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Name:	Conrad R. Cole
Position:	Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Adjunct Assistant Professor of School of Public Health, Health Policy and Management
Degree:	M.D., University of Ibadan, 1992 M.P.H., Ohio State University, 2003
Programs:	NHS, Full Member
Phone:	404 727-4921
Address:	2015 Uppergate Dr, 2172-003-1AA
Email:	conrad_cole@oz.ped.emory.edu
Research Descriptions:
Short:	Micronutrient deficiencies in preschool children; the clinical, metabolic and molecular effects of bacterial overgrowth in children with a history of surgical short bowel syndrome.
Long:	My primary research interests are in identifying methods to improve the nutritional status of vulnerable children. As a result, I have focused nutritional epidemiology research to assess the impact of zinc deficiency in low income U.S. children. Zinc deficiency was thought to be uncommon in the U.S. based on the assumed intake of zinc from the typical American diet. However, there is no data that examines the zinc status of vulnerable children from low income families. In a preliminary analysis of the data collected and presented at the Micronutrient forum, we identified that more than 20% of the WIC enrolled children with low serum zinc. A general feature of this research is to identify the sources of micronutrients in the diets of these children along with the potential causes of interaction that would prevent micronutrient absorption. Zinc is of special interest due to its strong association with diarrheal illness, pneumonia, iron deficiency and growth failure. Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a devastating clinical problem affecting an estimated 20,000 Americans (children and adults). If SBS in children is not adequately managed, it leads to poor growth, delayed development and ultimately death. Our analysis of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) neonatal research network data revealed that premature infants with SBS are shorter and weigh less than infants with similar birth weight without history of SBS at 18-22 months corrected age follow up assessment. Our objectives are to characterize the natural history of SBS in children. In particular we aim to assess the effect of bacterial overgrowth on intestinal permeability and inflammation. We are testing the efficacy of utilizing fecal calproctectin, serum proinflammatory cytokines and flagellin specific antibodies as non invasive markers of bacterial overgrowth.