Nutrition and Exercise Physiology

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Heather Leidy, PhD

Assistant Professor
Nutrition & Exercise Physiology
117B Tucker Hall 
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: (573) 882-0654
E-mail: leidyh@missouri.edu
Vita (PDF)

Research Focus

Dr. Leidy’s research focuses on the metabolic, hormonal, and neural regulation of appetite, food intake and body weight in overweight and obese individuals across the lifespan. She has over 10 peer-reviewed, original research publications in obesity-focused research, has given over 20 presentations at various scientific conferences including endocrinology, experimental biology, The Obesity Society, and American College of Sports Medicine, and has received/been involved with 9 internal and external (NIH and industry) grants. She was awarded a 2009 KUMC BIRCWH Award for research in her research program. Dr. Leidy has also mentored and directed the research projects of over 10 undergraduate honors’ and medical students, kinesiology interns, and MS and PhD graduate students.

"Beneficial effects of a higher-protein breakfast on the appetitive hormonal, and neural signals controlling energy intake regulation in overweight/obese, "breakfast-skipping," late-adolescent girls."

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Background Information

Dr. Leidy received her BS in Biology (with Teaching Certification in Biology & General Science) from Shippensburg University (1996) and taught junior-high biology in the PA public school system for several years. She then went on to complete her MS (2000) and PhD (2004) work in the Inter-departmental Physiology Program at Penn State University.

During her time at Penn State, Dr. Leidy taught several physiology courses, receiving the Pennsylvania State University Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Award. Dr. Leidy went on to complete a Post-doctoral Fellowship (2007) in the Ingestive Behavior Research Center within the Department of Foods and Nutrition at Purdue University.