Research Interests
Focus areas: Chemistry of biologically active natural products from plants, role of cranberry in colon health including the prevention of colon inflammation and cancer; mechanisms of anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities of flavonoids and triterpenoids from cranberry and other fruits; modulation of gut microbiome, oral and skin bacteria by cranberry; functional food factors and nutrition; isolation and structure elucidation of natural products; impact of environmental and horticultural factors on development of secondary metabolites in Vaccinium macrocarpon, NMR-based metabolomics.
The Neto research group currently collaborates with researchers at UMass Medical School, UMass Amherst and UMass Dartmouth as part of the Cranberry Colon Health Initiative, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., University of Rhode Island, and the UMass Cranberry Station in Wareham, MA. Previous research collaborations on cranberries, phytochemistry and health include the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada, Tel Aviv University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Bruker-Biospin.
In 2011, Dr. Neto and Dr. Maolin Guo received a grant from the UMass President's Office to establish the UMass Cranberry Health Research Center, a research collaborative dedicated to advancing the science behind the health benefits of cranberries. Dr. Neto serves as UMass CHRC Director and PI of the Colon Health Initiative.