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🌟 Transforming lives through nutrition discovery & education
🔬 From cells to communities, advancing health through science

10/27/2026

What if nutrition advice could be as individual as you are?
We know that people can respond differently to the same foods. But how can we use that knowledge to develop more personalized approaches to nutrition and health?

Join UC Davis Department of Nutrition for Coffee & Conversations: The Future of Precision Nutrition, a virtual panel exploring emerging opportunities, current research, and what comes next for precision nutrition. Panelists include UC Davis Nutrition faculty Drs. Angela Zivkovic, Brian Bennett, Guodong Zhang, and Francene Steinberg moderated by Dr. Sean Adams, Vice Chair for Basic Research and Professor in the UC Davis Department of Surgery.

📅 November 17, 2026
⏰ 12 p.m. PST
💻 Virtual via Zoom
🎟️ Free to attend

🔗 Register by November 16th: https://registration.ucdavis.edu/Item/Details/1439

College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UC Davis

Image description: Photos of the panelist and moderator. Image text: The Future of Precision NutritionThe conversation will explore the future of precision nutrition, including where the field is headed, emerging opportunities, and the innovative work our department is currently exploring in this space. UC Davis Nutrition faculty Drs. Angela Zivkovic, Brian Bennett, Guodong Zhang, and Francene Steinberg moderated by Dr. Sean Adams, Vice Chair for Basic Research and Professor in the UC Davis Department of Surgery.

10/26/2026

How we teach students matters just as much as what we teach.

Dr. Debbie Fetter in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition studied how open-book exams compare with traditional closed-book exams in an online introductory nutrition course. Her study found that students taking the open-book format performed worse on the first exam but better on the second, suggesting that there may have been a learning curve in figuring out how to approach this exam type.

Although this research was conducted before the widespread use of generative AI, its findings remain highly relevant as educators rethink assessments that promote critical thinking, real-world problem-solving, and academic integrity.

At UC Davis, advancing nutrition science also means preparing the next generation of nutrition scientists, dietitians, and health professionals.

Read the article: https://journal.aldinhe.ac.uk/index.php/jldhe/article/view/1648

Image descriptions: 1. A woman in a blue dress stands among students lecturing. 2. A woman in a blue sweatshirt works on her laptop with books scattered around her desk. 3.A person in a green beanie and red jacket sits at a desk with a laptop looking upward. 4. Four students sit around a table with open textbooks, writing and reading together. Image text: How do we promote critical thinking in the next generation of professionals? Dr. Fetter compared open-book and closed-book exams in an introductory nutrition course. She found that while the students taking the open-book format performed worse on the first exam, they did better on the second. Suggesting that there may have been a learning curve in figuring out how to approach this exam type. Well-designed assessments can promote critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making. Rethinking assessment means asking not just what students can remember, but how effectively they can use what they’ve learned.

10/22/2026

Ketones, aging and memory—could s*x make a difference?

A new study in 24-month-old mice found that a ketone monoester had different effects in males and females.

Males: lower body fat + higher relative lean mass
Females: fewer memory errors + lower hippocampal inflammation

The findings point to the importance of studying s*x-specific responses to ketone-based interventions in aging.

🐭 These findings are from mice, so more research is needed to determine what they may mean for humans.

Read the article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11357-026-02546-8

Image description: A small cluster of supplements scattered across a light background with a tipped over bottle to the side. Image text: Can ketone supplements affect aging differently by s*x? New research explores the effects of a ketone monoester in aged male and female mice.

10/20/2026

Can mindfulness help young children build healthier habits?

New research from Dr. Katherine Soule at UC Davis and colleagues explores the feasibility and effectiveness of Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies—a four-lesson mindfulness intervention designed for early childhood settings.

The two-state pilot included 96 children in California and New Hampshire and found significant improvements across 14 measured behaviors, including mindful eating, yoga and physical activity, emotional expression, attention, and reflection.

The study also found that the curriculum was well received by educators and families and could be integrated into early childhood nutrition education with relatively few adaptations.

Congratulations to Dr. Soule and colleague, their program, program Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies received 2nd Place National Award for Early Childhood Education from the National Association of Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (NAEAFCS)

While more research—including controlled trials and longer-term follow-up—is needed, these findings offer promising evidence for combining mindfulness, nutrition, physical activity and social-emotional learning to support young children's development.

UC Agriculture & Natural Resources
Read the study:https://neafcs.memberclicks.net/assets/documents/journal/2026-jneafcs/Evaluating%20Feasibility%20and%20Effectiveness%20of%20an%20Early%20Childhood%20Mindfulness%20Intervention.pdf

Image description: children, seated with eyes closed and hands in a circle. Image text: Mindful Kids, Healthier Habits. Statistically significant improvements: Mindful eating Physical activity Yoga practice Attention Social-emotional skills. Exploring mindfulness, nutrition and well-being in early childhood

10/15/2026

UC Davis Nutrition Professor, Dr. Debbie Fetter, shares her expertise with Prevention Magazine a consumer health magazine, on how different forms of fruits and vegetables compare nutritionally.

Her takeaway? Canned produce can still provide important nutrients, even though some nutrients may be reduced during the canning process. And a simple tip can help reduce sodium: drain and rinse canned vegetables and beans before eating.

