We request renewed funding to continue the documented success achieved in the first cycle of UAB'sClinical Nutrition Research Unit (CNRU). Inaugurated through NIH funding in 2000 and supported by UAB'sformal system of University-wide Interdisciplinary Research Centers, our CNRU fosters multidisciplinary,collaborative approaches to basic clinical and translational nutrition research, with emphasis on obesity. In1996, UAB established an intramurally-funded University-Wide Obesity-Nutrition Research Center which,with NIH funding, evolved into the present CNRU. Since first funded by NIDDK, our research base hasgrown from $44M (88% federal; 11 R01s) to $72M (92% federal; 40 R01s) in annual direct funding fornutrition/obesity studies an overall increase of 61% in research funding. UAB's CNRU has directly helpedrecruit at least 16 new and established obesity and nutrition investigators in the past funding cycle. Currently,our CNRU leadership oversees an NIDDK-funded T32 post-doctoral training grant for obesity research, anewly awarded industry sponsored pre-doctoral obesity training grant, an NIH-funded R25 CancerPrevention and Control Training Program emphasizing nutrition, an endowed professorship and endowedchair in nutrition sciences, an NIH-funded U54 Center for Nutrient-Gene Interaction, and an annual series ofNIH-funded nutrition and obesity-related short courses and conferences. Our CNRU funds at least four P/Fstudies per year, a New Investigator, and an extensive Enrichment Program. UAB has granted the CNRUover $1.6M since its inception as an NIH-funded CNRU, developing CNRU Cores in EnergyMetabolism/Body Composition, Genetics, Small Animal Phenotyping and Biostatistics, for sharedinstrumentation, operating expenses and recruitment, resulting in cost-effective research and enhancedaccess to cutting-edge technology. Approximately 85% of the funded nutrition/obesity studies in our researchbase use CNRU Cores. Our secondary foci or points of converging research interests including gene-nutrientinteraction, dietary effects on oxidative stress, and health effects of phytonutrients and micronutrients arenurtured in synergistic collaboration with other centers on campus including our NCI-funded ComprehensiveCancer Center and our Center for Free-Radical Biology. Backed by exceptional institutional support andacademic infrastructure, we request renewed funding to continue our successful nutrition/obesity research.
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