Sydne J. Newberry

Sydne J. Newberry
Research Communications Analyst; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School
Santa Monica Office

Education

Ph.D. in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Overview

Sydne Newberry is a communications analyst at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. As a nutritionist, she has also served as a project lead and literature reviewer for systematic reviews of evidence in the areas of nutrition, endocrinology, military health, and integrative medicine. She has led systematic reviews on the effects of sodium and potassium on heart health; omega-3 fatty acids; vitamin D and bone health; diagnosis and treatment of gout; and prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. As a research communications analyst, Newberry assists researchers with proposal preparation, dissemination planning, drafting and revising research reports, and creating spinoff products to target specific audiences and stakeholders. She works for the Health Care Division and the FFRDCs, primarily in the area of military acquisition. Prior to joining RAND, she was a nutrition instructor and project manager for the Department of Community Health Sciences in the UCLA School of Public Health, and the project officer for the Institute of Medicine/Food and Nutrition Board/Committee on Military Nutrition Research of the National Academy of Sciences. She received an NIH postdoctoral training grant and conducted postdoc research at the Ohio State University and the Fels Research Institute/Wright State University School of Medicine (Dayton, OH) in molecular biology and virology. She currently serves as a peer reviewer for numerous journals and was an invited blogger for the American Society of Nutrition. Newberry received her Ph.D. in nutritional biochemistry from MIT.

Recent Projects

  • Systematic Review on Gender Differences in the Effectiveness of Treatments for Alcohol Use Disorder
  • Updating Space Acquisition in Light of the New Space Force
  • A Strategic Roadmap for the JAIC
  • The Impact of Mindfulness Meditation Programs on Performance-Related Outcomes: Implications for the U.S. Army
  • A Scoping Review of Guidelines and Quality Measures to Screen for Social and Caregiver Support and Cognitive Impairment in Primary Care

Selected Publications

Robinson KA, Chou R, Berkman ND, Newberry SJ, Fu R, Hartling L, Dryden D, Butler M, Foisy M, Anderson J, Motu'apuaka M, Relevo R, Guise JM, Chang S, "Twelve recommendations for integrating existing systematic reviews into new reviews: EPC guidance," Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, (August 7), 2015

Ahmadzai N, Newberry SJ, Maglione MA, Tsertsvadze A, Ansari MT, Hempel S, Motala A, Tsouros S, Schneider Chafen JJ, Shanman R, Moher D, Shekelle PG, "A surveillance system to assess the need for updating systematic reviews," Systematic Reviews, (November 1), 2013

Gidengil C, Goetz MB, Newberry S, Maglione M, Hall O, Larkin J, Motala A, Hempel S., "Safety of vaccines used for routine immunization in the United States: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis," Vaccine, 39(28), 2021

Newberry, Sydne J., Aneesa Motala, Lisa V. Rubenstein, Paul G. Shekelle, and Jody Larkin, A Scoping Review of Guidelines and Quality Measures to Screen for Social and Caregiver Support and Cognitive Impairment in Primary Care, RAND (RRA1846-1), 2022

Hepner, Kimberly A., Erika Litvin Bloom, Sydne J. Newberry, Jessica L. Sousa, Karen Chan Osilla, Marika Booth, Armenda Bialas, and Carolyn M. Rutter, The Impact of Mindfulness Meditation Programs on Performance-Related Outcomes: Implications for the U.S. Army, RAND (RRA1522-1), 2021

Newberry, Sydne J., Jeannette Tsuei, Jody Larkin, Aneesa Motala, Kayla Howard, and Gena Dunivan, Managing Urinary Incontinence for Women in Primary Care: Environmental Scan (Base Year), RAND (RRA1932-1), 2022

Honors & Awards

  • Postdoctoral research fellowship, National Institutes of Health

Commentary

  • Women's Health

    Do We Know How to Treat Alcohol Misuse in Women?

    Despite the many clinical trials that have demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of treatments for alcohol use disorder, we still know little about whether men and women respond differently to treatment. Without knowing whether recommended treatments are effective for women, women are vulnerable to the consequences of alcohol misuse.

    Apr 29, 2020

    The RAND Blog

  • Obesity

    What's in a Name? Calling Obesity a Disease Could Help Improve Chronic Disease Outcomes

    The American Medical Association officially designated obesity as a disease, hoping to help change the way doctors approach the issue with their patients, increase funding for research on effective treatments, spur insurers to cover prescription weight loss medications, and maybe even help de-stigmatize the condition.

    Oct 16, 2013

    The RAND Blog

Publications