Biochemistry and Structural Biology  http://www.gbs.uab.edu  http://www.uab.edu/graduate

Faculty Detail   
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Graduate Biomedical Sciences Affiliations
Biochemistry and Structural Biology 

Biographical Sketch 
Sarah Morgan, M.D., M.S., R.D., FADA, FACP, CCD is a professor of Nutrition Sciences and Medicine. Dr. Morgan received her undergraduate degrees in Food and Nutrition Dietetics and Food and Nutrition/Related with distinction from Iowa State University in 1977 and later received her medical degree from the University of Iowa. She completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa. She became a member of the faculty at UAB as Instructor in the School of Health Related Professions and the School of Medicine in 1986 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship in Nutrition at UAB. She also received her Master’s of Science in Clinical Nutrition and received the C.E. Butterworth Outstanding Graduate Student Award. She is the recipient of Distinguished Alumni Achievement Citation for Iowa State University and the Distinguished Alumnus Award for Achievement from the University of Iowa Carver college of Medicine.

From 2001 – 2009, Dr. Morgan was the Associate Dean of Research Compliance at UAB. She is the Medical Director of the UAB Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Clinic and the Bone Densitometry Service. The UAB Bone Densitometry service is accredited by the International Society of Clinical Densitometry. Dr. Morgan holds scientist appointments in the Multi-purpose Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Disease Center, Center for Aging. The Nutrition Obesity Research Center, and UAB Bone Center. She was named Outstanding Female Faculty Member at UAB in 2001 and was the inaugural recipient of the Sam Brown Bridge Builder award in 2010.. Her research interests are in the area of folic acid and methotrexate metabolism in rheumatoid arthritis, adjuvant arthritis, osteoporosis, and bone densitometry..

Dr. Morgan is active in several national societies such as the International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD), the American Society of Clinical Nutrition, the American Institute of Nutrition, and the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. She is also a member of the American Federation for Clinical Research, the American Medical Association and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. She is a past president of the ISCD (2011-2012) and serves on numerous committees for the ISCD. In addition, she serves as a member of the teaching faculty for the bone densitometry course and the Vertebral Fracture Assessment course for the ISCD. Her contributions to local organizations include membership to the in the Philanthropic Education Organization for Women.

Society Memberships
Organization Name Position Held Org Link
American College of Rheumatology     
American Medical Association     
American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition     
FASEB     
The American Society of Clinical Nutrition     
The International Society of Clinical Densitometry     
 

Research/Clinical Interest
Title
Description
Nutrition and arthritis, nutritional support, metabolic bone disease (osteoporosis), and bone densitometry.

