Advancing Nutrition Science for a Healthier Tomorrow
Pioneering
Personalized Nutrition
At the UNC Nutrition Research Institute, we are dedicated to unraveling the complexities of nutrition to enhance health and well-being.
Join us on our journey to discover how personalized nutrition can transform lives.
Read the Latest News
From Gap Year to Groundbreaking Research: Brendon Coats Recognized with First-Generation Student Research Award
When Brendon Coats graduated high school, he did not have a clear plan for what came next. Today, he is an undergraduate biology student at UNC Charlotte, a Research Technician in the Smith Lab at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI), and a recipient of the First-Generation Student Research Award—an honor recognizing both academic achievement and research excellence. His path into science did not begin in a classroom. It began during a gap year, when a connection led him to an internship at the NRI’s Clinical Research Center.
Falling Off Track with Health Goals? Science Points to a Better Way
NGx brings together forward-thinking minds at the intersection of nutrition, genetics, and health to explore where science is going next—and how it’s already shaping the way we understand and apply precision nutrition. This is more than a conference; it is a chance to engage directly with the research, the people behind it, and the ideas that are redefining the field.
Don’t Miss Your Seat at NGx
NGx brings together forward-thinking minds at the intersection of nutrition, genetics, and health to explore where science is going next—and how it’s already shaping the way we understand and apply precision nutrition. This is more than a conference; it is a chance to engage directly with the research, the people behind it, and the ideas that are redefining the field.
Research Spotlight
Evaluating the Evolving Real-World Adverse Events of GLP-1RAs Using FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)
NRI Contributor: Stephen D. Hursting, PhD, MPH
Obesity remains one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time, contributing to conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
GLP-1 receptor agonists have emerged as promising tools for obesity and weight management, offering new opportunities to improve cardiometabolic health. But as their use grows, so does the need to better understand their safety in real-world settings.
Research that transforms lives.
PUBLICATIONS FROM OUR RESEARCHERS
Nutri-epigenetics of Mitochondrial Function and Energy Homeostasis in Obesity
How nutrition-related epigenetic changes may disrupt mitochondrial function and energy homeostasis, helping drive obesity beyond the effects of genetics, diet, and physical activity alone.
Choline, Lipidomics, and MASLD: Insights From the CARDIA Study
Certain blood lipids and choline-related metabolites were linked to fatty liver disease, suggesting they may help explain risk and serve as possible biomarkers.
Holding the Line: Preventing Weight Gain in Emotional Eaters
Weight gain prevention is a critical component of comprehensive obesity care. Emotional eating may contribute to unwanted weight gain, increasing cardiometabolic risk factors among adults with obesity.
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Appetite for Life
