INTERDISCIPLINARY GRADUATE TRAINING IN FOOD, NUTRITION, INTESTINAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Current research in the area of intestinal health has discovered that the bacteria in the gut can play a central role not only in intestinal function but in overall wellness. An altered gut flora has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cancer, obesity and various autoimmune diseases. This is an emerging area of investigation that holds the promise of having a profound effect on maintaining overall wellness. Our ability to understand the role of individual types of bacteria in the gut is criitical to the development of treatments to obtain an optimal flora. The ability of diet to alter the gut flora is an area of active investigation. This training grant will provide financial support for three graduate students who will receive formal instruction both in the clasroom and in the laboratory on how to study intestinal health and discover the role of the gut flora in human health.