My name is Kendra. My research focuses on the relationship between purine metabolites, particularly uric acid, and cognitive decline in aging populations, with particular attention paid to examining the role of obesity and genetic risk factors in this relationship. I investigate these topics using epidemiological methods, and my role is foremost in the realm of data analysis in R, along with all the other aspects of doctorate work: hypothesis generation, study design, academic writing, etc.

I am also a registered dietitian and have a Masters of Public Health. I am actively seeking a post-doctoral fellowship position in the field of bioethics or public health ethics to begin in the Summer/Fall of 2024. I seek to combine my empirical research skills with my passion for shaping a world which is more equitable and just. Within this realm, my major topics of interest include:

• Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) relating to developing genomic technologies, with a special interest in direct-to-consumer genetic testing services and the many issues surrounding their role in our world
• Ethical analysis of regressive taxation as a tool of public health paternalism, with a special interest in sugar-sweetened-beverage and other "junk food" taxation policies
• The nature of autonomy and decision-making capacity in the context of progressive cognitive decline and end-of-life decision-making

• ORC-ID: 0000-0002-4864-7482
• ResearchGate: Link
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/klnelsonrd/
• Twitter: @KLNelsonRD