Protein metabolism expert to lead Texas A&M AgriLife institute
Davis named director of Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture
Teresa Davis, Ph.D., has been named director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, IHA, effective June 1.
The IHA is the world’s first research institute to combine precision nutrition, responsive agriculture and behavioral research to reduce diet-related chronic disease in a way that considers environmental and economic effects.
“The IHA is uniquely positioned to lead research that will transform food systems to save lives, drive down health care costs, support agriculture producers and protect the environment,” said John Sharp, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. “We look forward to the new advancements Dr. Davis will lead.”
Davis served as a professor of pediatrics at the Children’s Nutrition Research Center, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service at Baylor College of Medicine, where she has been on the faculty for 38 years.
As part of Baylor College of Medicine, Davis’ lab focused on understanding how nutrients, hormones and growth factors influence protein metabolism and early life development. This work has advanced critical research in the field of pediatric nutrition and growth.
“I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Teresa Davis to the Texas A&M AgriLife family,” said Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Her deep knowledge, passion and dedicated leadership will advance innovation at the intersection of agriculture and human health, helping improve Texans’ lives and advancing the missions of both the IHA and Texas A&M AgriLife.”
Fostering an innovative future
“Dr. Davis’ appointment reflects Texas A&M AgriLife Research’s strategic commitment to leading-edge research and innovation,” said G. Cliff Lamb, Ph.D., director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research. “She has a robust history of work that improves health outcomes and advances healthy living for the next generation. We are proud to have her expertise driving the IHA forward.”
As the IHA’s director, Davis will oversee all aspects of the institute’s operations, advancing its strategic priorities and forging new paths toward research collaboration and support.
“I am honored to accept the position of director at the Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture,” said Davis. “As we stand on our unwavering commitment to scientific excellence, I look forward to working alongside our brilliant researchers, fostering innovation and pushing the boundaries of knowledge to address some of the most pressing challenges of Texas and the world.
“Together, we will continue to uphold the institute’s legacy while forging new paths that inspire and transform the future of science.”
Proven expertise and leading research innovations
Davis was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2024. She currently serves as editor-in-chief of the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition and previously served as editor-in-chief for The Journal of Nutrition from 2014 until 2023.
She served as president for the American Society for Nutrition from 2012 to 2013, and president of the American Society of Animal Science from 2022 to 2023. She has published more than 175 peer-reviewed research articles and other publications.
Davis earned her undergraduate, master’s and doctorate degrees at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.
