Deputy Director

Ashley Vargas, Ph.D, M.P.H., R.D.N.
Deputy Director, Division of Extramural Research and Training

Tel 301-827-6030
[email protected]

Ashley Vargas is a registered dietitian nutritionist (R.D.N.) and molecular epidemiologist. Her clinical and research experience focuses on improving the precision of nutrition risk assessment and the application of nutrition therapy to individuals across their lifespan. Specifically, she has concentrated her research on the relationship between diet and disease that is mediated by the genome and the microbiome in large human cohorts.

Ashley received her doctoral degree in nutritional science from the University of Arizona, her master’s degree in public health from Harvard University, and her bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Wayne State University, where she also completed her coordinated dietetic training program. She has experience as a clinical R.D.N. in many different settings, has served in leadership roles in professional societies, and is a fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Ashley has previously held positions at the National Cancer Institute, the NIH Office of the Director and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.