News

Our research not only influences the scientific community, but the general public as well. We strive to share our discoveries with everyone. Read some of our latest articles on what is happening at the Nutrition Research Institute.

November Faculty Focus: Steven H. Zeisel, PhD

November 13, 2018 – From his lab in a textile mill-turned-food research center, a UNC scientist has brought an important nutrient to the world’s attention. Dr. Steven Zeisel wants to make sure you’re getting enough choline. In a state-of-the-art laboratory on the North Carolina Research Campus, in the unlikeliest of places in a former textile mill town, Zeisel is overseeing scientific experiments about a nutrient that could change the way we eat.

AFL@JWU Recipes – October 17, 2018

October 17, 2018 – Chef Megan Lambert, MS, RD, Senior Instructor in College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte, prepared healthy, delightful recipes with “Fun(ctional) Fall Flavors while Steph Saullo, MS, RD of the UNC Nutrition Research Institute, shared nutrition information on each recipe. The recipes from the October 17, 2018 Appetite For Life @ Johnson & Wales University program are available here for your cooking enjoyment!

AFL@JWU Nutrition Notes – October 17, 2018

October 17, 2018 – The science on food and nutrients and their relationship to health is complex. Individuals are unique and there are various factors that influence health outcomes. Researchers at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) are working very hard to understand the intricacies of diet and nutrients, and their relationship to disease prevention and progression with the goal that general dietary guidance will be replaced with personalized nutrition recommendations.

Breaking the Link Between Obesity, Gastrointestinal Cancers

October 3, 2018 – UNC NRI’s and UNC Lineberger’s Stephen Hursting, PhD, MPH, along with Cornelia Ulrich, PhD, MS, the director of the Huntsman Cancer Institute’s National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and colleagues, reviewed findings from research looking at the biological links between obesity and cancers of the colon, rectum, pancreas, liver, esophagus, gallbladder and stomach, as well as published studies on how diet, exercise, weight loss surgery, and other weight-related interventions may help reverse this connection.

October Faculty Focus: Saroja Voruganti, PhD

October 17, 2018 – Saroja Voruganti, PhD, has covered a lot of ground in her journey to becoming a faculty researcher in nutrition, genetics, and epidemiology at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute. Born into a traditional south Indian family, she grew up in Delhi in northern India where she graduated with an undergraduate degree in nutrition. Then she married and moved to western India. Even as she focused on marriage, home, and raising a family in the traditional Indian way of life, she kept alive her dream of pursuing advanced studies and contributing outside of family life.

Choline in Human Milk Plays a Crucial Role in Infant Memory

October 3, 2018 – Choline is present in human milk, and is especially important for fetal and infant development [2,3]. “The hint that choline is important for infant development comes from the fact that in human milk, the supply of choline remains constant across the first year of life,” says Professor Carol Cheatham from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Other important nutrients, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are present in large quantities initially, but often level off after a few months.

Culinary twist: Healthy food that helps the community

September 28, 2018 – Good Bowls taps into the UNC innovation network and brings locally sourced meals to lower-income consumers. Social innovation is nothing new at the University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill. And using its long history of social innovation as a cornerstone, one UNC venture is blazing a trail to improve community health. If you haven’t already heard of Good Bowls, you will.

Celebrating a Decade of Nutrition Discoveries

September 28, 2018 – This October, the NRI proudly marks its tenth anniversary of delving into the science of Precision Nutrition. What began in 2008 with two faculty members and a supporting staff of nine is, today, a bustling center of scientific inquiry and discovery with a staff of 82, which includes 16 principal investigators.

Support the NRI

By donating to the Nutrition Research Institute, your money targets the root of most American disease. Our scientists focus on how our genes respond to food so that soon medical practitioners will be able to guide people in their health from childhood through old age. Our critical research depends on the generosity of people like you.