Dr. Mary Ann Lila, N.C. State University Plants for Human Health Institute

Dr. Mary Ann Lila is director of N.C. State University's Plants for Human Health Institute. Her research focuses on the bioactive compounds found in some foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, that confer human health benefits when the food is eaten. Utilizing state-of-the-art lab facilities at the N.C. Research Campus, Lila and her team are identifying the specific compounds in plants that are responsible for certain health benefits (e.g. the anthocyanins found in blueberries can help counteract some chronic diseases). She's investigating how these plant compounds function and can best be utilized as part of a natural medicinal arsenal. Lila's work takes her around the globe in search of plants that enhance human health, including projects in Africa, Alaska, Central Asia, Europe, Oceania (New Zealand) and Mexico.