The ASPEN Board of Directors has selected Kenneth B. Christopher, MD, SM, to serve as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (JPEN) for the next 5 years. Now in its 45th year, JPEN is a leading journal of scientific research on nutrition and metabolic support.
Dr. Christopher is an assistant professor of medicine and member of the Division of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School. He is a member of the Division of Renal Medicine and a systems genetics and genomics investigator in the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Christopher was recommended to the board by a 12-member search committee.
“We had six very strong candidates from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and South America apply for the position,” said search committee chair Nilesh Mehta, MD, FASPEN. “Dr. Christopher was the committee’s nearly unanimous choice, and we know he will continue to build upon the impressive legacy of Dr. Kelly Tappenden. In addition to his broad research experience and professional reputation, Dr. Christopher presented a clear, data-driven strategy and a bold vision for JPEN.”
“We couldn’t be luckier,” said ASPEN Secretary/Treasurer Kris Mogensen, MS, RD-AP, LDN, CNSC. “Dr. Christopher was my research mentor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He always has been and continues to be an active collaborator. He is a brilliant researcher, fantastic writer, and innovator. Dr. Christopher wants to push the field forward and has a tremendous appreciation for interdisciplinary and international perspectives.”
Dr. Christopher takes on the editor-in-chief duties on July 1, 2022, from Kelly A. Tappenden, PhD, RD.
“We are incredibly appreciative of Dr. Tappenden’s dedication and service to the association for the last 12 years in this prestigious position,” said ASPEN President Gail A. Cresci, PhD, RD, LD. “She took on this demanding role after serving as ASPEN’s 33rd president and has done a remarkable job moving JPEN up in the ranks as a key nutrition journal.”
“I see JPEN as a journal with enormous potential,” said Dr. Christopher. “As editor-in-chief, I will use citation data and analytics to build on its strong foundational reputation.”
“I also want to ensure that the editorial board reflects gender parity and the diversity of ASPEN members and the patients we care for. I will actively seek diverse top talent to foster an inclusive approach toward driving innovative results.”
Dr. Christopher’s research has focused on nutrition, metabolism, and outcomes in the critically ill. He was an ASPEN Harry M. Vars Research Award finalist in 2014 and 2016. He has received numerous other awards from ASPEN and from the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
In collaboration with the Harvard College Writing Program and the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Christopher designed, implemented, and now directs Harvard Medical School’s Effective Writing for Health Care course. This year-long postgraduate course promotes excellence in scientific, manuscript, and grant writing.
In addition to teaching clinical research courses, Dr. Christopher serves as faculty director for Global Education at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Christopher was a dual major at the University of California, San Diego. He received a BS in biochemistry and cell biology and a BA in cognitive science in 1993. He graduated from the New York Medical College in 1997 and received a Master of Science in epidemiology from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in 2015.
Dr. Christopher completed his residency in internal medicine at the Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital in Providence and was a fellow in critical care medicine at the Miriam Hospital and in nephrology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. He joined the Harvard Medical School faculty in 2005 and was appointed assistant professor of medicine and member of the Division of Nutrition in 2015.
ASPEN welcomes Dr. Christopher to his new editorial role and is confident that under his leadership, JPEN will continue its success in serving and informing the nutrition support community.