Valerie Lillian Darcey, Ph.D., M.S., R.D.

The Section on Nutritional and Metabolic Neuroimaging conducts clinical trials to investigate the effects of dietary and metabolic manipulations on neurochemistry underlying behavioral control of impulses and habits. This work combines multimodal neuroimaging techniques to examine human neurochemistry with controlled feeding studies in the inpatient setting. Through studies designed with the goal of isolating causal nutritional or metabolic variables, our aim is to identify such factors that might influence the neurochemistry contributing to motivated and impulsive or habitual behavior. Of particular interest are nutritional factors which influence dopaminergic and GABAergic signaling, measured using molecular neuroimaging techniques such as positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The long-term goal is to develop and test neuroscience-informed dietary strategies to help improve adherence to behavioral interventions.

• Stadtman Tenure Track Investigator, NIDDK, NIH, 2024-present
• Research Fellow, NIDDK, 2022-2024
• Postdoctoral Fellow, NIDDK, 2017-2022
• Ph.D., Georgetown University, 2017
• R.D., Dietetic Intern, NIH Clinical Center, 2011
• M.S., Drexel University, 2010
• B.A., University of Pennsylvania, 2003