Dr. Kranz joined the faculty at Purdue University in October 2009. Her research interest in childhood obesity prevention is a very good fit with the research activities of her colleagues in the College of Health and Human Sciences and the Department of Foods and Nutrition. As a German native, Dr. Kranz maintains active research collaborations with fellow researchers and teachers in several European countries. Her research, especially in young children, is very timely and her publication and presentation record is an indication of the level of interest in this topic globally.

Many of the research findings generated by Dr. Kranz and the individuals working with her have been used to stimulate discussion on public policy. As a nutrition epidemiologist, she conducts data analysis in nationally representative studies, which lend themselves to policy applications. On the other hand, the Kranz lab is very active in local communities and generates new results on the issues of child care nutrition and diet quality in children.