“Nutrition is at the foundation of healthy people, communities, and populations—and under Dr. Binks’ leadership, the College is well-positioned to prepare tomorrow’s practitioners and researchers in this critical field.”
Melissa Perry, ScD, MPH
Dean of the College of Public Health
The George Mason University College of Public Health is pleased to announce that Martin Binks, PhD, MBA, will become the next chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies on August 1, 2024.
Dr. Binks is currently a professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, chair of the TTU Institutional Review Board, and the founding director of the Nutrition & Metabolic Health Initiative at Texas Tech University.
He is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at TTU Health Sciences Center. Dr. Binks has been a highly-regarded metabolic disease scientist for more than 20 years and is an experienced administrative leader in education, healthcare, and clinical program development. Over his distinguished career, Dr. Binks has assisted thousands of patients with behavioral, pharmacological and surgical weight loss; health and wellness; and quality of life improvement. He is a dedicated mentor to students and trainees of all career stages.
Dr. Binks received his PhD in clinical psychology from Fairleigh Dickenson University where he specialized in behavioral medicine, neuropsychology, and obesity. He trained at the Bronx Veterans Administration Medical Center specializing in neuropsychology and post-traumatic stress disorder and completed pre- and post-doctoral training in behavioral medicine and obesity at the Medical University of South Carolina. He received his MBA from Texas Tech University. Dr. Binks was formerly an assistant professor at Duke University Medical Center, Division of Medical Psychology and was director of Behavioral Health, Research, and New Business and Strategic Alliances at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center.
Dr. Binks has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, several book chapters, and the book The Duke Diet. His research interests include nutrition, brain health and cognition; behavioral, pharmacologic and surgical treatment for metabolic diseases; 3-D food printing; and nutritional factors in prostate cancer. Dr. Binks is an internationally recognized expert with an on-going presence across print, digital, and broadcast media, serves as a reviewer for several scientific journals and currently serves on the editorial board for the International Journal of Obesity and Obesity Science & Practice. He was previously communications editor for the International Journal of Obesity and served as associate editor of Translational Behavioral Medicine and is the former editor in chief of Progress in Preventive Medicine.
An active member of his professional community, Dr. Binks holds several notable leadership roles. He has achieved Fellow status at The Obesity Society (TOS), and The European Society of Preventative Medicine. He has been active in many leadership positions spanning more than a decade at TOS including secretary treasurer and executive board member of Obesity Week™. He has been a contributor to the Treat Obesity Seriously campaign and Obesity Care Week. Martin has been a SCOPE Fellow at The World Obesity Federation and was a member of Obesity Canada. He is currently a member of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) and the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). He has served on the Military Committee at American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Dr. Binks has also been a contributor to the Army National Guard Decade of Health and Wounded Warriors programs. He currently serves on several advisory boards. He is a recipient of the TOS Atkinson Stern Award for Distinguished Public Service in Obesity.