What Will We Discover Next?

For 365 days, researchers at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute have been asking questions.

• Why does the same food affect two people differently?
• How can nutrition influence our risk for chronic disease?
• What happens when our genes, metabolism, environment, and diet intersect?

And every time we find an answer, something remarkable happens: We discover the next question.

The cycle of curiosity and discovery drives our work at the NRI. Over the past year, our scientists have advanced research in brain health, cancer, cardiometabolic health, maternal and child health, precision nutrition and more.

But science does not stop when a discovery is made. There is always another participant to study. Another sample to analyze. Another promising idea to investigate. One more question worth asking.

As 2026 ends, I invite you to help carry this work into another year of discovery.

Your gift to the NRI supports the people, resources, and research environment that allow our scientists to pursue the questions that could change how we understand nutrition and health. Because the next discovery starts with the next question.

Thank you for believing in the possibilities ahead.

Deborah F. Tate, PhD
Director, UNC Nutrition Research Institute