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2012 Appetite for Life Academy Seminar Schedule (more)
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2012 Frontiers in Nutrition Seminar Series
February 7 - March 6
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The NRI’s Appetite for Life Academy brings the latest scientific research down to earth in educational, interactive community programs. Meet leading experts as they present their research in engaging sessions designed to help people eat better and live healthier lives.
- When: Tuesdays* from February 7 to March 6, from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm (* exception: Monday, Feb 13)
- Where: Meeting Room of the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building, 201 North Main Street,
Kannapolis, NC
- Sessions are free and open to the public, but seats are limited and registration is required.
- If you are unable to attend in person, join our webcast at uncnri.org/webcast
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February 7, 2012 |
“Diet and the Risk of Cancer”
Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D., NRI Director
Gain insights into how diet affects your health — what you eat may help determine if you live a long, healthy life, and reduce your risk for diseases like cancer. Dr. Zeisel, international leader in nutrition research, leads the field of nutritional individuality. He specializes in how the nutrient choline impacts brain development and cognition. |  |
Monday*, February 13, 2012 |
“Gut Microbes: a Trillion Tiny Friends for Life”
Melanie Spencer, Ph.D.
Learn how the many microbes in your GI tract influence everything from your immunity to nutrition absorption rate, as well as their critical role in your health. Having earned a doctorate in bioinformatics, Dr. Spencer, now at the NRI, explores the role of bacteria in nutrition and human metabolism.
*Note this session will be held on Monday, February 13. All other sessions held on Tuesdays. |  |
February 21, 2012 |
“The Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)”
Philip May, Ph.D.
Did you know that up to 5% of children in the U.S. may suffer from cognitive and behavioral problems caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol? Dr. May will explain FASD and how the mother’s drinking patterns and other factors may lead to different outcomes in children. Dr. May, NRI Research Professor and leading expert in FASD, works to fully define the disorder, helping to decrease the overall percentage of impacted children. |  |
February 28, 2012 |
“Obesity: It’s Not Easy Being Lean”
Andrew Swick, Ph.D.
Ever wonder why you can’t keep those extra pounds off? Dr. Swick’s research unravels why it is difficult for some to lose and maintain a reduced weight as well as potential causes of obesity, including your environment and the importance of energy balance. Dr. Swick, Director of Obesity and Eating Disorders at the NRI, is an expert on how the gut controls food intake and the regulation of energy expenditure.
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March 6, 2012 |
“Why Diets Don’t Work: Myths, Mysteries, & Truths”
Karen Corbin, Ph.D., R.D.
Fact or fiction: There is an ideal diet that will maintain your optimal health. Learn how nutrients, genetics, and other factors can make your ideal diet less of a mystery. At the NRI, Dr. Corbin, a Registered Dietitian and Research Assistant Professor, investigates the role of nutrition and genetic components in obesity and fatty liver disease.
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Landmark Gift Creates $1 Million Professorship at UNC Nutrition Research Institute (more)
For Immediate Release – February 3, 2012
Harris Teeter, The Dickson Foundation establish first Professorship at UNC Nutrition Research Institute
When Charlotte, N.C. native Alan T. Dickson first visited the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (N.R.I.) in nearby Kannapolis, N.C., during the winter of 2010, it didn’t take him long to decide he wanted to be actively involved. After a few hours of exploring laboratories and discussing the N.R.I.’s bold vision with Director Steven H. Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D., he accepted an invitation to serve on the N.R.I.’s accomplished Board of Advisors.
Just a few months later, Dickson took a particular interest in the N.R.I.’s faculty recruitment efforts. “One of the greatest challenges in building a world class center, particularly one that is located two hours from its ‘traditional’ campus, is creating intellectual capital,” Zeisel said. “Yet we know the strength and ultimate success of the center rests in our ability to recruit the best scientists.” Dickson agreed to spearhead a board effort to generate five privately funded, endowed distinguished professorships to help the N.R.I. attract great scientific minds.
And he kicked it off by making the first pledge—a joint gift of $666,000 from the Dickson Foundation and Harris Teeter, a subsidiary of Ruddick Corporation, which Dickson and his brother, Stuart, built into one of North Carolina’s leading firms. The gift will be matched with $334,000 from the North Carolina Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust to create a $1,000,000 endowment fund. This generous gift will create the N.R.I.’s very first endowed distinguished professorship, The Dickson Foundation-Harris Teeter Distinguished Professorship in Nutrition. Once fully endowed, this professorship will generate an annual disbursement to support a designated N.R.I. faculty member and foster scientific discovery.
“We are pleased to make this gift to the N.R.I. It makes sense for Harris Teeter to take a leading role in developing the future of nutrition, and we believe in the N.R.I.’s mission of customizing diet recommendations specific to an individual, in an effort to optimize wellness,” Dickson said. “With this gift, we are making an investment in the future health of people in Charlotte, across North Carolina, and around the world. At the same time, we are building a new economic engine for the Charlotte region.”
