NRI Postdoctoral Research Associate Promoted to Assistant Professor of Nutrition
The UNC Nutrition Research Institute is pleased to welcome Nipun Saini, PhD, to its faculty. Previously, Saini worked as a postdoctoral research associate in the Smith Lab. Saini worked in the Smith Lab for six years, helping the team advance in understanding the...
When Mom Drinks, Baby Drinks
It is a hidden truth that 1 in 7 pregnant people in United States reports drinking alcohol in the past 30 days. And about 1 in 20 pregnant people reports binge drinking—defined as 4 or more alcoholic beverages on one occasion—in the past 30 days. Nipun Saini, PhD, a...
Nipun Saini, PhD: 2022 PARE Award Recipient
Reposted from UNC Research. Each year, the Postdoctoral Awards for Research Excellence (PARE) are given in recognition of the research promise demonstrated by individual postdoctoral scholars. . . . The PARE awards are open to postdoctoral scholars in all disciplines...
NRI Congratulates First-time First-Authors
December 12, 2019 – Agatha Christie once said, “the first time you do a thing is always exciting.” Well, we’ve had a lot of excitement at the Nutrition Research Institute recently! Two members of the Smith Lab are celebrating becoming first-time first-authors of scientific journal publications.
Why Iron Man’s mother didn’t drink alcohol during pregnancy
November 27, 2017 -In the Marvel movie Iron Man, Tony Stark (Iron Man) is a genius inventor who creates a suit of armor, giving himself enhanced strength and the ability to fly. Although Tony Stark carries the name “Iron Man” for his suit of metal armor, his name is also an apt description of the abundance of iron that he has in his body, especially in his brain. The human body requires iron to function normally, and without enough iron, adults feel fatigued and have difficulty concentrating. Iron is even more essential during pregnancy. If Tony Stark’s mother had not consumed enough iron during pregnancy, it is unlikely that he would have become a brilliant inventor, because iron is necessary for the proper development of the infant’s brain.