U of I Grad Explores Nutrition’s Impact on Chronic Diseases
From Hospital Bed to Research Lab: Idaho Alumna Tackles Chronic disease Through Nutrition
Moscow, ID – Raveen Rani’s journey from a health scare to a promising career in nutritional science is a testament to the power of knowledge and the impact of a supportive academic surroundings. Growing up in Punjab, India, Rani enjoyed access to fresh, local food but, like many, gravitated towards less healthy options. A health crisis in her youth served as a wake-up call, leading her to prioritize nutrition and ultimately pursue a master’s degree in nutritional sciences at the University of Idaho.”I wanted to explore the area of nutrition impact on chronic disease,” rani explained.”My project was based on that — exploring how nutrition or lifestyle can effect diabetes.”
Rani’s research, conducted under the guidance of Assistant Professor Ginny Lane in the Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences, focused on a lifestyle intervention program for adults at high risk for type 2 diabetes. The program aimed to help participants achieve 5-7% weight loss and increase physical activity to 150 minutes per week.”I hadn’t done any kind of research before coming to U of I, so it was challenging for me at first,” Rani admitted. “But as of the help from Dr. Lane everything went smoothly,and I learned the skills and software I needed.”
The results were encouraging: 64% of participants achieved the increased physical activity goal, and 26.5% reached the 5% weight loss goal. Rani’s experience as a graduate research assistant, including data collection, participant interaction, and co-authoring a research publication, provided invaluable hands-on learning.”Being at the University of Idaho was a totally new environment for me,” Rani reflected. “At first it was a challenge,but I took advantage of the many resources on campus that helped me achieve my research goals and helped smooth my journey.”
Rani graduated with her master’s degree in August 2024 and is now pursuing a doctoral program in nutritional science at Florida State University. She is drawn to research on the role of nutrition in cancer prevention, a deeply personal interest after losing her grandfather to the disease.
Rani’s ultimate goal is to secure a research position where she can contribute to real-world solutions for preventing chronic diseases. Her time at the University of Idaho provided the foundation for this ambition.
“U of I provided a collaborative research environment that allowed me to apply my knowledge in a real-life context,” Rani said. “All the projects I participated in set a strong foundation for my future in research.”
From Hospital Bed to Research Lab: Idaho Alumna Tackles Chronic Disease Through Nutrition
Moscow, ID – Raveen Rani’s journey from a health scare to a promising career in nutritional science is a testament to the power of knowledge adn the impact of a supportive academic surroundings.growing up in Punjab, India, Rani enjoyed access to fresh, local food but, like many, gravitated towards less healthy options. A health crisis in her youth served as a wake-up call, leading her to prioritize nutrition and ultimately pursue a master’s degree in nutritional sciences at the University of Idaho. “I wanted to explore the area of nutrition impact on chronic disease,” Rani explained. “My project was based on that — exploring how nutrition or lifestyle can effect diabetes.”
Rani’s research, conducted under the guidance of Assistant Professor Ginny Lane in the Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences, focused on a lifestyle intervention program for adults at high risk for type 2 diabetes. The program aimed to help participants achieve 5-7% weight loss and increase physical activity to 150 minutes per week.”I hadn’t done any kind of research before coming to U of I, so it was challenging for me at first,” Rani admitted. “But as of the help from Dr. Lane everything went smoothly,and I learned the skills and software I needed.”
The results were encouraging: 64% of participants achieved the increased physical activity goal,and 26.5% reached the 5% weight loss goal. Rani’s experience as a graduate research assistant,including data collection,participant interaction,and co-authoring a research publication,provided invaluable hands-on learning. “Being at the University of Idaho was a totally new environment for me,” Rani reflected. “At first it was a challenge, but I took advantage of the many resources on campus that helped me achieve my research goals and helped smooth my journey.”
Rani graduated with her master’s degree in August 2024 and is now pursuing a doctoral program in nutritional science at Florida State University. She is drawn to research on the role of nutrition in cancer prevention, a deeply personal interest after losing her grandfather to the disease.
Rani’s ultimate goal is to secure a research position where she can contribute to real-world solutions for preventing chronic diseases.Her time at the University of Idaho provided the foundation for this ambition.
“U of I provided a collaborative research environment that allowed me to apply my knowledge in a real-life context,” Rani said. “All the projects I participated in set a strong foundation for my future in research.”