The staff of the Micronutrient Information Center (MIC) values public engagement. We welcome your inquiries and feedback via email.

Victoria Drake photo
Victoria J. Drake, Ph.D.
Manager, MIC

Victoria J. Drake earned a B.A. in Biology from Grinnell College in 1998. After working as a Research Assistant at The University of Iowa in the field of redox biology and aging, she pursued graduate studies in nutrition at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2006, Victoria received her Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences with an emphasis in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition. Victoria has worked for the Linus Pauling Institute’s MIC since 2006, first as a Research Associate and now as its Manager. In the past 13 years, she has written, updated, and edited MIC articles and has co-authored two textbooks based on MIC content. Victoria has successfully managed several projects at the LPI, including MIC website redesigns, creation of both the Spanish MIC and Japanese MIC, and addition of the MIC's Health & Disease section.

photo of Barbara Delage
Barbara Delage, Ph.D.
Nutrition Scientist

Barbara Delage worked for the MIC from May 2013 through August 2019, updating many of its articles. She earned a B.S. in Genetics and Biochemistry and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Nutrition and Food Science from the University of Bordeaux, France. She also holds an M.Sc. in Nutrition for Global Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Barbara's doctoral thesis investigated the role of overweight and obesity in the promotion of colon cancer. As a nutrition scientist, she spent many years in research laboratories exploring the biological effects of micronutrients and dietary factors in the promotion of health and the prevention of chronic conditions like cancer. She worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Linus Pauling Institute (2005-2008); at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, UK (2008-2010); and at Unilever R&D, UK (2010-2011).

photo of Giana Angelo
Giana Angelo, Ph.D.
Nutrition Scientist

Giana Angelo worked for the MIC from October 2011 through June 2017. During this time, she wrote and updated many MIC articles and authored all of the content in the MIC's "Health & Disease" section. Giana earned a B.A. in Biology with a minor in Nutrition Science from Cornell University. She conducted her graduate work at Tufts University, earning an M.S. in Human Nutrition and a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Nutrition. Her doctoral thesis investigated the cellular events that contribute to the age-related decline in vitamin D responsiveness. Giana conducted her postdoctoral research in the Division of Basic Sciences at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where she utilized the model organism C.elegans to investigate the metabolic adaption to starvation.

photo of Vini Karumuru
Vini Karumuru
Graphic Designer
Vinita (Vini) Karumuru is a student at Oregon State University pursuing an H.B.S in Biological Data Sciences with minors in Chemistry and Public Health. She is a self-taught graphic designer and joined the MIC team in March 2022, where she designs graphics for media and for print.
photo of Natsumi Shimazaki
Natsumi Then Shimazaki
Spanish Translator

Natsumi Then Shimazaki (Natsu) worked for the MIC until March 2020, translating many of the MIC articles into Spanish. Natsu is fluent in English and Spanish and also has an advanced understanding of Japanese. Natsu holds a B.S. in Mathematics, is completing an M.S. in Mathematics, and currenly works full-time as a secondary math teacher based in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and also as a freelance translator.