Meet Kelly Klump
Department: Psychology
Type of research: Using twins to study the genetics of eating disorders
Date of research: 13 years at University of Minnesota, University of Pittsburgh and MSU (since 2000)
Funding for research: Roughly $500,000, mostly from the National Institute of Mental Health
Basics of research: Though Klump said she uses some other research subjects, the majority of her research comes from studies done on twins.
“We interview twins, we have them fill out questionnaires asking about personalities, disorders, anxiety, depression, and so on. We get saliva samples for extracting DNA and we use those to measure hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, cortisol,” she said.
Social Impact: Klump said her research will affect the way eating disorders are viewed and the way insurance companies handle eating disorder cases.
“If we can understand and communicate to the public the influence of biological and genetic disorders on people, eating disorders can become less stigmatized, and sufferers can receive the same number of resources and insurance benefits as those suffering from mental illness. Individuals with eating disorders are often discriminated against for their illness by insurance companies,” Klump said.
Though Klump has big aspirations, she said she’s taking it one step at a time.
“I’m hoping my research can help unravel genetical and biological underpinnings of eating disorders so I can isolate just one of the risk factors for this condition. There will be many, but I’d like to isolate one or one set of factors that clearly and definitively contribute to eating disorders.”
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MSU professor involved in eating-disorder research
When Kelly Klump worked as a peer counselor for her high school, she frequently worked with girls with eating disorders — many of whom were her friends.
Though Klump, an associate professor, said there wasn’t just one incident that made her want to go into health research, this was one of the first.
She now studies the genetics of eating disorders at MSU, using twins to understand how genetic and environmental factors can contribute to disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
“We have them fill out questionnaires asking about personalities, disorders, anxiety, depression and so on,” she said. “We get saliva samples for extracting DNA and we use those to measure hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, cortisol.”
Klump fell in love with the topic, she said, because of how understudied it is.
“I think eating disorders are disorders that are very much misunderstood,” Klump said. “They are commonly believed to be caused by societal pressures to be thin. Even though that plays a role, there’s a very strong biological and genetical component that has gone unrecognized.”
Despite most of her family’s being teachers, Klump said she never thought she’d be following in their footsteps.
“When I went into this profession I was pursuing a career in research,” she said. “I had never taught a course before coming to MSU, but I realized I really enjoyed teaching, and that was a pleasant surprise.”
Published on Wednesday, October 3, 2007
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