Bionutrition research

We help investigators carry out studies with a nutrition component--from feeding studies designed to meet specific nutrient criteria to diet-intake analysis and nutiriton counseling, as defined by the study protocol. The bionutrition staff includes a registered dietitian specializing in research study design, and trained research dietetic technicians.

Our fully equipped research kitchen is located 2 floors below the Adult CRC Unit in the UW Medical Center. This location facilitates both inpatient and outpatient studies. We offer:

 

  • Research Diets - Using specialized software (ProNutra©), we can plan research diets including formula, weighed, controlled-nutrient, constant, and ad-libitum diets. Using ProNESSY© software, we can measure actual calorie consumption by “weighing in” and “weighing out” food items.
  • Meal preparation and service - We develop research menus to ensure palatable meals for unique protocol-specific diets. For outpatient diet studies, subjects may pick up meals several times a week. For inpatient studies, we work with the CRC nursing staff in coordinating meal scheduling requirements and dietary compliance.
  • Screening, nutrition counseling, diet assessment, diet evaluation, and compliance - All study participants receive educational materials and counseling to help them understand and follow dietary protocols.
  • Dietary assessment - We conduct nutrition assessments to determine food preferences and energy requirements. We can evaluate diet intake (calories, specific nutrients) over a defined time period to measure compliance in a feeding study or to observe a change in intake due to a dietary intervention
  • Customized Diet Intake Analysis - Using NDS-R (University of Minnesota)we offer several options for obtaining diet intake data.:
    • 24-hour recalls, in person, over the phone
    • Multiple day food records
    • Diet histories
  • Analyzing diet intake - Using NDS (University of Minnesota Nutrient Database system) and ProNutra/ProNessy databases, our trained nutrition staff analyze diet intake over a defined time period to measure compliance in a feeding study or to observe a change in intake due to a dietary intervention

 

How researchers use this resource or service

We conduct investigator-initiated studies, studies performed with industry sponsors, as well as pilot studies.  Examples:

  • Pharmacology: development of standardized, timed meals for pharmacokinetic research studies involving drug-nutrient interaction or drug metabolism
  • Metabolism and Endocrinology: development of an ad- libitum, a randomized controlled-nutrient diet to compare the effects of different macronutrients distribution on appetite- regulating hormone response in body weight regulation;
  • Gastroenterology: randomized-controlled dietary intervention to assess the effect of a change in the ratio and type of fatty acid intake in the reduction of intrahepatic fat accumulation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Fees

We are a fee for service core.  Investigators planning to use our services must work with the Nutrition Researcher Manager to plan a budget for any grant or proposal submission.  

For nutrition studies requiring a specific feeding protocol, fee schedules are individualized based on diet design and set of services requested.

Read more about University of Washington CRC Services fees.

Getting started

Contact Holly Callahan, MS, RD, CD to get started.  She will help you get started at the UW CRC.

Last modified: September 23, 2009