The bigger picture? Choosing the form that is convenient, affordable and helps you eat more fruits and vegetables regularly is a nutritious choice.

Read the full article in Prevention: https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/a73868518/fresh-vs-frozen-canned-vegetables-fruits/

Image description: A woman stands in the produce section of a grocery story with a basket filled with produce. Image text: Fresh, Frozen or Canned? Does how you buy your fruits and vegetables affect their nutrition? UC Davis nutrition expert Debbie Fetter, PhD, weighs in.

10/14/2026

The Department of Nutrition at UC Davis is seeking a dynamic leader and educator to join us as an Academic Administrator & Adjunct Professor in Maternal and Child Nutrition MCN UC Davis.

This unique 50/50 role combines program leadership with teaching and scholarship, offering the opportunity to shape the future of the Master of Advanced Study in Maternal and Child Nutrition program (https://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/grad-programs/mcn) while contributing to cutting-edge research and education.

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07638

We welcome applicants committed to excellence in graduate education, program leadership, and advancing maternal and child health.

Image description: A person holding a baby, with the baby looking towards the viewer. Image text: We Are Hiring. Academic Administrator and Adjunct Professor in Maternal and Child Nutrition. Qualifications: Ph.D. or equivalent degree in nutrition or closely related field, with expertise in Maternal and Child Nutrition. International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certification

10/08/2026

🎉 Major Research Milestone! 🎉
We are thrilled to celebrate $1,693,225 in new NIH funding to support the groundbreaking "California Partnership for Personalized Nutrition" (CAPPN) consortium. The new award brings overall CAPPN funding to $15,761,337. This team is part of the NIH Common Fund’s Nutrition for Precision Health, powered by the All of Us Research Program, the largest nutrition science program ever funded in the U.S. The transformative effort is driving precision nutrition forward to understand how individual responses to food and diet can improve health outcomes.
Dr. Sean H. Adams, Professor and Vice Chair in the UC Davis Department of Surgery, serves as Contact Principal Investigator for CAPPN, as part of a multi-PI team:
🔹 Dr. Francene Steinberg, UC Davis Dept. of Nutrition & CAES
🔹 Dr. Brian Bennett, USDA Agricultural Research Service
🔹 Dr. Alexander Borowsky, UC San Francisco
🔹 Dr. Zhaoping Li, UCLA School of Medicine
🔹 Dr. Marc Goodman, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Congratulations to the entire research team on advancing precision health and driving cross-institutional innovation! 👏🥦🔬

10/08/2026

How can engineering help advance precision nutrition?

Carolyn Slupsky, Ph.D., professor in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition, brought her expertise in nutrition and precision nutrition to this question as a member of the Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (ERVA) Thematic Task Force.

Working with colleagues across engineering, food systems and health, Dr. Slupsky helped identify research priorities, led breakout discussions, and contributed to developing and refining the report, Engineering Food Systems to Enable Precision Nutrition.

Her contributions helped connect nutrition research with engineering challenges and opportunities, bringing a nutrition perspective to a shared research agenda for advancing precision nutrition.

Read more: https://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/news/carolyn-slupsky-helps-shape-future-precision-nutrition

Image description: a photo of a woman in a dark blue shirt. Image text: Dr. Carolyn Slupsky Helps Shape the Future of Precision Nutrition.

10/07/2026

A growth chart shows where a baby is at one point in time. A growth trajectory shows how that baby grows over time.

In a new study of infants in Malawi and the United States, researchers looked at whether different patterns of growth were linked to attention and memory. The results were more complex than “more growth is better.”

For example, girls in Malawi who grew the least in length took more time to respond during attention tests at 6–9 months old. Boys who grew less in length responded faster, but switched their attention less often. Boys who gained more weight took more time to respond in the U.S. group. In Malawi, boys who gained more weight showed less interest in new things at 12–15 months old.

These are exploratory findings. They do not show that growth patterns caused differences in attention or memory. They do raise an important question: What can a child’s pattern of growth tell us about early development?

Read the article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002916526003187?dgcid=coauthor

Image description: Baby lying on a play mat, reaching upward toward hanging colorful toys. Image text: Growth trajectory may matter. Early growth patterns were associated with differences in attention and memory in infancy.

10/06/2026

More than one-third of food produced in the U.S. goes unsold or uneaten.
But reducing wasted food isn't only about what happens to surplus food;
it's also about what happens inside the system responsible for donating it.

In a recent study, researchers interviewed frontline grocery retail workers, corporate leaders and donation partners to identify barriers to food donation. They also worked with frontline “Champions” to co-design solutions.

Four strategies were highlighted:
• New training
• Updated donation guidelines
• Stronger connection between stores and donation partners
• Donation incentives

But one theme connected them all: Workers’ experiences.

The goal wasn't simply to tell workers what to do. It was to center the people doing the work in designing a system that could work better.

This is nutrition research in action at UC Davis: understanding real-world barriers and working with communities to build solutions that make a difference.

Read the research article here: https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/1555

Image description: darkened image of produce in a grocery store. Image text: If we want to reduce wasted food and increase food donation, we need to design systems around the people who actually use them.

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