The Team
Stephan J. Guyenet is the founder and director of Red Pen Reviews and is also a reviewer. He received a BS in biochemistry from the University of Virginia and a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Washington. During his twelve years of scientific research, he studied neurodegenerative disease, aging, and ultimately the brain regulation of eating behavior and body fatness. His research was funded by the US National Institutes of Health. His scientific publications have been cited more than 4,300 times.
Stephan wrote The Hungry Brain, a general-audience book about the neuroscience of overeating and body fatness. The Hungry Brain was named a 2017 Publishers Weekly book of the year and was called “essential” by The New York Times.
Stephan is the co-creator of the Ideal Weight Program, a course-based weight management program that focuses on building and maintaining slimming and healthy behaviors. The Ideal Weight Program is flexible, empirical and not based on a specific dietary viewpoint, such as low-fat, low-carbohydrate, or vegetarian diets. Stephan has received revenue from the program, but does not currently.
Stephan has been a member of the Obesity Society, the American Diabetes Association, the American Society for Nutrition, and the Ancestral Health Society. In 2014, he was paid by the Dairy Farmers of Canada to orally present the findings of a review paper he had previously written and published without industry funding or involvement. He has no other conflicts of interest with the food, supplement, or pharmaceutical industry.
Stephan is a senior researcher at GiveWell, a nonprofit organization that deeply researches charities to identify the most cost-effective giving opportunities in the world.
Stephan eats an omnivorous, whole-food-based diet that is inspired by what his distant agricultural ancestors may have eaten. He enjoys growing some of his own food. He uses his bicycle or his feet rather than his car whenever possible. He and his family live in the Seattle area.
Seth Yoder received a B.S. in Food Science and Human Nutrition from Colorado State University and a M.S. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Washington. During college he researched plant breeding for drought tolerance, how processing affects bioactive compounds in foods, and how foods are metabolized by the gut microbiome.
Seth builds customized research equipment with his partner Alex at Buddy Engineer, blogs occasionally at Nutrition Science Fact Check (aka “The Science of Nutrition”), writes for Examine.com, and performs food safety inspections for AIB International. He has also fact-checked publications in the past, such as a white paper on salt and Dr. Michael Greger’s book How Not to Die.
Seth can be found in Texas when he is not in a La Quinta in Montana, Florida, or some other part of North America.
Hilary Bethancourt earned a PhD in biological anthropology and a Master of Public Health degree in epidemiology from the University of Washington in Seattle. Her doctoral research focused on exploring conflicting perspectives on the role of meat and animal products in human health and disease processes. She currently works as a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Biobehavioral Health at Pennsylvania State University, where she is conducting research on nutrition transitions, hydration, water insecurity, stress, and health among populations in Bolivia, Kenya, and the United States.
More broadly, Hilary’s research interests are tied to the goal of better understanding not only how diet and nutrition shape health but also how other physiological, lifestyle, and environmental factors might contribute to different individuals or populations having distinct health responses to a given food or diet.
Apart from her life as a researcher, Hilary is a vegetable- and chocolate-loving omnivore with a passion for the outdoors and an enthusiasm for hiking, biking, and aerial dance. She has no conflicts of interest to disclose at this time.
Mario Kratz has completed Master’s and PhD degree programs in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Bonn and the University of Münster, both of which are in Germany He has also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in endocrinology and metabolism at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. He then joined the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle as a faculty member in the Cancer Prevention Program. He was also a faculty member in the Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine as well as the Nutritional Sciences Program at the University of Washington. Mario held these faculty positions for 14 years, until June 2021.
During his time in academia, Mario’s laboratory conducted clinical research trials in the areas of diet, obesity, and chronic diseases, with a major focus on metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. A particular emphasis lay on the mechanisms through which diet affects energy homeostasis (i.e., how the body regulates weight and fat mass) and processes that contribute to chronic diseases such as low-grade chronic inflammation, fat deposition in the liver, and insulin resistance.
Since leaving academia, Mario has founded Nourished by Science LLC, which operates a website and YouTube channel that are committed to the highest standards of scientific rigor in communicating research about nutrition, health, and chronic disease.
Mario used to serve on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM) between 2016 and 2019, and has also served on the editorial board of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) since 2015.
Mario lives in Seattle, WA, with his wife and two children. He enjoys the practical applications of nutrition as much as nutrition research, i.e., gardening, cooking, and eating. He loves hiking through the beautiful Pacific Northwest mountains and forests, yoga, playing squash, the game of Go (and board games in general), reading, long walks, lounging in hammocks and on couches, and pretty much anything that involves his family.
Disclosures: As a graduate student, Mario conducted a randomized controlled trial that was partly funded by German plant oil manufacturers, and also received funding from the European Union for work related to olive oil. Over the last few years, he has received reimbursement for travel, honoraria, and a large research grant from dairy-related organizations, including the Dairy Research Institute, Dairy Management Inc., the Global Dairy Platform, and Dairy Farmers of Canada. He has no other conflicts of interest.
Travis Masterson is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Penn State University. Broadly Travis’s research is centered on understanding and preventing the development of obesity in both children and adults. He uses technology such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), immersive virtual reality (VR), and a variety of remote tracking and sensing technologies alongside laboratory eating paradigms and epidemiological methods to examine these questions. His graduate (Penn State) and postdoctoral (Dartmouth) research focused primarily on the effects of food marketing on brain response and food intake in children. He continues to examine the prevalence and effects of food marketing and advertising particularly on online platforms related to livestreaming.
Travis lives with his wife and 2 sons in Pennsylvania where they enjoy hiking, going to the beach, playing video games and board games, and reading books together.
