Nutrition Training

Abstract

Project SummaryThe importance of nutritional sciences to improving the public’s health has never been more evident. Withtwo-thirds of the US population overweight or obese, the burden of chronic diseases, including diabetes, isincreasing and the economic, social and human costs are significant and growing. With initiatives such asNutrition for Precision Health, NIH seeks to transform nutritional sciences through innovative research onnutrition, dietary patterns and the effect of nutrition on the microbiome. There is a continuing national need forresearchers who take a multifaceted approach to solve the most pressing questions, who understand thetranslation from basic to clinical levels of inquiry, and who contribute to translation of scientific discovery toevidence-based nutrition policy and practice. The proposed training program in the Division of NutritionalSciences at Cornell University addresses this need by preparing trainees to produce interdisciplinary sciencethat can drive impact across the translational spectrum from basic sciences to clinical and public health. Thetraining program, with positions for 4 predoctoral trainees per year, is built on Cornell’s nutrition doctoralprogram, which emphasizes multidisciplinary and integrative scholarship across the biological, physical,behavioral, and social sciences. The 30 trainers participating in this application represent the broad range ofdisciplines necessary to achieve the goals of the training program and include renowned scientists withexpertise spanning from genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry to epidemiology, psychology, andeconomics. The trainers have active research programs and excellent training records. The proposed trainingprogram includes a core curriculum (Grant Writing and Translational Research and Evidence-based Policyand Practice in Nutrition) that is complemented by the WHO/Cochrane/Cornell Summer Institute forSystematic Reviews in Nutrition for Global Policy Making. Trainees also submit an NIH F31 predoctoralapplication and participate in three enrichment activities including monthly trainee meetings, hosting anannual invited speaker, and organizing an annual half-day symposium. As part of the translational researchtraining, trainees are co-mentored for at least one project in their dissertation. To meet national needs throughdoctoral training, the training program includes a combined PhD-RD training component for 1 trainee per yearthat comprises the above program elements and a short translational research or policy experience. Theinfrastructure to support the proposed training program is well-established, with added strengths from newfaculty members with research programs in molecular nutrition, microbiome, proteomics, computationalbiology and nutrition and health inequalities. Highly successful partnerships with the World HealthOrganization and Cochrane significantly enhance Cornell’s capabilities in translational science and evidencesynthesis. These new and continuing strengths support the program’s objectives to create an unparalleledtraining experience in the nutritional sciences and prepare the next generation of nutrition scientists.