Identifying Genomic and Microbiome Influence on Response to Dietary Interventions for Improved Lipid Parameters
Metabolic syndrome, whose clinical manifestations include central obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and elevated glucose levels, results in greatly increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Changes in diet and physical activity can prevent and even reverse manifestations of metabolic syndrome, but current dietary recommendations fail to account for important factors, such as the individual’s genome and their intestinal bacteria community, which could determine how they respond to changes in diet. The microbiome in particular is shaped by both host genes and diet and has a central role in the regulation of digestion and metabolism. The goal of this study is to determine whether changes in the richness, diversity, or structure of the intestinal microbial community can be used as a predictor for response to alterations in diet.
Institution: Colorado State University
Principal Investigator: Tiffany Weir, PhD
Year Awarded: 2014
The IAFNS Future Leader Award, given annually to promising nutrition and food scientists, allows new investigators the opportunity to add to an existing project or to conduct exploratory research that might not receive funding from other sources or add to an existing project. Consideration is given to individuals proposing research in the areas of experimental nutrition, nutrition and toxicology, and nutrition and food science. Grants extend for a period of 2 years at a funding level of $15,000 USD per year. Funds may not be used for overhead or to support the investigator’s salary.
