Q: What is your profession? Where do you work?

A: I am a Research Scientist at the New York Obesity Research Center, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital and an Assistant Professor in the Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University. I study genes that influence our preferences for high-fat foods and many of my research studies focus on African-Americans from the Harlem and Morningside Heights neighborhoods. My office is in Morningside Heights, at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center.

Q: What do you do to stay healthy?

A: In order to stay healthy, I follow a mainly vegetarian diet, but I also include lots of fish (about 3 times per week). I eat lots of fruits and vegetables and I work out 3-4 times per week. In these work-outs, I try to include 30-35 minutes of aerobic activity, like fast walking or the treadmill. I also do weight training to help build muscle tone. This is great and only takes 10-20 minutes per day to maintain. And the best thing is you don't even have to leave your house if you use a resistance band that you can purchase very cheaply. It's not important that you eliminate any foods from your diet, but it is important that you practice moderation on some foods that are rich in fat and calories.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do in Harlem?

A: I live in Harlem and my favorite thing to do is stroll around the neighborhood on the weekend and see the beautiful churches and old houses. I also enjoy walking from my house to 125th street because it's a great place to "people watch" and purchase interesting jewelry from booths on the street.

Q:What are your hobbies?

A: My hobbies are reading, cooking, exercise, going to ethnic restaurants in New York City, and surfing the web. I also like to travel.