Katie Holton: from Washington to Montpellier with Fulbright
Katie Holton is an affiliate professor in the Departments of Health Sciences and Neuroscience at American University, Washington D.C., USA. Her work focuses on the deleterious effects of food additives on neurological symptoms, as well as the protective effects of certain micronutrients on the brain. She will be based at the Desbret Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health (Idesp) from January to May 2026.
Her award-winning research project is entitled "Assessment of the Impact of Food Processing on Mental Health Outcomes in France". The aim? To study the French diet in order to identify all food sources of free glutamate (the main component of food additives used to enhance flavor in ultra-processed products), and then to examine the extent to which consumption of these additives might be associated with mental health problems in France.
During her stay in Montpellier from January to May 2026, Katie Holton will be working in collaboration with Tasnime Akbaraly, an Inserm researcher specializing in food at the Institut Desbret d'épidémiologie et de santé publique (Idesp).
The University of Montpellier and the Franco-American Fulbright Commission have signed an agreement establishing research grants for researchers affiliated with the University wishing to visit an American university or research institute, and vice versa. These grants cover a mobility period of 3 to 12 months, depending on the research project.