Disclosures: Travis’s PhD program and his dissertation research were funded in part by a childhood obesity prevention training grant from the USDA awarded to Penn State. His postdoctoral research was funded by an NIH NIDA T-32 grant. He is currently a co-investigator on two NIH R01 grants related to food marketing, brain response, and eating behavior. He is also a co-investigator on a grant supported by the McCormick Science Institute developing educational materials encouraging the use of spices in place of fat, sugar, and salt in at home cooking. He has no other potential conflicts of interest to disclose.
Morgan Pfiffner received a BS in Chemistry from The Evergreen State College and an MS in Nutrition from Bastyr University. As a graduate student he performed research on dietary nitrate, which included assessing some of the common beliefs about this compound. Morgan is a Certified Nutritionist in the State of Washington and also regularly cooks and prepares meals, both professionally and as a hobby. In addition to his work in the nutrition and culinary fields, he enjoys science communication, such as freelance health science writing, blogging, and teaching community nutrition classes.
Morgan enjoys trying out different diets–from plant based to animal based, paleolithic to neolithic. He currently eats an omnivorous diet which some have described as “eclectic”.
Morgan lives in Bellingham, WA, where he enjoys hiking, playing music, and drinking hot coffee. He has no conflicts of interest to report.
Shaun Ward is a reviewer for Red Pen Reviews. He achieved a BSc in Nutrition from Bournemouth University and an MSc in Sport Nutrition from Liverpool John Moores University. Since his studies, Shaun has worked as a nutritionist and educator for virtual healthcare companies, digital nutrition programs, football and tennis academies, and sport supplement brands.
Shaun’s main interest is the communication of nutrition science to health professionals and the general public. In a frustrating online world that promotes repetitive misinformation, Shaun tries to provide clarity amid the clutter, welcoming discussions about bodyweight management, chronic disease prevention, sports performance, statistical theory, among other topics of interest. Most of his recent work is published on his website, My Nutrition Science.
Shaun is an avid tennis player and a video and board game enthusiast. He lives in London with his partner and cat and regularly enjoys a friendly game of poker with family and friends.
He has no financial disclosures or conflicts of interest to report.
Samuel Dicken is currently a Registered Clinical Scientist with the Health and Care
Professions Council and studying for a PhD at University College London (UCL). Sam’s
research is looking at the impact of ultra-processed food on cardiometabolic health and on
the metabolic, neural and hormonal mechanisms of weight regulation. His PhD will feature
both experimental and observational study designs. Sam has an undergraduate degree in
Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and an MSc in Clinical Science from Newcastle University. Sam spent three years on the UK National Health Service (NHS) Scientist Training Programme, training at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London, UK, and worked in the Behavioural Insights team at Public Health England/Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
Sam’s diet is best described as plant-based, Mediterranean, mostly minimally processed
with some ultra-processed snacks and protein shakes. He consumes animal-based foods on most days, and is a big fan of corn on the cob and coffee. Sam lives in London, UK, and can typically be found running around the parks of Southwest London.
Disclosures: Sam’s potential real or perceived conflicts of interests are his PhD and his self-
published book, The Fitness Blueprint, which also discusses the evidence around nutrition
for body composition. Sam’s PhD is funded by the Medical Research Council.
Maggie Burhans is a reviewer for Red Pen Reviews. She has an extensive academic background in health and nutrition, and received a BS from Penn State University, MS from Cornell University, and PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, all in nutritional sciences.
Maggie’s broad research interests are in understanding the development of chronic metabolic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Her research has encompassed molecular metabolism and biological, nutritional, and genetic factors that may influence the risk of developing these increasingly common diseases.
Currently, Maggie is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Cancer Prevention Program at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She has no financial disclosures or conflicts of interest to report.
Maggie lives and eats in Seattle.
Maggie is not currently active as a reviewer for Red Pen Reviews.
Kevin C. Klatt is a nutrition scientist with broad experiences using in vitro and in vivo model systems, as well as human trials to better understand nutrient metabolism and needs. Kevin’s research has thus far focused on lipids and one-carbon metabolism, with a strong emphasis on maternal and child health. Kevin is additionally involved in several ongoing collaborations related to pediatric malnutrition, as well as the role of diet and nuclear receptor signaling in the management of inflammatory bowel diseases.
Kevin follows a relaxed pescetarian eating style, generally focused on consuming a high fiber, high protein, low sodium diet. He regularly engages in distance running and swimming, in addition to yoga to stay physically active. Apart from prescribed medications (which includes prescription omega 3 fatty acids), he infrequently takes a multivitamin and vitamin D supplement. Kevin enjoys trying out different diets/supplements and co-hosts a podcast doing so with @NutritionWonk.
In addition to research and clinical activities, Kevin stays actively involved with professional nutrition societies, works as a consultant developing continuing education credits, serves on the scientific advisory board for Gian health, peer reviews scholarly articles, and reviews scientific abstracts for both professional societies and industry funders.
More on the specifics of Kevin’s research topics, past and current funding sources (including government and industry sources), and industry/financial relationships can be found at his about.me page.
Kevin is not currently active as a reviewer for Red Pen Reviews.
Dan Dell’uomo was the lead web developer for Red Pen Reviews until mid-2022. He’s a machine learning engineer who earned an MS in interdisciplinary biology from the University of Buffalo, and conducted genetics research for two years. He’s also worked as a trainer, weight-loss coach, and writer.
Dan wrote Fat Funeral: The Scientific Approach to Long-Term Weight Loss, a science-based weight-loss book focused on the most important habits for losing weight and keeping it off.
Dan is from Syracuse, NY, and currently lives in New York City. He loves the Buffalo Bills.