Associate Professor and Co-Vice Chair in the Department of Nutrition at UC Davis

Dr. Gerardo Mackenzie is an Associate Professor and Co-Vice Chair in the Department of Nutrition at UC Davis, where he also serves as an Associate Nutritionist in the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES). With a Ph.D. in Cell Biology and a B.S./M.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dr. Mackenzie brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role. His research focuses on the role of diet and lifestyle factors in cancer development, prevention, and treatment. Key research projects include understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms linking obesity, inflammation, and cancer, evaluating the impact of dietary interventions such as the ketogenic diet alongside standard chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer, and investigating the potential of select nutraceuticals as chemopreventive agents. 

Dr. Mackenzie is also the Program Director for the Nutritional Biology Graduate Admissions Pathways (NUTGAP) program. This initiative provides students from Fort Valley State University and Savannah State University with hands-on research experience, professional development, and long-term mentoring. NUTGAP aims to increase the number of scientists from underrepresented groups pursuing research careers in nutritional biology. Dr. Mackenzie’s dedication to mentorship and his groundbreaking research make him a valuable asset to the UC Davis community and the broader field of nutritional biology.