Karen Sweazea
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Phone: 480-965-6025
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LSE 421 427 E. Tyler Mall Tempe, AZ 85287-4501
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Mail code: 9020Campus: Dtphx
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Karen Sweazea, PhD, FAHA
Karen Sweazea is a physiologist who specializes in diabetes and cardiovascular disease. She received her PhD in Physiological Sciences from the University of Arizona where her research focused on understanding glucose homeostasis and natural insulin resistance in birds. Her postdoctoral research was designed to explore how poor dietary habits promote the development of cardiovascular diseases. She is an associate professor in the College of Health Solutions.
Professor Sweazea's current research seeks to explore potentially protective mechanisms existing in mammalian and non-mammalian organisms against complications that can arise with being overweight or having high blood sugar levels. One of the main research foci is on understanding the reasons behind the evolution of naturally high blood sugar concentrations in birds in addition to exploring the impact of urbanization and poor dietary choices on avian health. Learning how certain animals thrive under conditions that would result in pathologies for other species may help improve the treatment of diabetes. A second research focus is on characterizing the mechanisms by which high caloric intake leads to cardiovascular disease and diabetes in mammalian and non-mammalian organisms. This particular research focus also includes the exploration of potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of functional foods in an effort to improve diet and reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease in humans subjects.
- Postdoctoral fellow, Vascular Physiology, University of New Mexico 2005-2008
- PhD Physiological Sciences, University of Arizona 2005
The central focus of my research is to explore potentially protective mechanisms existing in mammalian and non-mammalian organisms against complications that can arise in diseases associated with being overweight or having high blood sugar levels.
Select Publications:
(††Graduate student, †Undergraduate student)
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Deviche P*, Sweazea KL*, Angelier F*. (In Press) Past and future: Urbanization and the avian endocrine system. General and Comparative Endocrinology.
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Brown J*, Basile A††, Bateman H, Lerman S, Warren P, Deviche P, Sweazea KL*. (2022) No fry zones: How restaurant distribution and abundance influence avian communities. PLOS ONE. 17(10): e0269334.
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Mohr AE††*, Basile A††, Sweazea KL*. (2022) An urban diet differentially alters the gut microbiome and metabolomic profiles compared to a seed diet in mourning doves. American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative, and Comparative Physiology. 323(4):R385-R396.
- Basile A††, Singh K†, Watson D††, Sweazea KL*. (2022) Comparative Models in Biomedical Research special issue: Effect of macronutrient and micronutrient manipulation on avian blood glucose concentration: A systematic review. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A. 272: 111279.
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Sweazea KL*. (2022) Invited review for the Comparative Models in Biomedical Research special issue: Revisiting glucose regulation in birds – A negative model of diabetes complications. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B. 262: 110778.
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Basile A††, Renner M†, Kayata L†, Deviche P, Sweazea KL*. (2021) A four-week urban diet impairs vasodilation but not nutritional physiology in wild-caught mourning doves (Zenaida macroura). Physiological Biochemical Zoology. 94(4): 241-252.
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Basile A††, Kirkton S, Hedrick M, Carey H, Sweazea KL*. (2021) Defining comparative physiology: Results from a cross-sectional survey of physiologists and systematic review. American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. 320(6): R938-944.
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Basile A††, Mohr AE††, Jasbi P††, Gu H, Deviche P, Sweazea KL*. (2020) A four-week high fat diet does not alter plasma glucose or metabolic physiology in wild-caught mourning doves (Zenaida macroura). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A. 251: 110820.
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Crawford M††, Mohr AE††, Sweazea KL*. (2020) Novel organic mineral complex prevents high-fat diet-induced changes in the gut and liver of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism. 2020: Article ID: 8846401.
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Anthony C††, Wilson A††, Sweazea KL*, Braun EJ. (2020) Fewer exposed lysine residues may explain relative resistance of chicken serum albumin to in vitro protein glycation in comparison to bovine serum albumin. Journal of Molecular Evolution. 88(8): 653-661, 2020.
Courses
2025 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 784 | Internship |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
CHS 494 | Special Topics |
CHS 493 | Honors Thesis |
CHS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
EXW 784 | Internship |
2024 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
HCD 400 | Decode Peer-Reviewed Research |
CHS 494 | Special Topics |
2024 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
2024 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
CHS 494 | Special Topics |
MED 450 | Leadership and Professionalism |
2023 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
HCD 400 | Interpreting Scientific Lit |
2023 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 360 | Animal Physiology |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 792 | Research |
BIO 360 | Animal Physiology |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
2023 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
MBB 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 784 | Internship |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
EXW 784 | Internship |
CHS 494 | Special Topics |
NTR 690 | Reading and Conference |
2022 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
EXW 691 | Seminar |
NTR 691 | Seminar |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
HCD 400 | Interpreting Scientific Lit |
2022 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 360 | Animal Physiology |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 792 | Research |
BIO 360 | Animal Physiology |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
2022 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 784 | Internship |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
CHS 100 | Optimizing Health&Performance |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
EXW 784 | Internship |
2021 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
EXW 691 | Seminar |
NTR 691 | Seminar |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 792 | Research |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
HCD 400 | Interpreting Scientific Lit |
HCD 400 | Interpreting Scientific Lit |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
2021 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 360 | Animal Physiology |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 792 | Research |
BIO 360 | Animal Physiology |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
2021 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
EXW 791 | Seminar |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 100 | Intro to Nutrition Science |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
CHS 493 | Honors Thesis |
NTR 791 | Seminar |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
2020 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
NTR 692 | Research |
CHS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
HCD 400 | Interpreting Scientific Lit |
HCD 400 | Interpreting Scientific Lit |
2020 Summer
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 360 | Animal Physiology |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 792 | Research |
BIO 360 | Animal Physiology |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
2020 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
NTR 692 | Research |
NTR 784 | Internship |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
CHS 100 | Optimizing Health&Performance |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 524 | Chronic inflammation |
NTR 780 | Practicum |
EXW 784 | Internship |
2019 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
NTR 599 | Thesis |
NTR 792 | Research |
NTR 799 | Dissertation |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
CHS 100 | Designing Your Well-Being |
HCD 400 | Interpreting Scientific Lit |
HCD 400 | Interpreting Scientific Lit |
NTR 692 | Research |
BIO 591 | Seminar |
2022 Mentoring Award, College of Health Solutions, ASU
2022 Distinguished Service on the Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology (CEP) Section of the American Physiological Society Steering Committee Award
2020 Experimental Biology and Medicine (EBM) Outstanding Reviewer Award, Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine
2019 Elected Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA), Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences
2017 Tenured Faculty Excellence in Service Award, School of Nutrition and Health Promotion, ASU
2016 Distinguished Service on the Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology (CEP) Section of the American Physiological Society Steering Committee Award
2015 New Investigator Award, CEP section of the American Physiological Society
2014 Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, Faculty Women’s Association, ASU
2014 Dale J. Benos Early Career Professional Service Award, The American Physiological Society (http://bit.ly/OqEWRw)
2010 Elected Member, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research and Honor Society
2008 August Krogh Young Investigator Award, The Microcirculatory Society
2020-pres Academic Editor, Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
2016-pres Editorial Board, American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology