MaryAnn Cugini
Papers
1
Total Citations
14
H-Index
1
About
Dr. MaryAnn Cugini is a leading researcher in adolescent metabolic health, with a particular focus on the use of non-invasive salivary biomarkers to assess obesity-related dysfunction. Her most-cited work, a 2016 study on Kuwaiti adolescents, pioneered the investigation of how salivary concentrations of glucose, insulin, VEGF-A, and IL-12p70 can signal an "unhealthy phenotype" in obese youth. This research demonstrated that certain salivary markers can reliably serve as surrogates for blood concentrations, offering a less invasive, more scalable tool for large-scale metabolic screening. By linking obesity to distinct salivary biomarker profiles, Dr. Cugini’s contributions have opened new avenues for early detection of prediabetes and inflammatory risk in at-risk adolescent populations. Her work, cited over a dozen times, is foundational for researchers exploring salivary diagnostics in pediatric endocrinology and public health. Dr. Cugini’s innovative approach underscores the potential for simple, painless tests to revolutionize how we monitor metabolic disease in young people, making her a key figure in the shift toward accessible, biomarker-driven preventive care.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1