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.