Food, activity, sleep and time
Dietary timing, metabolism and cancer prevention
Faiza Kalam, PhD, is a nutrition and fasting scientist at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and the OSUCCC–James. Her research examines how the timing of eating, through intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating, influences cancer outcomes, obesity, cardiometabolic health, sleep and quality of life.
- Experience
- Over a decade in diet, metabolism and chronic disease prevention
- Publications
- 30+ peer-reviewed papers
- Citations
- 2,700+ on Google Scholar
- Laboratory
- FAST Lab: Food, Activity, Sleep & Time
Research in brief
Sustainable, low-cost ways to use the clock for health
The FAST Lab designs and tests dietary timing interventions for cancer survivors, individuals with obesity, and people at risk of metabolic disease. The work spans clinical trials and translational research and connects nutrition science with oncology, sleep and behavioral medicine.
Work with Dr. Kalam
Three ways to engage
Universities and researchers
Joint trials, translational studies and trainee mentorship in dietary timing and cancer prevention.
CollaborateIndustry and organizations
Research partnerships and sponsored studies built on rigorous trial design and a safety-first approach.
PartnerFunders and foundations
Low-cost, scalable interventions for cancer survivorship, obesity and metabolic risk, including underserved settings.
Support the workFeatured work
Recent highlights
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Conference, 2025
AACR Annual Meeting
Extracellular vesicle dynamics during alternate-day fasting combined with low-carbohydrate nutrition, part of a translational project on fasting, immune signaling and inflammation.
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Cell Metabolism, 2020
4- and 6-hour time-restricted feeding in adults with obesity
A randomized controlled trial of two eating windows and their effects on weight and cardiometabolic health. Dr. Kalam is a co-author.
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Frontiers in Nutrition
Editorial work on Ramadan intermittent fasting
Co-authored editorials on the health implications of Ramadan diurnal intermittent fasting, extending dietary timing research to global populations.
About
Faiza Kalam, PhD
I am a nutrition and fasting scientist and an Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and OSUCCC–James, with over a decade of experience studying the intersection of diet, metabolism, obesity, and chronic disease prevention. My research focuses on intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating, and their effects on cancer outcomes, obesity, cardiometabolic health, sleep, and quality of life.
I lead the FAST Lab (Food, Activity, Sleep & Time), where we design and test sustainable, low-cost dietary timing interventions to improve health outcomes for cancer survivors, individuals with obesity, and those at risk of metabolic disease. My work spans clinical trials and translational research, integrating nutrition science with oncology, sleep, and behavioral medicine. I am committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists, advancing global and underserved health contexts, and translating research into practical strategies for cancer and chronic disease care.
Education and training
Academic background
- Postdoctoral fellowship, Preventive Medicine and Cancer PreventionFeinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University
- PhD, Nutrition
Research focus: obesity and intermittent fastingUniversity of Illinois at Chicago - MS, NutritionJordan University of Science and Technology, Arab Center for Nutrition scholarship
- BS, Nutrition and Food ScienceAl-Qalamoun University, Syria
Research interests
Mentorship
Dr. Kalam supervises graduate students and is committed to training the next generation of scientists in nutrition and cancer control.
Professional memberships
- ASNAmerican Society for Nutrition
- AACRAmerican Association for Cancer Research
- ASCOAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology
- ASPOAmerican Society for Preventive Oncology
- SRBRSociety for Research on Biological Rhythms
Research
The FAST Lab: Food, Activity, Sleep & Time
The FAST Lab, directed by Dr. Kalam at the OSUCCC–James, studies when people eat as well as what they eat. The lab designs and tests sustainable, low-cost dietary timing interventions to improve outcomes for cancer survivors, individuals with obesity, and people at risk of metabolic disease.
Research themes
Four lines of work
Fasting and cancer
The lab uses fasting as a non-pharmacological strategy to reduce cancer risk and to support patients receiving chemotherapy or other cancer treatment. For patients in treatment, fasting is scheduled around chemotherapy infusions instead of being imposed every day, and hydration with non-caloric fluids is emphasized.
Time-restricted eating and obesity
Dr. Kalam's earlier work, including a randomized trial of 4- and 6-hour time-restricted feeding in adults with obesity, examined effects on body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors. The trial suggested mild weight reductions over eight weeks.
Sleep and circadian health
Studies examine how fasting regimens affect sleep quality, duration, insomnia severity and sleep apnea risk, linking nutrition with circadian biology.
Global and underserved health
Her work includes a cross-cultural study of adolescents in seven Arab countries and editorial leadership on Ramadan intermittent fasting, extending dietary timing research beyond a single population.
Study design
Eating windows tested in the 2020 Cell Metabolism trial
Current translational project
Extracellular vesicles and fasting
Dr. Kalam presented work at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025 on extracellular vesicle dynamics during alternate-day fasting combined with low-carbohydrate nutrition. The project, conducted with Ohio State collaborators, examines how metabolic interventions may influence cancer-related pathways, including immune signaling and inflammation.
Approach
Safety and evidence first
Fasting research in oncology is at an early stage. Dr. Kalam emphasizes patient safety in every protocol and notes that many questions remain about how fasting could fit into cancer care.
Publications
Selected publications
Dr. Kalam has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications on intermittent fasting, time-restricted eating, sleep and cardiometabolic health, with collaborators across the United States, Jordan, Lebanon and Bahrain. Her Google Scholar profile lists more than 2,700 citations.
Collaboration and funding
Partnering on dietary timing research
Dr. Kalam welcomes collaboration with academic institutions, research organizations, industry partners and funders who share an interest in rigorous, practical and scalable approaches to nutrition and cancer prevention.
Universities and researchers
What the work offers
Expertise in dietary timing trials, sleep and circadian measures, and translational studies linking fasting to immune signaling and inflammation.
Ways to engage
Joint studies, multi-site trials, co-authorship, trainee exchange and mentorship.
Industry and organizations
What the work offers
Evidence-based approaches to eating-window interventions, with a safety-first approach in oncology populations.
Ways to engage
Sponsored research, evidence reviews and study design partnerships.
Funders and foundations
What the work offers
Low-cost, scalable interventions for cancer survivors, people with obesity and those at metabolic risk, including underserved and global settings.
Ways to engage
Project support, pilot funding and program partnerships.
Funding priorities
Where support makes the largest difference
- Randomized and feasibility trials of dietary timing in cancer survivorship and prevention
- Mechanistic work on fasting, immune signaling and inflammation
- Interventions suited to underserved communities and global health contexts
- Training for early-career scientists in nutrition and cancer control
Start a conversation
Tell Dr. Kalam what you have in mind.
News and media
Talks, interviews and presentations
- Podcast
The James Cancer-Free World Podcast, Episode 199
How fasting can affect cancer treatment, an OSUCCC–James interview with Dr. Kalam.
- Article
How intermittent fasting could help cancer patients
OSUCCC–James blog post accompanying the podcast.
- Seminar
OSUN Seminar Series, September 26, 2025
Intermittent fasting and weight loss in cancer patients.
- Conference
AACR Annual Meeting 2025
Extracellular vesicle dynamics during alternate-day fasting combined with low-carbohydrate nutrition.
Contact
Contact Dr. Kalam
For research collaborations, sponsored research, funding inquiries, speaking and media requests, or trainee inquiries, please reach out through her professional profiles and mention the topic below.
Research collaboration
Describe the research question, the population or setting, and what your group would bring to a joint study.
Find Dr. Kalam online