Dr Rajen Anand is now appointed in a key agricultural post by President Barack Obama. He was appointed on 8th July 2009 as an executive director of the USDA centre(United States Department of Agriculture) for nutrition policy and promotion.
Dr Anand, in this current position holds the responsibility for the improvement of nutrition status of Millions of Americans. In this capacity, Anand will lead a staff comprised of nutritionists, economists, mathematicians, and food and social scientists as well as a new evidence analysis library.
Prior to joining USDA Prior to joining USDA, Dr Anand was at the California State University, Long Beach since 1970, where he taught courses in biology, human physiology, pathophysiology, and mammalian metabolism. He also served as the founding chair of the Department of Anatomy and Physiology (1985-1989) and chair of the Department of Communicative Disorders (1990-1992).
Dr. Rajen Anand has a unique combination of experience of university teaching, chairing two academic Departments as well as heading a Federal Agency.
At USDA, his research dealt with the study of overall diet quality and its linkage to chronic diseases among Americans. Dr. Anand has lectured at the national and international professional meetings as well as at many university campuses.
Dr. Anand received his Ph.D. in physiology, biochemistry, and nutrition from the University of California Davis in 1969. He also holds a doctorate in veterinary medicine. He completed post-doctoral fellowships at U.C. Davis in metabolism, and at the UCLA Harbor Medical Center in pediatric endocrinology.
Dr. Anand’s research was in the area of energy metabolism, particularly involving in-utero studies on the effect of maternal nutrition on the developing fetus. He and his colleague demonstrated for the first time that the fetus is incapable of synthesizing glucose and is totally dependent on the maternal supply. An induced hypoglycemia in the mother will lead to low blood sugar in the fetus, and thus will affect its growth potential.
A free-lance journalist, Dr. Anand has published over 350 news stories and articles in various newspapers and magazines, in addition to his many scientific papers in national and international journals.
Dr Rajen Anand and his endless list of achievements both inside and outside the field of medicine is a proof of his immense contribution to the American society.
