The Choices I.C.A.N. Make
January 25, 2019 – Pregnant women are often consumed by dietary choices such as finding a great prenatal vitamin, eating foods that will promote fetal growth, and doing everything they can to protect their pregnancy. After delivery, however, the mother’s preoccupation with her diet often pauses for four to six months. The Cheatham Nutrition & Cognition Lab is turning this type of thinking on its head with the belief that what women eat while breastfeeding greatly impacts their breastmilk and ultimately, their children’s development.
January Faculty Focus: Philip May, PhD
January 11, 2019 – “I’ve been called ‘tenacious’,” says Philip A. May, PhD, with a hint of humor. It’s an understatement for the man who relentlessly pursues data that shed light on important public health issues across the United States and around the globe. May, professor of nutrition at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) and in the Department of Nutrition at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill, has been a demographer and epidemiologist for the better part of 50 years. He calls his style of research “shoe-leather” epidemiology, meaning that he gathers information for studies by getting out in the field and immersing himself in communities to really know the people in his studies. For nearly 30 of those years, May’s focus has been on learning about the often-dire effects and alarmingly high prevalence of fetal alcohol exposure.
Women’s Health, Preconception Nutrition, and the Right to Choose
December 16, 2018 – If you’ve ever been around a pregnant woman, you’ve probably heard her mention something about food cravings. Or she’s mentioned that she won’t drink coffee or eat Oreos because they are “bad for the baby.” Food is a hot topic during pregnancy because of how it can drastically affect the developing baby. But how many times have you heard a woman mention that she is eating healthier because she is going to try to get pregnant?
Saroja Voruganti, PhD, Promoted to Professor of Nutrition
UNC Nutrition Research Institute faculty member Saroja Voruganti, PhD, has been promoted to the rank of professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) Interim Director Deborah Tate, PhD,...
All of Us Research Program partners with the UNC Nutrition Research Institute
The All of Us Research Program is inviting one million people across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history. We welcome participants from all backgrounds. Researchers will use the data to learn how our biology, lifestyle, and...
Alice Ammerman, DrPH, is Nourishing Communities with Good Bowls
The NRI was delighted to host Alice Ammerman, DrPH, a renowned nutrition professor at the UNC Gillings School of Public Health and Director of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, as a guest speaker for our Appetite for Life series. Ammerman is the...
Moving Toward Health Equity Webinar
The Living Free Lab is hosting a webinar series: Moving Toward Health Equity FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC When: Friday, April 19 at Noon Identifying and Addressing Intersectional Weight Stigma in the Care of Patients with Eating Disorders Featuring: Erin Harrop, LCSIW,...
About the NRI
Deborah F. Tate, PhD
Interim Director
Professor of Nutrition
As a trailblazer in precision nutrition research, the UNC Nutrition Research Institute investigates the intricate interplay between nutrients, lifestyle behaviors, environmental influences, genetic and other biological factors. We’re dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of nutritional diversity among individuals. By leveraging top-tier scientific minds and cutting-edge genetic, metabolic, and digital tools, we’re poised to revolutionize personalized nutrition recommendations and the behavioral support tools needed for realizing healthier futures.
Building upon our legacy as a leader in fundamental and translational science, we’re expanding our reach into human clinical and community trials. I am determined to further this expansion, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of cutting-edge research both in our laboratories and within our communities.
The NRI is forging a path towards a healthier tomorrow for generations to come. Through this website, we aim to keep you informed about our fantastic people, latest developments, participation opportunities, milestones, and community engagements.
Deborah F. Tate, PhD
Core Values
Our Core Values are the shared values to which we commit ourselves for how we conduct our work at the NRI and the way we approach our mission and vision.
Collaboration
We work together to achieve collective and individual goals because we believe that multiple perspectives promote better outcomes.
Innovation
We are innovative and compassionate in our approach to complex issues in precision nutrition.
Cultural Stewardship
We seek to respect the unique qualities of each individual and to foster an environment where open inquiry and expression by all members of this institute are embraced.
Dedication
We are determined to excel in every aspect of our research enterprise.
Integrity
We conduct ourselves with integrity in all our scientific, business and community endeavors.
Research Excellence
We are responsible for conducting publicly and privately funded innovative research with excellence.
We Develop Precision Nutrition
The UNC Nutrition Research Institute is an internationally recognized center that conducts innovative basic and translational science studying how individual differences in requirements and responses to diet affect our individual nutritional needs. We believe that our advances in nutrition science are leading to successes in preventing or mitigating the negative effects of chronic diseases and aging and in improving human development, even prior to conception. → Learn more about Precision Nutrition
UNC-Chapel Hill
The Nutrition Research Institute is part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We’re proud of our Carolina heritage and to represent UNC on the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis.
NC Research Campus
Located in Kannapolis just north of Charlotte, the North Carolina Research Campus brings together eight university research centers along with industry, government, and nonprofit partners to advance human health through nutrition. Together, scientists study precision nutrition and work to develop safer, more nutritious crops and foods.
Kannapolis, NC
Kannapolis, North Carolina, just north of Charlotte, is a growing city with deep roots in textile history and a strong focus on the future. Home to the North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis brings together universities, innovators, and community partners in a walkable downtown setting with parks, local dining, and year-round events.
Where We Are
UNC Nutrition Research Institute
500 Laureate Way
Kannapolis, NC 28081
704-250-5000
UNC Nutrition Research Institute
Research Spotlight
“GLP-1 medications don’t just change your appetite. They also change how your body absorbs and handles nutrients,” noted Evan Paules, PhD, postdoctoral research fellow. “As these medications become more widely used, we need to understand how they might shift nutrient needs, including choline, so we can keep people healthy while they are on them.”
Research that transforms lives.
PUBLICATIONS FROM OUR RESEARCHERS
Precision Nutrition Training and Mentoring
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.