Body Composition Research
These studies examine fat, lean, and bone tissue to quantify how body shape relates to disease risk — including cancers and obesity. The lab also investigates how development and environment influence body composition.
Ongoing Projects
Shape Up! Studies
This initiative develops methods to measure health and body composition from 2D and 3D images, providing detailed information about health and wellness risks.
Deep Learning and Total-Body DXA Scans (TBDXA.I.)
Applies deep learning to neural networks trained on large DXA datasets to generate algorithms predicting health endpoints from total-body composition information. Study details →
Space-Feasible Body Composition for Long-Duration Missions (Astro3DO)
Addresses the physiological challenges of long-duration spaceflight, including debilitating loss of muscle and bone mass during adaptation to microgravity. Study details →
Completed Projects
</section>
Recent Publications
The lab has published extensively on body-composition assessment — including 3D optical-imaging accuracy, pediatric populations, eating disorders, smartphone-based muscle prediction, and multicompartment body-composition models in cancer patients.