Selected Publications 
Halilova KI, Brown EE, Morgan SL, Bridges SL Jr, Hwang MH, Arnett DK, Danila MI. Markers of treatment response to methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis: where do we stand? Int J rheumatol 2012: 978396, Epub 2012 July 9  22844292 
kebzak GM Morgan SL, Peace F. Which to use to evaluate change in BMd at follow-up: RMS-SD or RMS-%CV? J Clin Densitom 15: 26-31, 2012.   22154429 
Kebzak GM, Morgan SL. Long-term versus short-term precision of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans and the impact of interpreting change in bone mineral density at follow-up. J Clin Densitom 14: 108-15, 2011.   21787517 
O’Malley CD, Johnston, SS, Lenhart G, Cherkowski G, Palmer L, Morgan SL. Trends in dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in the United States 2000-2009. J Clinical Densitometry 14: 100-107, 2011  21787516 
Soleymani T, Tejavanija S, Morgan SL. Obesity, bariatric surgery, and bone. Curr Opin Rhematol 23: 396-405, 2011.   21532486 
Baggott JE, Gorman GS, Morgan SL. Phenotypes and circadian rhythm in utilization of formate in purine nucleotide biosynthesis de novo in adult humans. Life Sci 88: 688-92, 2011.   21324323 
Baggott JE, Gorman GS, Morgan SL. Phenotypes and circadian rhythm in utilization of formate in purine nucleotide biosynthesis de novo in adult humans. Life Sci 88: 688-692, 2011.   21324323 
Pitt MJ, Morgan SL, Lopez-Ben R, Stellman RE, Nunnally N, Burroughs L, Fineberg N. Association of the presence of bone bars on radiographs and low bone mineral density. Skeletal Radiol 40: 905-11, 2011  21243354 
Morgan SL, Baggott JE. Folate supplementation during methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Exp Rheumatol 28 (Suppl 61): S102-106, 2010.   21044441 
Morgan SL, Peace F, Lopez-Ben R, Fineberg N. Distribution of Z-scores in a University cohort with an emphasis on “high” bone mineral density. J Clin Densitom 13: 385-91, 2010.   21029974 
Binkley N, Krueger DC, Morgan S, Wiebe D. Current status of clinical 25-hydroxyvitamin D measurement: An assessment of between-laboratory agreement. Clin Chim Acata 13: 283-91. 2010.  20713030 
Baggott JE, Morgan SL. Methotrexate catabolism to 7-hydroxymethotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis alters drug efficacy and retention and is reduced by folic acid supplementation. Arthritis Rheum 60:2257-2261, 2009.  19644884 
Morgan SL, Oster RA, Lee JY, Alarcón GS, Baggott JE. The effect of folic acid and folinic acid supplements on purine metabolism in methotrexate-treated rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 50:3104-3111, 2004.   15476202 
Morgan SL, Chen DS, Carlee J, Baggott JE. Effect of methotrexate on bone mineral density and body composition in rat adjuvant arthritis. J Rheumatol 31a;1693-7, 2004.  15338486 
Goodson T, Morgan SL, Carlee JR, Baggott JE. The energy cost of adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. Arthritis Rheum 48: 2979-2982, 2003.   14558105 
Morgan SL, Abercrombie W, Lee JY. Need for precision studies at individual institutions and assessment of size of regions of interest on serial DXA scans. J Clin Densitometry, 6: 97-101, 2003.  12794231 
Morgan SL, Baggott JE, Alarcon GS, Bernreuter W, Arani R. Separation of inflammation and destructive response – MTX affects inflammation and tissue destruction different in the rat AA model, J Rheumatol 28: 1476-81, 2001.  11469449 
Morgan SL, Baggott JE, Lee JY, Alarcón GS. Folic acid supplementation prevents deficient blood folate levels and hyperhomocysteinemia during long-term, low dose methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: Implications for cardiovascular disease prevention. J Rheumatol 25: 441-446, 1998.  9517760 
Morgan SL, Baggott JE, Vaughn WH, Austin JS, Veitch TA, Lee JY, Koopman WJ, Krumdieck CL, Alarcón GS. Supplementation with folic acid during methotrexate therapy of rheumatoid arthritis: Results from a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 121: 833-841, 1994.  7978695 
Fox, RI, Morgan SL, Smith HT, Robbins BA, Choc MG, Baggott JE. Combined oral cyclosporine and methotrexate therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis elevates methotrexate levels and reduces 7-hydroxymethotrexate levels when compared with methotrexate alone. Rheumatology 42: 989-94, 2003.   5884552 
Sarver DB, Lopez-Ben R, Morgan SL, Rehder D, Duke JN, Fineberg N, Pitt MJ. Association of the presence of bone bars on radiographs and hip fracture in postmenopausal Caucasian women. Clin Radiol 67: 840-842, 2012  2284137 
Morgan SL, Baggott Je, Moreland L, Desmond R, Kendrach AC. The safety of flavocoxid, a medical food, in the dietary management of knee osteoarthritis. J Med Food 12: 1143-8, 2009   1985708 
 

Keywords
Nutrition, osteoporosis, bone densitometry, folic acid, methotrexate