Monday, December 15, 2025 12/15/2025

Biobehavioral Reward Responses Associated with Consumption of Nutritionally Diverse Ultra-Processed Foods

Award Number: K23DK129825
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES & DIGESTIVE & KIDNEY DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/15/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2025

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Biobehavioral Reward Responses Associated with Consumption of Nutritionally Diverse Ultra-Processed Foods - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT My career goal is to develop an independent research program that utilizes a comprehensive, multi-method approach to investigate mechanisms by which ultra-processed foods (UPFs) directly contribute to overeating and obesity. My training as a clinical psychologist has provided me with a strong foundation in understanding behavioral responses that may contribute to overeating and individual differences in problematic eating behavior. However, I have had no formal training in biological underpinnings that may drive UPF consumption and am seeking advanced training in evaluating reward processes and identifying behavioral phenotypes within obesity. My training plan will build upon my skillsets and expand my knowledge in three areas: 1) adapting methods used to identify the reinforcing ingredients of rewarding substances to assess which attributes of UPFs contribute to their high reward potential; 2) investigating biological markers of individual differences in food reward and physiological and metabolic responses to UPF consumption; and 3) identifying behavioral phenotypes within obesity in order to better understand differential susceptibility to UPF reward. In order to achieve these objectives, I will engage in a variety of training activities, guided by my mentorship team, including regular supervision meetings, directed readings, attendance at classes, seminars, and scientific conferences, and in-lab methodological training. The proposed study will use a within-subjects design to address these training goals by evaluating differences in biobehavioral reward responses to UPFs high in both fat + refined carbohydrates, compared to UPFs high in fat only or refined carbohydrates only or minimally processed foods. Participants will each attend four food consumption appointments, one for each aforementioned food type, where subjective indices of reward and metabolic responses will be assessed while anticipating and eating the food. The present work is the first to elucidate the biological and behavioral experiences of consuming nutritionally diverse UPFs that may mechanistically contribute to overeating. Understanding which ingredients in UPFs are most reinforcing and the biobehavioral underpinnings will inform novel intervention targets for weight management and problematic eating behavior. The environment at the Center for Weight, Eating, and Lifestyle Science and state-of-the-art coursework and seminars at Drexel University are ideal for my training goals. My mentorship team will be led by Dr. Evan Forman (Professor, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences; Director, Center for Weight, Eating, and Lifestyle Science) and includes training from Dr. Kelly Allison (Professor, Weight and Eating Disorders) in the biological underpinnings of food reward and Dr. Janet Audrain-McGovern (Professor, Addictions) in methodology used to assess the reinforcing nature of substances. This interdisciplinary team will facilitate successful implementation of the proposed research and training plan and the development of an R01 application based on the findings from the present work.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2026	2025	ORI COMMUNITY AND EVALUATION SERVICES	3800 SPORTS WAY	SPRINGFIELD	OR	97477	LANE	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	001	5	12/3/2025	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	-$77,312
2026	2025	DREXEL UNIVERSITY	3141 CHESTNUT ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	4	11/18/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2026	2025	ORI COMMUNITY AND EVALUATION SERVICES	3800 SPORTS WAY	SPRINGFIELD	OR	97477	LANE	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	002	5	12/10/2025	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$77,312
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $144,016 )
2025	2025	ORI COMMUNITY AND EVALUATION SERVICES	3800 SPORTS WAY	SPRINGFIELD	OR	97477	LANE	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	002	5	9/12/2025	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$77,312
2025	2025	DREXEL UNIVERSITY	3141 CHESTNUT ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	001	4	9/12/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$77,312
2025	2025	DREXEL UNIVERSITY	3141 CHESTNUT ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	4	5/15/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$144,016
														Subtotal = $144,016

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $144,016 )
2024	2024	DREXEL UNIVERSITY	3141 CHESTNUT ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	3	3/22/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$144,016
														Subtotal = $144,016

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $219,608 )
2023	2023	DREXEL UNIVERSITY	3141 CHESTNUT ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	001	2	6/15/2023	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$75,592
2023	2023	DREXEL UNIVERSITY	3141 CHESTNUT ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	2	3/13/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$144,016
														Subtotal = $219,608

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $144,016 )
2022	2022	DREXEL UNIVERSITY	3141 CHESTNUT ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19104	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	1	7/12/2022	NEW	$144,016
														Subtotal = $144,016

Grand Total All Awards = $651,656

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Biobehavioral Reward Responses Associated with Consumption of Nutritionally Diverse Ultra-Processed Foods

Award Number: K23DK129825

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES & DIGESTIVE & KIDNEY DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/15/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2025

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