Dickson, a former chairman of the board at Ruddick Corporation, is a highly regarded business and community leader and has served on the boards of numerous corporations, schools and foundations. He was a trustee of The Morehead Foundation for 42 years and served as chairman for 21 years until retirement. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Watauga Medal from North Carolina State University and the Spirit Award from the Mint Museum of Art. In 2006, Dickson received the prestigious William Richardson Davie Award from the UNC Board of Trustees, its highest honor, in recognition of his extraordinary service to the University.
Both Alan and his wife Mary Anne have been stalwart supporters of UNC for many years, and this is the latest demonstration of their commitment to the University's mission to not only serve its students, but also the state of North Carolina, the nation and the world as well. Mary Anne heads the Carolina Women's Leadership Council, a network of women committed to supporting the University and the educational experiences of students.
At the N.R.I., Dickson has been indispensable. Through his service on the board, he has championed the N.R.I. to Charlotte-area business leaders and opened doors for a host of collaborations. From early on, he attended N.R.I. faculty presentations where he learned about research spanning the field of nutrition—from how different nutrients affect the developing memory of babies to revolutionary new tools that make custom-tailored, genetically-based diet recommendations possible.
“Alan is a tremendous asset to the N.R.I.,” Zeisel said. “With his advice and expertise, we are paving the way for the N.R.I. to become a world leader in nutrition science. He understands the importance of a strong foundation and is a valuable sounding board for initiating new ventures and developing our tactical strengths.”
The Dickson Foundation-Harris Teeter Distinguished Professorship in Nutrition is an essential cornerstone for the N.R.I. An endowed chair is a widely recognized measure of respect and achievement that also supports the research of the faculty recipient.
“This is a transformative gift for the N.R.I., an important historical landmark in our development,” Zeisel said. “Alan Dickson is a true pioneer, and we are proud to have him with us at the helm of economic development and scientific innovation. We hope that others will follow his lead, take a personal interest in our center and help us become the world’s leading center for nutrition science research.”
About the UNC Nutrition Research Institute
In September 2005, eight universities from the UNC system, leaders of private industry including Dole and LabCorp, and the State of North Carolina announced the creation of a public-private partnership known as the North Carolina Research Campus (NCRC). The Campus, situated in Kannapolis, NC, officially opened in August 2008 and is fast becoming the center for state-of-the-art, world class nutritional and scientific research.
The cornerstone of the NCRC is the UNC-Chapel Hill Nutrition Research Institute (NRI). In the proven tradition of Carolina enterprise, the NRI was one of the first partners on the campus, and quickly established its bold mission: develop nutrition-based solutions designed to solve some of our greatest health challenges and, most importantly, to put these solutions into practice.
Since its inception, a growing cadre of world-class researchers has joined the NRI team. These experts are developing innovative approaches to understanding how nutrition affects brain development and contributes to the prevention and treatment of cancer, obesity, diabetes, and other diseases. To facilitate this progress, the NRI’s experienced team of scientists is leading the development of the field of “individualized nutrition” – understanding why people’s metabolism and nutrition requirements differ from one another.
Because most traditional approaches to nutrition only consider the “average person,” the relatively recent technologies employed by the NRI stand out because they customize nutrient requirements specific to an individual. The NRI’s research elevates the previous one-size-fits-all nutritional approach to a higher methodology that incorporates individual genetic and metabolic variations. Essentially, the NRI is unraveling the relationship between genes, diet and individual variability in nutrition and metabolism. With recent recognition by the international scientific community that each person’s metabolism and nutritional requirements differ, the field of individualized nutrition is becoming mainstream. Just another example of how people nationwide are benefitting from a Carolina-grown influence.
One example of this mainstream trend toward nutrition-based wellness is the cover story for the September 12, 2011 issue of Time Magazine, featuring an article by Dr. Mehmet Oz, surgeon, author and talk show host. In the article, Dr. Oz recognizes the NRI and its leadership in the field:
“The University of North Carolina Nutrition Research Institute is a leader in the growing field of individualized nutrition, studying what's known as nutrigenomics: the link between genes and diet. The science is a comparatively new one, but the early reports are tantalizing.”
(Oz, Mehment. “The Oz Diet.” TIME 12 Sept. 2011: 48-58.)
With the UNC NRI leading the way, the pioneering individualized approach to nutrition will transform society’s ability to prevent and treat diseases, thus improving the wellbeing of people around the world and transforming Private corporation turns to UNC Nutrition Research Institute for expertise. (more)
For Immediate Release – January 20, 2012
Steven Zeisel, MD, PhD, and Director of the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI), was recently appointed as the Chair of GenoVive’s newly formed Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). GenoVive, a private corporation founded in 2008, employs a pioneer approach to weight loss and sustained healthy eating. GenoVive’s geneticists and food scientists have developed customized, all-natural meal and exercise programs, featuring ideal combinations of macronutrients based on individual DNA.
The new Scientific Advisory Board at GenoVive will be comprised of prominent, multi-disciplinary experts in the fields of health and weight management, nutrigenomics, genetics, biochemistry, clinical psychology, and food science. The board will guide research activities and provide critical scientific input to GenoVive as the company leverages recent research breakthroughs to deliver personalized weight management solutions based on genetic science.
