In 2008, the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) began with just two faculty members and nine staff, driven by a bold vision: to revolutionize our understanding of nutrition. Today, thanks to continued investment in our work, we’ve grown into a world-class research institute with 16 faculty-led research teams and more than 100 dedicated professionals working to redefine the role of nutrition in human health.
At the NRI, our research goes beyond general dietary guidelines. Traditional nutrition advice, like the USDA’s food pyramid or MyPlate, offers broad recommendations, but science tells us that what works for one person may not work for another.
“What we eat actually modifies our genes,” explains NRI faculty member Isis Trujillo-Gonzalez, PhD. This means that food is not just fuel – it’s information that shapes our health at a molecular level.
We believe that by understanding how genetics, lifestyle, and environment interact with nutrition, we can move from one-size-fits-all advice to precision nutrition – an approach that tailors dietary recommendations to individuals and helps prevent disease before it starts.
“Precision nutrition holds great potential to enhance our ability to prevent, delay the onset of, or mitigate the progression of disease and to improve health outcomes,” says NRI’s founding director Steve Zeisel, MD, PhD.
But nutrition science is not just about biology—it’s about people.
“Less judgment and more understanding of the social context and determinants of health are necessary,” says NRI faculty member Rachel Goode, PhD, MPH, LCSW. “These complex issues circle around privilege, race, and class. We need to consider how we can create treatments for all people, and at all income levels in our communities.”
Our work is growing, our impact is expanding, and we continually make discoveries that will change lives. We are redefining what it means to eat well by shifting from broad dietary recommendations to personalized nutrition plans. Our work will help people to live longer, healthier lives–fueling a future where everyone can EatUniquely.