Nutrition Research Institute welcomes nutrition specialists for 7th NGx training workshop

This workshop bridges lab-to-population research, fostering interdisciplinary communication among academia and industry scientists.

KANNAPOLIS, NORTH CAROLINA, USA, May 1, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Nutrition Research Institute welcomes nutrition specialists for 7th NGx training workshop

The UNC Nutrition Research Institute, in collaboration with the UNC Nutrition and Obesity Research Center (NORC), will hold its popular short course now called Nutrigenomics and Precision Nutrition in Clinical Practice, May 13-16 in Kannapolis, NC, for nutrition specialists.

The UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI), a unit of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is dedicated to answering questions of how genes and diet interact (the science field of nutrigenomics or “NGx”), and how we can use these answers to develop a precision nutrition approach that maximizes each individual’s health. NGx research spans scientific concepts from cell biology to dietetics. The NRI created this workshop to aid in the translation of research results from laboratories to populations and to enable interdisciplinary communication by bringing together graduate students, health professionals and nutrition scientists from academia and industry. This workshop marks the seventh gathering in nine years and establishes a biennial structure for the future.

The workshop-style short course includes back-by-demand presentations as well as presentations on new topics for advanced audiences. Talks include an introduction to NGx; genetics in nutrition research and nutritional epidemiology; applications of NGx to cancer, chronic disease, brain health and both macronutrient and micronutrient metabolism; and various approaches to obesity research and management. “This workshop serves as a dynamic platform for students, researchers, and industry and health professionals, providing them with a hands-on experience in the evolving science of microbiome and nutrigenetics," said NRI principal investigator and workshop director Saroja Voruganti, PhD.

The keynote address by Naïma Moustaïd-Moussa, Ph.D., FTOS, FAHA, Horn Distinguished Professor, Nutritional Sciences and Associate Vice President for Research and Director of Obesity Research Institute, Department of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University, will be an opportunity for students and junior researchers to hear from a leading investigator in the field. Among the presenters are professors and researchers from UNC-Chapel Hill departments of nutrition, genetics, epidemiology, psychiatry, psychology and neuroscience, schools of medicine and social work, and the UNC Nutrition Research Institute; UNC Charlotte; USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Obesity and Metabolism Research at Davis, CA; and Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica.

This year’s all-inclusive registration fee covers the full short course, interactive sessions where attendees will learn how to analyze and interpret genetic data, hotel accommodations and all meals. The general per-person cost to attend is $900; postdoctoral fellows $600; graduate students $500. Registered Dietitians (RD) can earn up to 20 CPEU credits with this course. Because of the importance of training future scientists, the NRI offered fee scholarships to eligible graduate students and postdocs.

“Our individuality extends beyond our physical appearance; it also encompasses our unique response to food and nutrients. Understanding our genetic makeup and its influence on our nutritional needs is important for achieving optimal health,” said Deborah F. Tate, interim director of the UNC Nutrition Research Institute. “Our genetics, metabolism, microbiome, environment, and other individual characteristics make each of us unique and influence our requirements for nutrients. These factors also influence how much our diets impact our risk of developing various diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and some cancers. This workshop aims to equip scientists and healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills for understanding the power of genetics and personalized nutritional strategies to optimize health and wellbeing.”

This short course in Nutrigenomics and Precision Nutrition in Clinical Practice is organized and produced by the UNC Nutrition Research Institute, which gratefully acknowledges financial support from the United States Department of Agriculture, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Coddle Creek Capital and Truly Good Foods.


For more information, visit uncnri.org/ngx

About the UNC Nutrition Research Institute
The UNC Nutrition Research Institute’s mission is to learn how nutrition affects individual health through our leadership in precision nutrition research, establishing how differences in our genes, gut bacteria, metabolism, and environment shape our individual disease risk. Every person is metabolically unique. The NRI is dedicated to finding out how these differences affect an individual’s health so that current one-size-fits-all dietary guidelines can be replaced with customized nutritional recommendations and actions to improve a person’s health and quality of life.

For more information on the Nutrition Research Institute, future courses or to schedule an interview, contact Brooke Giles at 704-250-5046.

UNC Nutrition Research Institute
500 Laureate Way
Kannapolis, NC 28081
704-250-5000
uncnri.org

Brooke Giles
UNC Nutrition Research Institute
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