SUZETTE PEREIRA, Ph.D.

Areas of Expertise: sarcopenia, muscle wasting, chronic disease and muscle loss, general muscle health.

Suzette Pereira, PhD, is a Volwiler research fellow at Abbott, and a recognized expert in the field of muscle, sarcopenia, and nutrition, with a robust background in molecular biology and biochemistry. Over her career, Suzette has conducted pioneering research toward developing novel nutritional therapies to address muscle loss due to aging (sarcopenia), chronic disease, hospitalization, and malnutrition. Her research has propelled the science behind beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate  (HMB), the lead innovation in Ensure^® that drives sales and differentiation. Suzette pioneered the use of HMB in hospitalized and sarcopenic patients through her groundbreaking clinical studies. She is responsible for developing an innovation pipeline for Ensure^® with the goal of transforming global healthcare and addressing malnutrition.

Suzette actively collaborates with scientists across Abbott divisions and external key opinion leaders. She has collaborated with Abbott’s diagnostics division on the development of malnutrition and sarcopenia biomarkers to transform global health care. She served as Abbott’s representative to external organizations such as the “FNIH- Sarcopenia Biomarker Consortium” and the “Aging in Motion Coalition.” Suzette is committed to driving research and awareness of sarcopenia. She is also active in educating consumers and health care professionals on the importance of muscle and nutrition through various media outlets.

Prior to joining Abbott, Suzette completed a doctorate in microbiology at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in microbiology. She has coauthored 70 peer-reviewed manuscripts and more than 230 patents/patent applications.