As Chair of this board, Dr. Zeisel, an expert in the field of individualized nutrition, will lead the board in lending strategic insight to GenoVive. The board’s purpose is to guide the company’s research activities, seeking out the most innovative and promising research projects in the emerging field of nutrigenomics, helping GenoVive explore the role certain genes play in weight gain. The board will also guide the translation of published science into actionable solutions and explore ways to expand its research efforts to accelerate the development of new innovative products.
Beyond NRI Director, Dr. Steven Zeisel is also the Kenan Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Nutrition in the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He served as chair of the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1990-2005. He is currently a member of the American Society for Nutrition, the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, the American College of Nutrition and the Society for Pediatric Research, among others.
In addition to Dr. Zeisel, the initial key SAB appointments include:
David Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP: Dr. David Katz is the founding director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center. Known internationally for expertise in nutrition, weight management, and chronic disease prevention, Dr. Katz is active in patient care, research, teaching, and public health practice. He has consulted several organizations on obesity control and chronic disease prevention, including the World Health Organization, The National Cancer Institute, and the FDA.
Daniel Pomp, MS, PhD: Dr. Daniel Pomp is a Professor of Genetics, Nutrition, & Cell and Molecular Physiology in the School of Medicine and the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Pomp studies genetic architecture, with an emphasis on obesity and body weight regulation.
“We are privileged to have these three respected and prominent experts who will help guide our research and lend their specific expertise that will enable us to delve deeper in to the emerging advances of nutritional science and personalized health to bring the best possible weight management solutions to the millions of Americans who are overweight,” said Vic Castellon, founder and CEO, GenoVive LLC.
Dr. Zeisel shares that he is honored to partner with GenoVive, and to lead the board of distinguished experts. He looks forward to the opportunity to further integrate the science of nutrition into industry processes. “Though we once thought that everyone was metabolically the same, we now are learning that there is a great deal of variation in metabolism, much of which is explained by misspellings in our genetic code,” said Dr. Zeisel. “As the director of a major academic research center that focuses on this specific research, this new science makes it possible to individualize our approach to nutrition. GenoVive is one of the first companies to use this science to improve our treatment of overweight and obesity.”
Industry, and particularly corporate research and development, is more than ever before turning to science and research findings for advice and consultation to support new product development. Due to this increasing partnership, the NRI is playing a significant role, not only by leading the scientific community with its cutting edge research, but also in the marketplace, helping industry to make fact-based decisions with the consumer’s optimal nutrition in mind.
By using his expertise to positively influence private industry, Dr. Zeisel’s service as GenoVive Scientific Advisory Board Chair is one more example of how the NRI contributes to the health of future generations.
UNC Nutrition Research Institute Continues Growth with Newly Hired Faculty and Research Staff (more)
For Immediate Release – December 12, 2011
The UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) in Kannapolis, NC continues to increase its activity and research by hiring several new researchers as faculty and staff. These recent additions are evidence that the NRI is continuing strong growth trends, broadening its scope of research, and underscoring the significance of its studies.
As the latest faculty addition, Fatimah L.C. Jackson, Ph.D., a prominent anthropologist, joined the NRI in September, 2011 as a Visiting Professor from UNC Chapel Hill. At the NRI, Dr. Jackson will continue her work developing a tool for modeling population substructure in disease susceptibility called Ethnogenetic Layering. Using this tool, she hopes to identify more immediate and individual intervention strategies to address health disparities among African Americans.
Over the course of her career, Dr. Jackson has worked extensively among diverse African and African American groups particularly in West (Liberia), Central (Cameroon), North (Egypt and Sudan) and East Africa (Tanzania and Rwanda). According to Dr. Jackson, most researchers have approached the African American community as a monolith, treating a highly diverse population as if it were uniform and then inadvertently selecting a subset to represent all African Americans. In fact, African Americans are derived from diverse areas of West and West Central Africa. Differing proportions of Africans from these regions were transported to the Americans during the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This original diversity translates today into an African American population that has different regional genetic ancestries, diverse cultural practices, and sometimes different frequencies of certain health disparities. As enslaved individuals from Africa were transported to the United States, they were settled regionally in ways that created a degree of substructure or stratification within the subsequent African American communities. Jackson’s tool, Ethnogenetic Layering, taps into that historic subdivision to identify local cultural and biological risk factors for contemporary health inequities.
For African Americans, regional origin is significant for generational DNA inheritance, and therefore gene expression, which can manifest as susceptibility to certain diseases. As a prime example, there appears to be a higher susceptibility among eastern and central North Carolina populations to hypertension. By focusing on the salt content of their diet, in combination with the discovery of salt retaining genes in their bodies (which resemble the DNA of people coming from regions of Africa very close to the equator), Dr. Jackson may be able to discover the original genetic and dietary sources of the hypertension, as well as develop sustainable interventions for better health.
In her research, Jackson wants to balance the technical aspects of genetic heritage with the cultural and environmental impacts. “Foods, for instance,” she elaborates, “that are eaten by different segments of African Americans may be metabolized somewhat differently. I will explore how diets and genetic heritage contribute to those differences, some of which are traceable back to regional origin in Africa.” This will provide clues to diseases, receptions of medicine, and novel intervention strategies. Ultimately, these intervention strategies may help mitigate certain health risks including the increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and some types of cancer in particular groups of African Americans.
