Precision Nutrition Core

The Precision Nutrition Core is an all-encompassing support system for investigators conducting research on nutrigenetic and microbiomic aspects of obesity and obesity-related diseases.

The goal for some obesity research is to identify genetic and environmental factors and interactions that affect an individual’s susceptibility and to identify high-utility targets for prevention and treatment. In the long run, investigators should be able to individualize or personalize diet and health recommendations based on knowledge gained from obesity research. Thus, there is a great need for studies with strong translational potential. Additionally, the Microbiome sub-core provides consultation (experimental design, grant writing assistance, data interpretation and publication help) on nutrition-focused microbiome studies.

Services and Equipment

The goal for some obesity research is to identify genetic and environmental factors and interactions that affect an individual’s susceptibility and to identify high-utility targets for prevention and treatment. In the long run, investigators should be able to individualize or personalize diet and health recommendations based on the knowledge gained from prior research conducted on obesity. Thus, there is a great need for studies with strong translational potential. Additionally, the Nutritional Genomics sub-core provides consultation (experimental design, grant writing assistance, data interpretation and publication help) on nutrition-focused studies.

  • Basic Lab Analysis
  • DNA/RNA extractions: isolate DNA/RNA from blood, saliva, tissue, or blood spots to analyze SNPs
  • Concentrating DNA samples, PCR runs, gels
  • Data Cleaning/Mining; Interpretation of Results; Tabulation and Graphical Representation of Results
  • One-Carbon Metabolism SNP Chip Microarray: This is the MEGAEX microarray (illumina) containing over 2 million human SNPs including many related to one-carbon metabolism, (e.g.: PEMT rs12325817, CHDH rs12676 and CHDH rs9001).
  • Variant Identification and Annotation
  • Genome-Wide Linkage Analysis
  • Multipoint Identity by Descent (MIBD) Determination
  • Genome-Wide SNP or Whole Genome Sequence Association Analysis, Genome-Wide Transcriptional Data Analysis
  • Haplotype Inference, Genotype and Phenotype Imputation
  • Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics Data Analysis/Consulting
  • Proofreading of Manuscript/Grant Proposals; Imputation; Estimation of Kinships and Pedigrees in Related Samples
  • Grant Development Assistance
  • Anaprep 
  • QuantStudio 12k Flex

Staff

 

Saroja Voruganti, PhD

Saroja Voruganti, PhD

Director of Precision Nutrition Core (Nutrigenetics), Associate Professor of Nutrition

saroja@unc.edu
704-250-5009