USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center
                                               at Baylor College of Medicine

Currently, research efforts of the CNRC faculty cover eight broad areas. Each of these areas, faculty involved in each and the title of each participating faculty member's research are listed below. CNRC faculty members who also are members of the training faculty of the Postdoctoral Training Program are indicated by an asterisk (*). Note that some CNRC faculty members are not members of the training faculty and that the training faculty includes some individuals who are not CNRC faculty.

1. Nutritional Regulation of Cell Growth, Differentiation & Development

One of the overarching and interdisciplinary themes of CNRC research, this area of research currently concerns how dietary components help determine organ growth, development and function throughout gestation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence.

2. Nutrient - Gene Interactions

This research examines how genes affect the absorption and utilization of nutrients (which in turn affects nutrient requirements). They also examine how nutrients themselves alter the expression of a person's genes, which is a crucial "personal" link to the development of nutrition-related diseases like obesity, cancer and heart disease.

3. Absorption and Metabolism of Essential Mineral Nutrients

These studies investigate the metabolic, hormonal and dietary factors that affect the body's absorption and utilization of essential mineral nutrients, especially calcium and zinc. Lack of adequate calcium intake in childhood can predispose children, especially females to fractures and osteoporosis.

4. Childhood Obesity: Regulation of Energy Balance and Body Composition

Research comprising this area involves identifying genetic, physiological and environmental factors, including physical activity, that influence the accumulation and net gain of lean tissues (such as muscle mass), body fat, and bone mineral content in children. Understanding the environmental and genetic factors that contribute to the accumulation of excess body fat may allow early screening of individuals at risk for obesity during childhood.

5. Childhood Eating Behaviors: Prevention of Childhood Obesity and Chronic Diseases

These studies involve identifying factors that influence the development of children's eating habits, and how to best help children and families adopt healthier habits to avoid long-term health problems linked to poor nutrition, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and osteoporosis.

6. Nutrition During Pregnancy, Lactation, Infancy and Childhood

This research has included studies that define the optimal dietary calorie, protein, and mineral requirements for maternal health during pregnancy and lactation.

7. Developmental Origins of Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease, and other Chronic Diseases of Nutritional Lineage

These CNRC research studies address the mechanism(s) by which an inadequate intake of dietary nutrients like folic acid, Vitamin A, protein, and cholesterol during critical periods of development exert permanent effects on development of specific organs (e.g., brain) as well as health risks (e.g., increased risk for obesity, heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis in adulthood.

8. Phytonutrient Biochemistry, Physiology, and Transport

CNRC plant research is directed toward understanding how plants regulate their absorption and accumulation of minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc, which are important to human health. And in turn, how to improve both the essential-mineral content of plants and the absorption or "bioavilability" of these minerals from plant foods consumed by children.