Mission and Vision

The people of the NRI

Take advantage of the many opportunities to get involved with the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) and help us become the world’s premier institute for scientific discovery: make a gift, attend an Appetite for Life event, or participate in our research.

As scientists, physicians, and healthcare practitioners better understand nutritional individuality, they will be able to enhance human health, improve brain development, and more effectively treat diseases like obesity, cancer, and diabetes. Be part of our team!
The Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) studies why people’s metabolism and nutrient requirements differ from person to person. As scientists, physicians, and healthcare practitioners better understand nutritional individuality, they will be able to enhance human health, improve brain development, and more effectively treat diseases like obesity, cancer, and diabetes. The NRI studies nutritional individuality by conducting research in nutrigenomics and metabolomics. Nutrigenomics is the study of how nutrition changes the way genes function and how genes change our nutrient requirements. Metabolomics is the simultaneous measurement of thousands of chemicals—in either blood or urine—that make up an individual’s metabolism. Read more.
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.

The Nutrition Research Institute is committed to conducting 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.

Vision: Our vision is to use scientific discovery to ensure optimal health through individualized nutrition.

Mission: We are leading research in precision nutrition by understanding how genetics and environment affect an individual’s requirements for and responses to nutrients.

UNC Nutrition Research Institute Board of Advisors

Col. Fred T. Brown, Jr.
President
The Brown Consulting Group
Charlotte, NC

Mr. Byron L. Bullard
President
Presbyterian Hospital (retired)
Charlotte, NC

Dr. Patrick Burgess
Founder and Inventor, EndoTool
CMO, MD Scientific, LLC
Charlotte, NC

Mr. John Fennebresque, Jr.
Managing Director
Fennebresque & Co., Investment Banking
Charlotte, NC

Mr. Steven Fisher
Chairman and CEO
Farmers & Merchants Bank
Salisbury, NC

Dr. Erika Gantt
Surgeon
OrthoCarolina
Charlotte, NC

Mr. Brien Lewis, J.D.
President
Catawba College
Salisbury, NC

The Honorable James G. Martin
Immediate Past Chair, NRI
Governor of NC, 1983-1995
Charlotte, NC

Mr. Jeff Petry
Managing Director, Life Sciences & Healthcare
Deloitte Consulting LLP
Charlotte, NC

Mr. Craig Richardville
Chief Information Officer
SCL Health
Broomfield, CO

Ms. Rina K. Shah
Vice President, Clinical Programs
Beacon Laboratory Benefit Solutions
Research Triangle Park, NC

Mr. Tom Smith (Chair)
Chairman, President and CEO
Food Lion, Inc. (Ret.)
Salisbury, NC

Mr. Richard Vinroot
Mayor, City of Charlotte, 1991-1995
Attorney at Law
Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.
Charlotte, NC

Ms. Phyllis Wingate
President
Carolinas HealthCare System, Northeast
Concord, NC

Dr. James H. Woodward
Chancellor Emeritus
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC