 10.1080/19390211.2020.1761506. Epub 2020 May 13. PMID: 32400224; PMCID: PMC7470626.
Miousse IR, Ewing LE, Skinner CM, Pathak R, Garg S, Kutanzi KR, Melnyk S, Hauer-Jensen M, Koturbash I. Methionine dietary supplementation potentiates ionizing radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2020 Mar 1;318(3):G439-G450. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.00351.2019. Epub 2020 Jan 21. PMID: 31961718; PMCID: PMC7099489. YouTube
Ewing LE, Skinner CM, Quick CM, Kennon-McGill S, McGill MR, Walker LA, ElSohly MA, Gurley BJ, Koturbash I. Hepatotoxicity of a Cannabidiol-Rich Cannabis Extract in the Mouse Model. Molecules. 2019 Apr 30;24(9):1694. doi: 10.3390/molecules24091694. PMID: 31052254; PMCID: PMC6539990.