While conducting research in Africa, Dr. Jackson cofounded the first human DNA bank on the continent in Cameroon. The bank has archived more than 5,000 DNA samples, which will enable her to use advanced technologies in epigenetics, available at the NRI, to explore differences between individuals with known environmental exposures to gene-influencing compounds. “I look forward to partnering with other professionals at the NRI to explore whether certain aspects of biological diversity among African Americans are influenced by their epigenetics,” explains Jackson. “The integration of the latest technology together with the scientists’ expertise presents a comprehensive approach that drew me to the NRI.”
NRI Director, Steven H. Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D. is pleased to have Dr. Jackson join the NRI team, as he shares, “The studies of health disparities among African Americans directly align to the NRI mission of individualized nutrition. We are thrilled that Dr. Jackson has chosen to conduct her research with our team.”
Fatimah L.C. Jackson is a biological anthropologist who received her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from Cornell University. She was Professor and Distinguished Scholar Teacher at the University of Maryland at College Park. In July 2009, she became Professor of Biological Anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and served as Director of the Institute of African American Research (IAAR). She has been a Senior Fulbright Scholar and is the recipient of numerous research awards.
The NRI also welcomes additional newly hired Postdoctoral Research Associates and lab staff, including the following:
- Sheau Ching Chai, Ph.D., R.D. – Dr. Chai is a Postdoctoral Research Associate and Registered Dietitian who previously has studied the role of dietary supplements in bone and cardiovascular health. Now with the NRI, she is extending her research to the area of functional foods and neuroscience. She works in the lab of Dr. Carol Cheatham, who specializes in the effects of nutrition on pediatric brain development.
- Jie “Jacky” Zhu, Ph.D. – After earning his Ph.D. from Wuhan University’s College of Medicine in China, Dr. Zhu joined the NRI to study folate metabolism through biochemical, genetic, and epigenetic mechanisms. He will be supporting the NRI Nutrigenetics Laboratory, led by primary investigator, Dr. Martin Kohlmeier, and will focus on leveraging recent genetic technology to translate DNA detail into practical clinical uses.
- Sarah King, Ph.D. – Dr. King earned her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences and Public Health from Harvard University. She is now studying choline metabolism in the lab of NRI Director, Dr. Steven Zeisel. The goal of her current project is to understand how genes involved in choline metabolism and synthesis are regulated during brain development.
- Corinne Zeller-Knuth, Ph.D. – As NRI Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dr. Zeller-Knuth studies the regulation of certain gut peptides and how they affect control of body weight. She works with Dr. Andrew Swick, exploring how the digestive system senses food and impacts appetite and metabolism. Prior to joining the NRI, Corinne studied the effects of stress on RNA decay at the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences.
- Fuli “Tracey” He – As a graduate student earning her M.S. in Nutritional Biochemistry from UNC-Chapel Hill, Tracey supports the Niculescu lab at the NRI, focusing on epigenetic influence on brain development, specifically aging of the brain. Her current work involves how blueberry polyphenol diets alter gene methylation and expression.
The UNC NRI is proud to announce these additions, which help provide a positive contribution to the local economy through increased employment. The studies of these new team members enhance not only the research of the NRI scientists, but also the strength and stability of the NRI in our economic community.
Dr. Steven Zeisel, NRI Director, shares, “We welcome the new members of our team, and expect this level of growth to continue. The NRI is happy that we have the ability to be a positive influence in the economic development through our growth. Our increasing employment trend at the NRI is a clear indication of our solid foundation and growing success, and we are proud to be moving forward as an active member in the state and in this community.” Asian nations turn to UNC Nutrition Research Institute for nutrition expertise (more)
For Immediate Release – November 28, 2011
NRI scientist, Dr. Carol Cheatham, featured in international public education campaign.
Carol Cheatham, Ph.D., developmental cognitive neuroscientist with the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI), was recently invited to appear as featured speaker with an international public education campaign. The campaign, sponsored by Abbott Nutrition, makers of Similac infant formula, was designed to establish greater awareness of proper nutrition for pregnant women in Vietnam and Singapore. In her role at the NRI, Cheatham studies the effects of nutrition on memory and attention from prenatal months to preschool years, making her the ideal resource to share the science behind prenatal diet recommendations in this campaign.
Cheatham was warmly received as featured presenter in a lecture tour, which was a primary part of the broader, multi-national education campaign, with the ultimate goal of enhancing infant and child health levels in these countries.
On the tour, Dr. Cheatham addressed health professionals, including OB/GYN Physicians in Singapore and midwives in Vietnam, the primary healthcare support during pregnancy and delivery in that nation. To help cascade the message even further to the public, Dr. Cheatham and the other lecturers spoke directly to the media in Vietnam, encouraging increased communication throughout the nation about nutrition.
