THE TALK: Pathophysiology of Stress During Strenuous Military Operations and the Role of Essential Amino Acids in Health and Performance
Stefan M. Pasiakos, Ph.D., joined the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements as its director on July 16, 2023. In this role, Dr. Pasiakos helps lead NIH efforts in expanding the scientific knowledge base on dietary supplements; enhancing the dietary supplement research workforce; fostering the development and dissemination of research resources and tools; and translating dietary supplement research findings into useful information for consumers, health professionals, researchers, and policymakers.
Before joining ODS, Dr. Pasiakos held multiple positions at the United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) from 2008 to 2023. Most recently, Dr. Pasiakos served as the Chief of the Military Performance Division at USARIEM, where he led a diverse research program and scientific team to develop evidence-based solutions to limit musculoskeletal injuries and optimize physical and cognitive performance in military training and operational environments. From 2012 to 2021, Dr. Pasiakos was a Research Physiologist in the Military Nutrition Division (MND) at USARIEM, where he led research to refine dietary and supplemental protein recommendations for soldiers and to develop targeted dietary strategies that sustain muscle mass during strenuous operations.
Dr. Pasiakos is a member of the American Society for Nutrition and Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. His academic interests include diet and supplemental nutrition, muscle physiology, human performance, and bioenergetics of exercise metabolism, and is well published in these scientific domains.
Dr. Pasiakos received his Ph.D. in nutritional science in 2008 from the University of Connecticut and his M.A and B.S. in exercise physiology from Adelphi University and Southern Connecticut State University, respectively. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the MND at USARIEM in 2012 as a United States Army Medical Service Corps officer.
