Rates of obesity and related metabolic disorders have increased substantially over the past 20 years. However, despite the significant work being done, translation of progress in this area into clinically useful advances has been inadequate. Recognizing this critical gap, the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORC-H) has continued to evolve through a deliberative process of restructuring, to enable key goals of the Center and larger Nutrition Obesity Community. In this regard, the new Center Leadership, under Dr. Grinspoon, a well recognized expert in human metabolic phenotyping and ectopic adipose tissue, has worked closely with Dr. Allan Walker, the prior Director, in consultation with the EAB to restructure the Center to leverage the strengths of the investigative base, to achieve the goals below. The Center has been successful, as judged by its scientific achievements, with key metrics of success in terms of publications, and grant support. To harness strength of the Research community at Harvard to address extensive questions related to obesity, nutrition and metabolism, the Center has expanded core use to include metabolic phenotyping, translational model development, development of tissue specific cell types from stem cells, and functional imaging for adipose tissue, substrate flux, and higher cortical satiety and hunger pathways organized into 6 specific themes. This work leverages and simultaneously facilitates the work of the numerous faculty members actively engaged in nutrition and obesity research across the Harvard schools of medicine and public health and affiliated hospitals. The NORC-H has enjoyed great success in fostering cross-institutional and cross- disciplinary collaborations between researchers for 2 decades. The NORC-H will continue to develop its highly successful focus on enrichment and promotion of nutrition and obesity related science and utilize a high quality P&F Program to provide pilot funding to advance highly deserving scientists with significant potential. The goals of the Center are to identify and promote a highly productive research base centered around key thematic interests unique to the Center, with potential to translate research findings into clinically useful strategies for human advancement, to make sophisticated phenotyping and model development services available to clinical and translational researchers both within and beyond the Harvard community through novel core services, and to make the knowledge of these advancements available through a robust enrichment, education and outreach program, including via our annual symposium, P&F symposium, website and outreach to other NORCS to ensure that the community benefits maximally from the Center.

Public Health Relevance

The Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORC-H) supports a large base of investigators throughout the Harvard system who are engaged in research in the fields of nutrition and obesity and who have made substantial contributions to these fields. The NORC-H fosters community and collaboration among these researchers and provides critical support to both senior and junior investigators in the form of Core services, Pilot and Feasibility Grants, statistical support, and opportunities to share and disseminate research findings.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Center Core Grants (P30)
Project #
2P30DK040561-21
Application #
9385960
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDK1)
Program Officer
Evans, Mary
Project Start
1997-09-01
Project End
2022-07-31
Budget Start
2017-08-01
Budget End
2018-07-31
Support Year
21
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Massachusetts General Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
073130411
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02114
Fitzpatrick, Merry; Ghosh, Shibani; Kurpad, Anura et al. (2018) Lost in Aggregation: The Geographic Distribution of Kwashiorkor in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Food Nutr Bull 39:512-520
Perng, Wei; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L; Hivert, Marie-France et al. (2018) Branched Chain Amino Acids, Androgen Hormones, and Metabolic Risk Across Early Adolescence: A Prospective Study in Project Viva. Obesity (Silver Spring) 26:916-926
Etheredge, Analee J; Manji, Karim; Kellogg, Mark et al. (2018) Markers of Environmental Enteric Dysfunction Are Associated With Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Tanzanian Children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 66:953-959
Pratt, Janey S A; Browne, Allen; Browne, Nancy T et al. (2018) ASMBS pediatric metabolic and bariatric surgery guidelines, 2018. Surg Obes Relat Dis 14:882-901
Chow, Felicia C; Regan, Susan; Zanni, Markella V et al. (2018) Elevated ischemic stroke risk among women living with HIV infection. AIDS 32:59-67
Liu, Enju; Pimpin, Laura; Shulkin, Masha et al. (2018) Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Growth Outcomes in Children under 5 Years of Age. Nutrients 10:
Jimenez, Lissette; Stamm, Danielle A; Depaula, Brittany et al. (2018) Is Serum Methylmalonic Acid a Reliable Biomarker of Vitamin B12 Status in Children with Short Bowel Syndrome: A Case Series. J Pediatr 192:259-261
Su, C; Su, L; Li, Y et al. (2018) Helminth-induced alterations of the gut microbiota exacerbate bacterial colitis. Mucosal Immunol 11:144-157
Fulay, Aarohee P; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L; Oken, Emily et al. (2018) Associations of the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet with pregnancy complications in Project Viva. Eur J Clin Nutr 72:1385-1395
Woo Baidal, Jennifer A; Elbel, Erin E; Lavine, Joel E et al. (2018) Associations of Early to Mid-Childhood Adiposity with Elevated Mid-Childhood Alanine Aminotransferase Levels in the Project Viva Cohort. J Pediatr 197:121-127.e1

Showing the most recent 10 out of 1081 publications