The speaker panel featured Dr. Cheatham as the leading science resource, providing the technical research behind the panel’s common message of maternal nutrition. She shared the stage with other prominent health experts, including leaders in medicine and government, who corroborated her emphasis on the importance of a mother’s prenatal nutrition. Other panel speakers included a highly recognized Vietnamese government official, the General Secretary of the National Institute of Nutrition, Dr. Tu Gnu, M.D., Ph.D., and a prominent Vietnamese Director of Ho Chi Minh City Nutrition Center, Dr. Do Thi Ngoc Diep.
In her presentation, “Maternal Nutrition and Cognition of Infants and Toddlers,” Dr. Cheatham spoke about the importance of certain necessary nutrients, the risks of deficiencies, and how to obtain the nutrients through proper diet. Much of this information was new to many in her audience because the importance of women’s nutrition to the development of their children is still new for many people around the world. Through Cheatham’s lecture, the audience learned that during the prenatal months and first two years of life, any nutritional deficiencies will have an enormous effect on the developing brain.
“The women of Vietnam, Singapore, and many other countries need to more fully understand the importance of proper nutrition -- it is critical to their child’s brain development,” states Cheatham. “The education gap on maternal diet presents quite a learning opportunity in these areas, thus the need for this education campaign. With our new information around proper diet, they are learning the foods that provide the essential nutrients. The people of these nations, both professionals and the public, both urban and rural, will benefit greatly from awareness of this issue.”
Dr. Cheatham’s research pivots on her findings that proper nutrition among pregnant mothers is critical to the brain development of the fetus and the subsequent cognitive development of the infant. To explain the applicability of this research to her audience, Cheatham elaborated on the importance of certain nutrients, such as folate, iron, and iodine in a pregnant woman’s diet, and food sources of these nutrients. For example, seaweed and other sea vegetables readily available in Southeast Asia were promoted in order to ensure appropriate levels of iodine intake among these populations, since pregnant women are often counseled to avoid salt, a major source of iodine, as a way to prevent prenatal complications such as high blood pressure. “This recommendation was essential to share because iodine deficiency is still the #1 cause of mental retardation worldwide. By raising awareness about the importance of prenatal nutrition, we can directly and positively impact their national health statistics,” explained Dr. Cheatham.
Cheatham had the added challenge of developing her presentation content with local cultural beliefs and practices in mind. For instance, pregnant women of these areas often do not eat with their baby’s brain development as a consideration. Instead, their pregnancy goal commonly is lighter newborn birth weight, since the mothers typically have relatively petite frames and want to decrease the risk of birthing complications and obstetric issues, especially in the rural areas where healthcare may not be readily accessible. This common practice of limited caloric intake during pregnancy, while an accepted part of their culture, will have a negative impact on fetus brain development. Therefore, one challenge for the education campaign is to encourage proper nutrients through a healthy prenatal diet, while also respecting cultural beliefs and fears around the birthing process.
By hearing Cheatham’s proven research results on brain development and links to diet, her audience of government health officials, clinicians, and the public can make fact-based diet decisions, resulting in enhanced health levels for children of these countries.
Fortunately, Cheatham’s influence will not end with the lecture attendees. As part of this education campaign, Cheatham will participate in upcoming live webinars, making her research findings accessible to people in less urban areas of the country who could not attend the lectures in person. “The research we’re doing is significant on a global scale,” Dr. Cheatham elaborates. “There are still millions of people that could benefit from our research. Communication is key.” Through these live online forums, her message will have extended impact to an even larger scope of audience, helping to educate a broader range of mothers.
Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D., and Director of the NRI shares, “This was a valuable opportunity for the NRI to communicate our message, research, and knowledge with a population that is not yet educated in prenatal diet. Dr. Cheatham provided insight and influence to those who desperately need it. And through her partnership with the Asian governments and health professionals, she has gained valuable international exposure for the NRI, helping to further establish our credibility and solidify the NRI’s global reputation as the leader in nutrition science.”
By influencing the nutrition recommendations of health professionals, and personal diet decisions of the public, Dr. Cheatham’s lecture is one more example of how the NRI contributes to the health of future generations. Dr. Oz recognizes UNC NRI as leader in field of Individualized Nutrition (more)
For Immediate Release – September 13, 2011
The cover story for the September 12, 2011 issue of Time Magazine features an article by Dr. Mehmet Oz, surgeon, author and talk show host, which shares his dietary recommendations for optimal health. In the article, Dr. Oz recognizes the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) as a “leader in the growing field of individualized nutrition, studying what’s known as nutrigenomics: the link between genes and diet.” Dr. Oz continues, “The science is a comparatively new one, but the early reports are tantalizing.”
According to NRI director Steven Zeisel, MD, PhD, “It’s exciting to see influential people like Dr. Oz recognizing our work. Nutrigenomics is a rapidly developing a new body of knowledge that is changing research and practice in human nutrition. At the NRI, we are using nutrigenomic profiling to identify common subgroups that differ in nutrient requirements. As we continue to unravel this field and apply this knowledge, we will be able to make personalized nutrition recommendations that can make people healthier. Long term, the NRI’s work has the capacity to provide solutions to some of our greatest health challenges.”
