Natasha Fowler
Michigan State University
Department of Psychology
316 Physics Rd., Room 43
East Lansing, MI 48824
Education
2022 (Expected) Ph.D. Michigan State University, Clinical Psychology
2018 (Expected) M.A. Michigan State University, Clinical Psychology
Thesis:Associations between ovarian hormones and binge eating
across the menstrual cycle: Do ovulatory shifts in hormones matter?
Advisor: Kelly L. Klump, Ph.D.
Committee: Kelly L. Klump, Ph.D., Jason S. Moser, Ph.D., Cheryl Sisk, Ph.D.
2015 B.S. University of California, Davis, Psychobiology
Minor in Nutritional Biology and Neuroscience
Professional Associations and Honors
2016-PresentF1000 Associate Faculty Member
2016-PresentAssociation for Psychological Science (APS)member
2016- PresentAPS Student Grand Reviewer
2016-2017Global Foundation for Eating Disorders (GFED) Scholar
May 2016UC Berkeley Eating and Weight Disorders Certificate Program
CBT and Psychodynamic Approaches to the Treatment of Eating and Weight Disorders; Incorporating Mindfulness into Treatment; Psychology of Weight Reduction: Eating, Exercise, and Body Image; Nutrition andEating and Weight Disorders; Assessing Levels of Care and Use of Family Therapy in the Treatment of Eating Disorders; Assessment, Etiology, and Diagnosis of Eating Disorders
2016- PresentAcademy for Eating Disorders (AED) Member
May 2015 Featured in UC Davis Undergraduate Research Center Newsletter
2014-2015California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) Research Scholar
Grants and Awards
2016-2022Michigan State University Distinguished Fellowship
Distinguished five-year, 12-month fellowship that provides full funding in the amount of $27,000 for the first and fifth year of the graduate program.
June 2016Provost’s Undergraduate Fellowship Undergraduate Research Grant ($1600)
January 2015Undergraduate Research Center Travel Award ($500)
January 2015College of Biological Sciences Grant ($1500)
November 2014Nutrition Department Grant ($500)
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Published or In press
Adler, S. Fowler, N., Robinson, A., Darcy, A., Toyama, H., Crisp, C., & Safer, D. (in press). Maladaptive behavioral patterns associated with dietary adherence following bariatric surgery. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.
Klump, K.L., Culbert, K.M., O’Connor, S., Fowler, N., & Burt, S.A. (in press). The significant effects of puberty on the genetic diathesis of binge eating in girls. International Journal of Eating Disorders.
In preparation
Adler, S. Crisp, C., Robinson, A., Darcy, A., Fowler, N. Toyama, H., & Safer, D. (in preparation). Factors distinguishing weight loss success & failure at 5 or more years post-bariatric surgery.
Adler, S. Toyama, H., Robinson, A., Darcy, A., Crisp, C., Fowler, N., & Safer, D. (in preparation). Early Adherence Targeted Therapy (EATT): A skills-based intervention targeting poor dietary adherence in post-bariatric patients.
Book Chapters
Published or In press
Klump, K.L., Fowler, N.,Mayhall, L. (in press). The genetic diathesis of eating disorders: Critical roles for puberty and ovarian hormones. In Sangha, S. & Foti (Ed.), Emotion and Motivated Behaviors: Integrating Animal and Human Neurobiology Research. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
Conference Presentations
Poster Presentations
Fowler, N. Laugero, K.D. (2015, May). Development of an experimental procedure for examining nutritional regulation of heart rate variability: Implications to health. Poster presented at the 2015 Annual Stanford Undergraduate Research Conference, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.
Sethi, S.D., Adler, S., Fowler, N., Toyama, H., Crisp, C., & Safer, D.L. (2016, May). A randomized double-blinded clinical trial comparing Qsymia (phentermine-topiramate) versus placebo in patients with binge eating disorder and bulimia. Poster presented at the 2016 Annual American Psychiatric Association, Atlanta, GA.
Fowler, N. Laugero, K.D. (2016, May). Effect of sugared beverages on stress and anxiety disorders: Implications to health. Poster presented at the 2016 Annual UC Davis 27th Undergraduate Research Conference, UC Davis, Davis, CA
Toyama H., Fowler N, Parajito S., Adler S., & Safer D.L. (2016, October). The relationship between food addiction and obsessive compulsive behavior is best predicted by binge eating severity. Poster presented at the 2016 Annual Eating Disorder Research Society (EDRS), New York City, NY.
Fowler N., Adler S., Najarian T., Rowsemitt C., & Safer D.L. (2016, October). Rapid weight loss after bariatric surgery: TSH not the gold standard to detect hypothyroidism due to “famine response”. Poster presented at the 2016 Annual Eating Disorder Research Society (EDRS), New York City, NY.
Safer D.L., Adler S., Sethi S.D., Toyama H., & Fowler N. (2016, October). Qsymia for binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa: Preliminary results from a randomized, double blind, cross-over study. Poster presented at the 2016 Annual Eating Disorder Research Society (EDRS), New York City, NY.
Fowler N., Adler S., Najarian T., Rowsemitt C., & Safer D.L. (2016, November). Maladaptive hypothyroidism, or the famine response, after bariatric surgery: TSH not the gold standard for detection. Poster presented at the 2016 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), New Orleans, LA.
Kurland, A., Adler, A., Salcido, L., Osipov, L., Davoodian, B., Fowler, N., & Safer, D.L. (2017, June). The Stanford Integrated Psychosocial Assessment for Bariatric Surgery: A preliminary analysis of inter-rater reliability. Presented at the 2017 Annual Academy for Eating Disorders (AED), Prague, Czech Republic.
