Christopher Gardner holds a PhD in Nutrition Science and is the Rehnborg Farquhar Professor of Medicine at Stanford. For ~30 years his research has examined what to eat and what to avoid for optimal health. This includes more than 20 nutrition intervention trials conducted with >2,000 participants. The study topics of interest have included garlic, soy, antioxidants, popular diets, plant-based alternative meats, fiber, and fermented foods. The primary study outcomes in these trials are typically cardiometabolic factors (e.g., insulin, glucose, lipids, blood pressure, inflammation/immune function, body composition). He is the current chair of the American Heart Association Nutrition Committee and serves on the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Two shifts in his current research include (1) studying diet and the microbiome, and (2) working with chefs in institutional food settings such as universities, worksites, hospitals, K-12 and food banks.