John Erdman studies how dietary changes, such as the consumption of tomato products, reduces the risk of prostate cancer. Tomatoes or lycopenes are often mentioned as foods or supplements that may have a positive impact on patients with prostate cancer. He evaluates the carotenoid lycopene, the main red color in tomatoes. His team uses ultrasound techniques for early detection of prostate cancer and tumor growth as well as monitoring development of non-alcohol liver disease. He also studies how lutein, another carotenoid pigment, impacts brain development. Other areas of research interest are biological effects of carotenoid metabolites and influence of lutein and vitamin E on brain function.
John Erdman, PhD, earned his BS, MS, and PhD from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 1968, 1973, and 1975 respectively. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he is a Professor Emeritus of both Food Science and Human Nutrition, and also Nutritional Sciences, the Deputy Director of the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute, and a mentor for the CCIL’s TiMe Program.