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The 2009 Research Frontiers in Nutritional Sciences Conference will feature new information on the rapidly developing field of bioactive food compounds.

By Susan McGinley, UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
September 11, 2009

Diabetes, heart disease and cancer are primary causes of illness and cost billions of dollars each year. Overweight and obesity place individuals at risk for these diseases, yet new research suggests that bioactive components of foods can help reduce this risk and aid in disease treatments.  

The 2009 Research Frontiers in Nutritional Sciences Conference will feature new information on the rapidly developing field of bioactive food compounds.

Experts also will share the latest information on prevention and therapies for cancer, obesity and diabetes. The conference will be held Oct. 8-9 at the University of Arizona in the Student Union Grand Ballroom.

The conference will draw on scientists, health care providers, business professionals and other interested individuals to develop solutions and discuss research.

Presenters include researchers from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, National Research Council Canada, the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, the Arizona Cancer Center and nine universities.

"As we move towards personalized medicine, we need to understand how particular foods and supplements in our diet benefit medical and nutritional treatments," said Joy Winzerling, head of the department of nutritional sciences in the UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "This conference provides this opportunity, bringing together people working on research in human nutrition, medicine, and agriculture," Winzerling said.

The term "bioactive food component" refers to nonessential biomolecules that are present in foods and exhibit the capacity to modulate one or more metabolic processes, and promote better health.

Bioactive food components are usually found in multiple forms and are predominantly found in plant foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

In addition to the bioactive food component, the conference will also present new ways to control muscle function, describe the use of new scientific technology in research in human nutrition and animal growth, encourage work on teams among participating scientists and clinicians and increase the education of junior investigators and graduate students.     

The conference also will include a special posthumous tribute to eminent UA nutritional scientist Darrel Goll who passed away in July 2008. Goll spent his academic life searching to understand how muscles function and what happens to them when stricken with muscular dystrophy.

The conference is open to basic scientists, applied scientists, epidemiologists, clinicians in practice including public health practitioners, medical doctors, registered dietitians, doctors of osteopathy, pharmacists and nurses, as well as post doctoral, graduate and undergraduate students. The general public also is welcome to register and attend. Continuing education units will be offered for practicing dietitians who work in these fields.

Several UA units are sponsoring the conference including the department of nutritional sciences and its Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition; the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Arizona Cancer Center and Cancer Biology Graduate Interdisciplinary Program; the College of Medicine Endocrinology and Diabetes Programs and the Kroc Foundation Lectureship Endowment; and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

Other sponsors are the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, GlaxoSmithKline, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, NovoNordisk, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America and Affiliates and the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.   

The conference runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8 and from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9. Early registration has been extended.