Fowler, N., Keel, P.K., Burt, S.A., Neale, M., Boker, S., Sisk, C., Klump, K.L. (2017, November). Associations between ovarian hormones and binge eating across the menstrual cycle: Do ovulatory shifts in hormones matter? Poster presented at the 2017 Renfrew Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
Professional Experience
Research
2016-PresentGraduate Student, Clinical Psychology Department, Michigan State University
Administer SCID-V to participants. Write and review manuscripts, book chapters, and abstracts for submission.
Advisor: Kelly Klump, Ph.D.
2016Research Assistant, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford University
Served as one of the researchers for a study examiningthat assesses the predictive ability of an integrative psychological assessment for bariatric surgery patients and weight loss. Assisted with data collection (retrospective and prospective), management, and evaluation. Observed psychosocial evaluations for bariatric patients pre-surgery. Observed psychological assessments for bariatric surgery and administered Eating Disorder Examinations.
Advisor: Sarah Adler, Psy. D.
2015-2016Clinical Research Coordinator, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford University
Served as one of the lead researchers for two studies, one tests the efficacy of a pharmaceutical drug on reducing the amount of binge episodes in patients with binge eating disorder and bulimia, the other tests for predictive measurements of post-operative weight loss success in bariatric patients using thyroid hormone levels. Assisted with participant recruitment, phone screening, data collection, management, and data analysis.Wrote and reviewedabstracts and manuscripts for submission. Administered Eating Disorders Examination to participants.Trained to analyze thyroid hormone levels.
Advisors: Debra Safer, MD., Sarah Adler, Psy D.
2014-2016Research Assistant, Western Human Nutrition Research Center, UC Davis
Served as lead researcher on study that tests the ability of comfort food and high sugared beverages to mitigate the stress response in individuals. Trained in research methodology, ECG, impedance, heart rate variability, and skin conductance data analysis. Assisted with the implementation of other experiments. Assisted with training interns. Wrote Standard Operating Procedures and abstracts for submission. Trained to administer the CANTAB, WASI, and TSST. Assisted with participant recruitment and screening. Experience writing and submitting IRB protocols.
Advisor: Kevin Laugero, Ph.D.
2013-2014Research Assistant, Western Human Nutrition Research Center, UC Davis
Assisted with data analysis for a research project testing the effects of chronic exposure to whole grain and taste preference. Helped implement the experiment, and assisted the graduate student whom I worked for with Endnote.
Advisors: Nancy Keim, Ph.D., Bill Horn, Ph.D., Angela DeLeon, Ph.D.
Clinical
2015Psychology Chair, RIVER Clinic, UC Davis
Organized and led weekly health education presentations for Oak Park, Sacramento community members. Planned and coordinatedindividual psychology consultations. Led a team of 10 psychology interns. Served as a liaison between RIVER and the psychology department. Recruited mental health professionals to collaborate with RIVER. Trained in mindfulness, diverse and marginalized populations.
2014-2015Nutrition and Health Education Chair, RIVER Clinic, UC Davis
Organized and supervised health education presentations and cooking demonstrations at Saturday events.Led the kitchen staff in preparing meals. Responsible for the nutrition consultations and Farmer’s Market tabling activities. Led a team of 35 nutrition interns.Served as a liaison between RIVER and the nutrition department. Trained in anthropomorphic assessments, 24 hour recalls, dietary logs, MyPlate.
2014Bayanihan Clinic Intern, Bayanihan Clinic, UC Davis
Provided the Filipino World War II veterans and underserved community in Sacramento with free health care services, including blood pressure, blood glucose, and health education presentations.Ordered labs, scheduled patient appointments, and assisted with clinic schedule flow.
Nutrition/Other
2014-2015President, Student Nutrition Association, UC Davis
Coordinated and oversaw a variety of nutrition related events aimed to provide members with experience in the nutrition field. Promoted nutrition through community service events and projects. Planned and coordinated networking events.
2013-2015Physical Activity Student Program Coordinator, Health Education Promotion, UC Davis
Responsible for planning and coordinating campaigns and events aimed to promote physical activity and wellness to students at UC Davis. Delivered health education presentations promoting the eightdimensions of wellness and physical activity. Conducted focus groups. Designed messages and promotional materials for each campaign. Wrote blogs about different physical activity and wellness topics. Thorough training on Stage of Change (Trans-theoretical) model, health inequity, and marginalized communities. Safe Zone trained.
2013-2014Events Coordinator, Student Nutrition Association, UC Davis
Planned and coordinated social, networking, and community service activities for members of the club to promote nutrition to the Davis and Sacramento community and broaden member’s perspective on opportunities within the nutrition field.
2013Food Service Management Intern, Sodexo Dining Services, UC Davis
Responsible for overseeing the maintenance of each shift at the dining commons. Ensured that each shift ran smoothly. Helped with the setup and cleanup of each station. Trained to serve food and work the cash register.
2012Nutrition Talk Intern, Sodexo Dining Services, UC Davis
Planned and coordinated weekly nutrition presentations and tabling activities to present to students in the dining commons.
Research Skills and Highlights
Software Programs
-R Studio- Beginner
-HRV, EDA, IMP analysis- Proficient
-Endnote- Proficient
-Mendeley Proficient
-Excel- Proficient
-SPSS- Intermediate
Assessments
-Trained to implement:
WASI, CANTAB, TSST
Eating Disorder Examination
SCID-IV, SCID-V
WAIS-V, WISC-V, WIAT-III
WRAML-2, D-KEFS
PAI, MMPI
Other
-Proficient in French and Spanish
-Project Coordination
-Experience writing experimental protocols, abstracts, manuscripts, grants
-Survey creation and data collection using Qualtrics
-Experience with participant recruitment and screening
-Thyroid hormone analysis
-Conducted Focus Groups
-Experience submitting IRB protocols
-Safe Zone Trained