The major goal of the Clinical Nutrition Research Unit (CNRU) at the University of Washington is topromote and enhance interdisciplinary nutrition research by bringing together basic science and clinicalinvestigators on a cooperative basis. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of nutrition, close interactionacross disciplines and optimal use of resources is necessary to better understand the relationships amongdiet, health and disease states. By providing a number of Core facilities, the CNRU integrates andcoordinates research activities in the field of nutrition and aims to foster new interdisciplinary researchcollaboration, stimulate new research activities, improve nutrition education at multiple levels and facilitatethe nutritional management of patients.The four Cores are: 1) an Animal Studies Core, the Physiology Component of which measures bodycomposition and energy expenditure in rodents, and a Genetic Component, which provides geneticallydefinedmouse models for use in studies of nutrient-gene interactions; 2) an Analytic Core to provideAffiliate Investigators with cost-efficient state-of-the-art nutritional assays in both human subjects andexperimental animals, and to help with new methods development; 3) a Human Studies Core to providefacilities and assistance for investigators with their clinical research, and 4) an Administrative andEnrichment Core that is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the CNRU. This Core alsoarranges a series of seminars, retreats, and Visiting Professorships, and administers the Pilot andFeasibility and New Investigator Programs. These programs are aimed at stimulating nutrition research byjunior investigators and by more established investigators new to the field of nutrition in response toevolving research interests at the University of Washington. This Core also contains a biostatisticalcomponent that supports both basic and clinical research.Thus, the CNRU provides facilities and support for the large and varied nutrition research base of theUniversity, which consists of 78 Affiliate Investigators. The major research foci of the University ofWashington's CNRU are lipids and atherosclerosis, diabetes and body weight regulation, and obesity, i.echronic diseases of major importance to the health of the nation. The presence of the CNRU at theUniversity of Washington stimulates not only research, but also educational and clinical activities in thearea of nutrition.
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