Part of the CRN-I 2026 Symposium Series
17 November
11:00 – 12:30 EST / 17:00 – 18:30 CEST
REGISTER HERE.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are xanthophyll carotenoids with a well-established evidence base in eye health and an emerging body of research in brain function, cognitive performance, and healthy aging. Yet they remain outside most formal dietary recommendations, and their broader roles across the lifespan are still coming into focus. This session brings together three leading scientists to examine current and developing evidence on lutein and zeaxanthin — from visual function and macular health to cognitive outcomes and aging populations. Attendees will explore the strength and maturity of the science, key research gaps, and implications for nutrition policy and regulatory frameworks worldwide. This virtual, 90-minute session closes the CRN-I 2026 Symposium Series and is available at no cost to government regulators, researchers, clinicians, and dietary supplement industry professionals globally.
Hear from:
- Naiman A. Khan, Ph.D., R.D.
Professor, Department of Health and Kinesiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Elizabeth J. Johnson, Ph.D., FASN, FACN, FICS
Scientist, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University
- Lisa M. Renzi-Hammond, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Georgia
Moderated by:
- Deshanie Rai, Ph.D.
Head, Regulatory Affairs & Quality Assurance, Kemin
REGISTER HERE.
Complimentary. Virtual. 90 minutes.
Open to government regulators, researchers, clinicians, policy professionals, and nutrition industry stakeholders worldwide.
Presenters
Naiman A. Khan, Ph.D., R.D.
Professor, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Neuroscience Program, Personalized Nutrition Initiative, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Naiman Khan is a Professor of Health and Kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Director of the Neurocognitive Health Behavior Laboratory. A registered dietitian and Nutritional Neuroscientist, he studies how diet, physical activity, adiposity, and metabolic health influence cognitive and brain outcomes across the lifespan. His scholarship includes extensive work on carotenoids, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, as nutritional biomarkers and modulators of neurocognition and metabolic function. He has published over 150 papers, with funding from NIH, USDA, foundations, commodity boards, and industry partners, advancing nutrition approaches for metabolic and neurocognitive health.
Elizabeth J. Johnson, Ph.D., FASN, FACN, FICS
Scientist, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University
Elizabeth J. Johnson, PhD, FASN, FACN, FICS is a nutritional biochemist with a faculty appointment at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed her postdoctoral research at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Center on Aging at Tufts.
With over 35 years of experience, Dr. Johnson specializes in nutrition and healthy aging, focusing on plant bioactives and their impact on visual and cognitive functions across the lifespan. Her research has helped advance understanding of how dietary carotenoids, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, support brain and eye health. She is actively involved in several professional organizations, including the American Society of Nutrition, American College of Nutrition, Brain and Ocular Nutrition Society, Carotenoid Research Interactive Group, and International Carotenoid Society.
She has contributed extensively to her field with over 200 peer-reviewed, review articles, and book chapter publications. Currently, she is the editor-in-chief of Global Perspectives on Nutrition and an editorial board member of the Journal of Nutrition and Nutrients.
Lisa M. Renzi-Hammond, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Georgia
Dr. Lisa Renzi-Hammond earned her BS, MS, and PhD from the Neuroscience and Behavior program in the University of Georgia Department of Psychology, where she studied the ways in which nutrition, specifically consumption of the macular carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, affected visual and brain function. During her graduate training, Dr. Renzi-Hammond served as a visiting scholar in the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, as a member of the Carotenoids and Health laboratory. Following her graduate training, Dr. Renzi-Hammond served as a postdoctoral fellow in the University of Texas at Austin School of Human Ecology, in Nutritional Sciences. At Texas, she also maintained affiliations with the Center for Perceptual Systems and Neuroscience.
After working in both nutrition industry and other academic environments, Dr. Renzi-Hammond returned to the University of Georgia in 2017, where she co-Founded the Cognitive Aging Research and Education (CARE) Center, a free multi-specialty dementia clinic and rural health hub, which serves the state of Georgia through its land- and sea-grant mission. Dr. Renzi-Hammond is the former Director of the UGA Institute of Gerontology and currently serves as the Leonard W. Poon Professor for Innovation in Public Health and Aging, and the Associate Dean of Outreach and Engagement in the College of Public Health. Dr. Renzi-Hammond’s latest project is the Georgia MIND project, which aims to understand the relation between preventive behaviors, such as diet, and lifespan cognitive and sensory health.
Moderator
Deshanie Rai, Ph.D.
Head, Regulatory Affairs & Quality Assurance, Kemin
Science Translation and Regulatory Expert & Adjunct Associate Professor, Friedman School of Nutrition Sciences and Policy, Tufts University
Dr. Rai is a globally recognized scientific, regulatory, and advocacy leader with 20+ years of experience translating rigorous science into compliant, commercially successful health and nutrition product and messaging innovations. Her expertise spans preclinical and clinical research, product formulation, quality assurance, claims substantiation, global registrations, and post-market compliance across dietary supplements, conventional foods and beverages, infant and medical nutrition, OTCs, medical devices, cosmetics, and pet health. Deshanie is a credible scientific voice and industry thought leader with extensive experience in external advocacy, policy engagement, and healthcare professional education. She is a widely published author, patent co-inventor, invited international speaker, and active leader in global scientific and trade organizations. She actively contributes to the American Society of Nutrition (ASN) and Women in Nutraceuticals and is a recipient of several academic and industry awards including the CRN and Radicle Science Trailblazer Award in 2025. Most recently, she was recognized as a Fellow of Excellence in support of her science translation efforts by ASN. Dr. Rai is currently the Head of Global Regulatory and Quality Assurance at Kemin Health and Nutrition.