The UNC NRI is dedicated to developing the field of individualized nutrition — understanding variance in people’s DNA, metabolism and nutrient requirements and how these differences impact health outcomes. The NRI’s discoveries are leading to individually tailored nutrition recommendations that will allow people to customize their diets in order to maximize wellness and reduce risk of disease.
To read the Time Magazine article in its entirety, follow this link, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2091389,00.html NRI’s Melanie Spencer, Postdoctoral Research Associate, featured in Charlotte Observer (more)
NRI Study Aims to Determine Cause of Male Infertility (more)
Almost half of male infertility cases have no known cause. Research being done in our area may be able to provide some answers.
The study is being conducted at the NC Research Campus in Kannapolis. “This is a project that I’ve been trying to get up and running for a while now,” said Amy Johnson, a PhD student at UNC Chapel Hill. Johnson first started studying mice and found a link between a certain gene and infertility. “We found that if you delete the choline dehydrogenase gene males are infertile,” she said.
Jordan and her team are now working to find out if the same is true for humans. For the research, they need volunteers to provide samples of blood and semen. Volunteers will be paid $50 for participating in the study.
In addition to determining a possible cause, the research may lead to a possible cure for a type of male infertility. “It could be that men that have their share of these variants might have different dietary requirements for choline, which is an essential nutrient,” Johnson said.
For more information about the study, call 919-966-0245 or email sperm_study@unc.edu UNC Nutrition Research Institute Study Reveals Choline-Rich Diet Increases Blood Vessel Development in Fetal Brain (more)
For Immediate Release – July 20, 2010
KANNAPOLIS- Prenatal diets lacking in choline—an essential nutrient that is part of all cell membranes— form fewer blood vessels in the brains of developing fetuses, according to a mouse study by UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) scientists.
These findings, published in the journal, “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,” could be of great importance to women. According to NRI Director Steven Zeisel, MD, PhD, “most pregnant women in the United States have diets that are choline deficient – only 14% of expecting mothers in the US are eating enough choline in their diet.” Pregnant women with the lowest amount of choline are four times more likely to have babies with birth defects than are women who eat the most. Choline-rich foods include milk, egg yolks, soybeans, beef, chicken, peanuts, wheat germ, flax seeds, sesame seeds, potatoes, cauliflower, lentils, and oats.
To test whether choline directly affects fetal blood vessel formation, Zeisel, and colleagues fed choline-deficient and control diets to pregnant mice and then examined the brains of the pups. The researchers report that choline-deficient fetal mice had fewer hippocampal blood vessels than the control group that were fed a normal diet. In addition, the choline-deficient diet correlated to high levels of two growth factors that regulate new blood vessel formation.
This research complements previous studies that link low choline in diet to a decreased production of nerve cells in the brain of fetal mice, caused because choline regulates the genes that make stem cells divide. Charles L. Dayvault Memorial Fund Established to Support UNC NRI (more)
For Immediate Release – June 30, 2010
Community Leader’s Legacy Will Contribute to Future of Public Health
The Charles L. Dayvault Memorial Fund has been established at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) in Kannapolis to support the development of individualized nutrition – the study of why metabolism and nutrient requirements differ from person to person. The fund has been created to honor Charles L. Dayvault, who died on June 17, 2010. Dayvault’s son and daughter-in-law, Gregg and Leslie Dayvault, together with grandson, Ryan Dayvault, established the fund at the UNC NRI to honor Charles’ love of the people and community of Kannapolis.
Dayvault was the grandson of Paul Monroe Dayvault who owned the 72 acres of farmland in Kannapolis. This farmland was purchased by Mr. J.W. Cannon in 1905, who built Cannon Mills and Town Lake. The property is now home to the North Carolina Research Campus Core Lab.
In 1942, Dayvault met Martha “Polly” Allman near the lake in Kannapolis Town Park and the two married in October, 1945. He had been working since age 11 – first at Dayvault’s Esso Station, then at Beaver Lumber Company, Cannon Mills, Akers Motor Lines and later at Bob and Chick Esso Distributors. In 1991, Dayvault retired from Propst Brothers Distributors. He had also volunteered as a special deputy with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Department for 20 years.
Dayvault’s grandson, Ryan, who works at the NRI, shares that his grandfather was saddened to see the mill and lake demolished, but he was very interested in the vision and mission of the campus. Ryan states, “My grandfather’s love of this community, ties to the land, and hope for the future is what really inspired us to create the fund in his memory. He was optimistic that the campus growth and pioneering research being conducted could help revitalize Kannapolis and benefit future generations.”
Norris Dearmon, long-time friend and Kannapolis historian, said, “Charles was a great friend. We’ve lost a lot of this town’s history in his passing. He lived and worked in Kannapolis his entire life and his knowledge of his ancestors and the beginnings of Kannapolis, is so important to our written records today."
If you are interested to learn how you can help the NRI conduct critical research, visit uncnri.org/MakeAGift.asp. You can help make a difference. 2010 Art Contest Winners Announced (more)
The UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) hosted the 2010 Student Art Contest, in which students used their talents to depict metabolism, energy, and how nutrition contributes to overall health and wellness. Through this art contest and it's theme, "What Revs Up Your Metabolism?" the UNC NRI encouraged students, their parents, and teachers to think about health and nutrition in new and creative ways and challenged them to become more active and energetic and educate them about the effects metabolism can have in their bodies through healthy diet and exercise. 9 winners were selected from more than 90 eligible student entries from public, private and home schools in Cabarrus, Rowan, Mecklenburg and Iredell counties.
