Vitamins and Healthy Diet: A Balancing Act
May 27, 2015 • A vitamin is an organic compound that cannot be made by the human body, but is a required nutrient vital for its various functions. Vitamins are needed in only limited amounts and thus are traditionally derived from our diet. And, yet, nearly half of the U.S. population takes multivitamin supplements—even in times of financial downturn. In 2010 the U.S. supplements industry reached $28 billion in annual sales. And, although no clear scientific need has been defined for vitamin supplementation, the most common reason for taking vitamins is a desire to “improve” or “maintain” overall health, according to a poll conducted by the National Institutes of Health in 2013.
ISNN congress to expand the evidence base for genome-directed personal nutrition
May 11, 2015 • The 9th Congress of the International Society of Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics (ISNN) presents “Expanding the Evidence Base for Genome-directed Personal Nutrition.”
Ammerman to co-lead UNC’s new campus theme – ‘Food for All’
May 4, 2015 • Members of the UNC-Chapel Hill community will come together at a common table when they examine food studies as UNC’s 2015-2017 university-wide academic theme.
“Food for All: Local and Global Perspectives,” which builds on UNC’s 2012-2015 “Water in Our World” focus on global water issues, will challenge all areas of the university to examine wide-ranging topics from food cultures and nutrition, to food security, world hunger, agricultural economics, resource management, sustainable development, climate change and international trade.
Avocado Chocolate Mousse
Recipe by Chef Megan Lambert, Senior Instructor at Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte, NC. Avocado Chocolate Mousse Serves: 6 – 8 2 ripe avocadoes, mashed, about 1 ½ cups ½ cup apple juice 2 tbsp special dark or Dutch cocoa powder 1 cup high-quality chocolate...
Just the Facts
This story originally appeared on the UNC Gillings School of Public Health website. by George Spencer illustrations by Haley Hodges ’19 Andy Warhol never met William Hubbard or Jerry Mande, MPH ’83 (nutrition). But the pop artist who turned soup can labels into art...
Our science is complex, but the focus is clear: we do it for you!
Your nutritional needs are as unique as you are. They depend on things like your genes, microbes, and environment. We focus on understanding how these individualities affect the way nutrition works to address some of our most common medical concerns like cancer, heart...
Kohlmeier Co-edited Textbook selected as Core Title in Nutrition
Martin Kohlmeier’s book, Principles of Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics: Fundamentals for Individualized Nutrition, co-edited with Raffaele de Caterina and Alfredo Martinez, is among the books selected for Doody’s Core Titles in Health Sciences for 2023. This list...
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.