Institute Director, Steven H. Zeisel, MD, PhD, presented awards to the winners in front of a crowd of over 60 student participants and their families at the NRI. "We are pleased to share the tremendous talent of all of the participants and look forward to displaying their art work in our building. The NRI is committed to engaging students on many levels and this art contest is just another way for us to expose students to the research happening here."
Grand Prize Winner:
Miguel Angel Olivares Robledo - A. L. Brown High School
Kindergarten - 4th Grades
1st Place: Penelli Yang - Harrisburg Elementary School
2nd Place: Tali Hagler - Forest Park Elementary School
3rd Place: Caroline Medlin - Beverly Hills Elementary School
5th - 8th Grades
1st Place: Julianne Pomnitz - Concord Middle School
2nd Place: Meagan Stegall - Concord Middle School
3rd Place: Allie Link - Concord Middle School
9th - 12th Grades
1st Place: Itzal Mondragon Felipe - A. L. Brown High School
2nd Place: Hunter Hammett - A. L. Brown High School
3rd Place: Janice Yang - North Iredell High School UNC NRI Welcomes Renowned International Scientist to Advance Research on Personalized Nutrition (more)
For Immediate Release – June 18, 2010
The UNC Nutrition Research Institute in Kannapolis, NC is continuing growth trends, demonstrating an increasing level of activity and development. One example of this growth is internationally-renowned researcher and accomplished author, Martin Kohlmeier, M.D., Ph.D., who is relocating to Kannapolis to join the NRI team.
Dr. Kohlmeier brings with him an impressive professional resume. He earned doctorates in medicine, biochemistry and clinical biochemistry from Heidelberg University and Freie Universität, Berlin, has authored a comprehensive textbook on nutrient metabolism, and is the lead author of numerous online nutrition courses for healthcare professionals. In addition to his new role as faculty and primary investigator in the NRI Nutrigenetics Laboratory, Dr. Kohlmeier will maintain his appointment as a Research Professor with the Department of Nutrition, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Medicine and School of Public Health.
Dedicated to helping the public benefit from the recent advancements in genetics and nutrition, Dr. Kohlmeier explains, “We can now read the body’s DNA blueprint down to very fine details and I want to help translate this knowledge into practical directions for people’s health. For instance, I am currently developing software that can take detailed genetic information and tell consumers which foods are healthiest for them.”
Dr. Kohlmeier is now developing ways to reduce breast cancer risk by using genetic research to guide food selections. “I want to find out whether we can help each individual navigate safely their daily food choices and how that might affect cancer risk.”
Recognizing the trends toward online education, Dr. Kohlmeier has developed a website that can help tailor personalized nutrition plans, based on user and health professional’s input. With this data, the site suggests daily menu plans that meet personal needs.
The website is now available for pilot testing by health professionals who leverage it to generate menu plans. Ultimately, consumers will be able to use this online tool to shape their diet patterns. Also, the tool will be used in long-term trials of personalized nutrition plans for the prevention of cancer and other major diseases.
This and other medical nutrition education online programs by Dr. Kohlmeier have proven to be very successful for physicians. Dr. Kohlmeier explains, “About 25% of all US medical students currently use our programs, and more than 150 universities worldwide.”
Notably, Dr. Kohlmeier authored Nutrient Metabolism, a textbook describing how the body handles about one hundred important compounds in food, from alcohol to zinc, and back from zeaxanthin to arsenic. The textbook outlines the major food sources of these compounds, and additional related information, such as our chemical senses, appetite and thirst, and the nutrient path from food to the using body part.
The strength of the book is that a rich collection of information on each of the food ingredients is easily accessible in one place, making it a powerful resource for researchers, health professionals, and anyone needing nutrition facts at their fingertips.
Dr. Steven Zeisel, Director of the NRI, shares, “Dr. Kohlmeier is one of the world’s leaders in laboratory diagnostics, nutritional genetics and use of technology for nutritional education. He brings more than thirty years experience to the NRI, and he will contribute a significant amount of research leadership to the Institute.”
Dr. Kohlmeier is equally eager to begin his contribution to the NRI, stating, “The NRI offers an exciting opportunity to use state-of-the-art technology, collaborate with world-class researchers and share a focus on individualized nutrition.”
You can help make a difference
With each new researcher that joins the NRI team, the benefits to future public health are exponential. To recruit top-flight researchers like Dr. Kohlmeier and build the world’s next premier institute for scientific discovery, the NRI must compete with other science centers and universities. Visiting scholar programs, endowed professorships, and competitive research funds that attract distinguished scientists to the NRI are made possible by the generous gifts of friends and supporters.
If you are interested in helping the NRI recruit great scientists from around the world, visit UNCNRI.org/MakeAGift.asp to learn about ways you can help make a difference. UNC NRI Partners with International Researcher from Keimyung University, Korea (more)
For Immediate Release – June 30, 2010
The UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) in Kannapolis, NC welcomes Dr. Seung-Wan Ryu, M.D., Ph.D. Dr. Ryu, Associate Professor in Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery at the Keimyung University School of Medicine in Korea, is visiting the NRI to collaborate on cutting edge nutrition research, critical to his role as Director of the Nutritional Support Team at Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center.
Dr. Ryu joined the NRI in September 2009 to focus on how nutrition impacts stomach cancer. Specifically, Dr. Ryu is studying whether dietary choline, found in eggs and other foods, influences the growth of blood vessels needed to support tumor growth. Dr. Ryu and Dr. Steven Zeisel M.D., Ph.D., Director of the NRI, are collaborating on this research. Dr. Ryu shares, “I am very grateful for Dr. Zeisel’s active support of my work on all possible occasions. All the staff and scientists at the NRI are so kind and their passion for learning is amazing.”
Dr. Ryu explains that as a University Professor in Korea, he is provided the opportunity to study abroad for one to two years, funded by a specialized Keimyung University scholarship. The study of nutritional support of cancer patients is still evolving, and Dr. Ryu explains that his time with the NRI affords his team in Korea significant research collaboration and clinical application opportunity. He intends to continue the relationship after his return home, sharing, “I will introduce our research to Korean and other doctors using an international conference, and will continue nutritional research on the basis of my NRI experience. I will want to remain in contact with the NRI forever.”
Dr. Ryu has become an integral partner in the NRI choline lab over the past few months, as Dr. Zeisel states, “We are thrilled to host such a dedicated and promising scholar who is well-positioned to develop international research partnerships for years to come. Dr. Ryu is a bright young scientist, and I appreciate his collaboration, both here at the NRI this year, as well as on longer term research projects.”
With his family, a wife and two young children, Dr. Ryu moved to America last September, living abroad for the first time. They held some concern about the move, as few Koreans live in this area, and they prepared for an obvious language barrier and cultural difference. However, the Ryu family has found a helpful embrace by the locals. “Everyone is so kind. We really enjoy American life, and now have many American friends who really want to help us. I will recommend the NRI and this area to other doctors who want to study nutrition.”
Unlike Dr. Ryu, many young scientists do not have a scholarship opportunity from their home university or local government. If you are interested in helping a young scholar like Dr. Ryu partner with the NRI toward critical research, visit uncnri.org/MakeAGift.asp to learn about the NRI’s Great Scientist Recruitment Fund.
UNC Nutrition Research Institute Seeks Proposals for its Grab and Go Café (more)
KANNAPOLIS - The UNC Nutrition Research Institute located at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis solicits proposals from vendors interested in operating a Grab and Go Café on its first floor. In exchange for exclusive use of the 440 square feet space, the university is interested in a turnkey arrangement with a third party vendor, whereby the vendor takes care of compliance with health department regulations and inspections, maintains liability insurance, maintains a suitable inventory of agreed upon food products, posts and maintains operating hours per mutual agreement, and provides staffing to operate the facility.
The Café is equipped with refrigerated display cabinets, a commercial coffee maker, a carbonated beverage machine, a cappuccino maker, a hotdog grill, and a food warmer. It comes with a 200 square feet work room/storage area containing refrigerated storage, dry goods storage, and an industrial sink. Utilities will be included in this arrangement. The vendor will need to provide a cash register. This space is designed for the sale of pre-packaged foods only. There is no on-site kitchen available for cooking.
Although the Grab and Go Café in the UNC Nutrition Research Building is open to the public, the primary customer base is the North Carolina Research Campus community. Currently, 153 people work in the UNC Nutrition Research Building, the adjacent Plants for Human Health Institute building and the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building. The Rowan Cabarrus Community College building is scheduled to open in August, 2010. We estimate that at any given time during the day, Rowan Cabarrus Community College will have at least 200 faculty, students, and staff.
There is no particular format for proposals or letters of interest. However, UNC requests that the following items be addressed: 1) proposed hours of operation, 2) types of food to be provided, 3) marketing, 4) staffing, 5) insurance, 6) health department regulatory compliance, 7) pricing, and 8) expectations/requirements from the UNC Nutrition Research Institute. If you would like additional information, please contact Jana Harrison, Deputy Director for Research Administration at jana_harrison@unc.edu or 704-250-5004. Proposals are due no later than 5pm on July 27, 2010.
NRI receives gift to fund Balchem Scholarship (more)
March 2010
$110,000 gift from Balchem Corporation will expand work of NRI Research Assistant and enable further choline discovery. More UNC NRI Appetite for Life series news articles (more)
Press Release articles: New epigenetic study linking maternal diet and brain development in gestating mice, Mihai George Mehedint, M.D. (more)
Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D. presents research at Harvard's 11th Annual Postgraduate Nutrition Symposium (more)
North Carolina People with Bill Friday interviews Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D. (more)
Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D. delivers prestigious W.O. Atwater Lecture at 2009 Experimental Biology Meeting (more)
The People's Pharmacy interviews Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D. (more)
Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D. on the Oprah Show (more)
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