A research of excellence in Nutrition and Health
From laboratory
to society
The research center in Nutrition is an organ of research basic-applied of the University of Navarra, attached to the School of Pharmacy and Nutrition. It carries out a research of excellence in topics related to Nutrition and Health, specifically with the problems of obesity.
It transfers to the industry, especially the food and pharmaceutical industry, the results of the research in order to improve its productivity and support the development of new food products. In addition, it offers industry services related to the areas of nutrition, dietetics, and food in general.
NUTRITION AND MOLECULAR METABOLISM
instructions and new therapeutic strategies in obesity and metabolic syndrome.
PRECISION NUTRITION
Eating behavior habits. New nutritional strategies. Nutrigenomics, epigenetics and metagenomics.
BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS
Bioactive compounds, prebiotics and probiotics. design and development of functional foods.
NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTION UNIT
We prepare scientific and technical reports providing a service to all areas of the center.
UNIT OF
METABOLOMICS AND BIOINFORMATICS UNIT
Metabolome study and bioinformatics analysis of data omics (genomics, metagenomics...)
PHENOTYPING UNIT
ANIMAL
Platform that provides service to the groups of research of the University as well as to external groups.
PROJECTS WITH COMPANIES
These are specific research and development+i projects bajo contract, nutritional intervention services, counseling, etc.
Navarre entities seeking to obtain proteins with high added value (navarracapital.es)
The Agri-Food Cluster of Navarra (NAGRIFOOD) organized this Tuesday the meeting launching of the strategic project Biogreenfood together with all the partners that make up the consortium. The goal of the initiative is to take advantage of crops that allow obtaining foods with high protein added value in terms of health due to their functionality, bioavailability of nutrients and digestibility, such as concentrated, hydrolyzed and fermented proteins.
New publication of project NUTRIPRECISION
The article with the main conclusions of the NUTRIPRECISION study, completed in 2022, has recently been published in The Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging. On behalf of research center in Nutrition (CIN), Dr Cristina Galarregui (whose thesis was based on results from the NUTRIPRECISION consortium), Dr Begoña de Cuevillas, Dr Carlos J. Gonzalez Navarro, Dr Marian Zulet, Dr Santiago Navas-Carretero and as senior author, Dr Itziar Abete, participated in the research . In addition to the CIN, the last three authors are part of group CIBEROBN whose principal investigator is Dr. María Jesús Moreno.
The projectproject, financed by the CDTI at framework of the CIEN call, and involving the companies AMC Innova Juice and Drinks, Iberfruta Muerza, Hijo de José Martínez Somalo, group ICA, Congelados de Navarra, Galletas Gullón and Europastry, concluded with a multicenter nutritional intervention, between Madrid and Pamplona, which investigated the feasibility of integrating personalized foods and tools to promote healthy aging.
Specifically, the impact of the inclusion of these foods on general health status and quality of life was evaluated. For this purpose, 127 women and men between 50 and 80 years of age, overweight or obese, were recruited and randomly distributed between a control group , which received the standard recommendations, or to the precision group , where in addition to a precision nutrition strategy, with the inclusion of personalized foods, a mobile application was used. In addition to anthropometric and body composition parameters, biochemical parameters and quality of life were determined before and after the 3-month intervention.
In addition to improving health status by reducing body weight, blood pressure and metabolic health, compared to the control group , the main improvement was in quality of life, with additional improvements in emotional well-being and vitality. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the benefit of a precision nutritional intervention to promote healthy aging and emotional well-being, improving their quality of life.
Results of the ALINFA study
The results of the ALINFA Study confirm that improved nutritional status is reflected in the metabolome and is related to adherence to the per diem expenses Mediterranean diet.
The project ALINFA, arose from the need to ensure healthy, affordable and accessible food for children. In fact, it was funded within the call for strategic projects of the Government of Navarra (2019). The ALINFA consortium was led by Irigoyen Comedor Saludable S.L., and was also formed by core topic companies from the food sector, such as group APEX, Harivenasa, Industria Alimentaria de Navarra (IAN) and Sanygran, as well as by the Public University of Navarra, CNTA and the University of Navarra.
In the last two publications arising from the research at the research center in Nutrition (CIN) of the University of Navarra, whose last author is Dr. Santiago Navas-Carretero, researcher of the CIN and member of the group CIBEROBN led by Dr. María Jesús Moreno, conclusions are drawn on two different aspects of child nutrition.
In the first, published in the Revista Children, we explored the influence of Degree of adherence to the ALINFA nutritional intervention on the improvement of the dietary patron saint of schoolchildren. Based on a questionnaire on adherence to the Mediterranean per diem expenses validated for children (KIDMED), the dietary patron saint was evaluated at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. In addition, the Degree adherence of the schoolchildren to the ALINFA intervention was analyzed (the cut-off point was 75% of the prescribed total energy intake). With these two factors, two groups of high and leave adherence to the intervention, the quality of the per diem expenses, and the improvement of the quality of the per diem expenses according to adherence were identified. Although all participants improved their quality of per diem expenses, those who already started from a higher quality of per diem expenses at baseline experienced a greater improvement in their nutritional status.
The second article, the result of Naroa Andueza's doctoral thesis defended in November 2023, whose directors were Dr. Marta Cuervo Zapatel and Dr. Santiago Navas-Carretero, consisted of analyzing the metabolites present in the urine of schoolchildren who received the ALINFA intervention to evaluate the quality and compliance with the per diem expenses through biomarkers. The main conclusion was that the changes observed in the metabolome of schoolchildren in the ALINFA intervention demonstrate its effectiveness towards a healthier per diem expenses , reducing the indicators associated with a higher consumption of red meat and foods high in saturated fats.
Sustainability and Health
Itziar Ariz Hernandez. PhD. candidate. research center in Nutrition. department de Food Science and Physiology. School of Pharmacy and Nutrition. University of Navarra.
Sustainability and health are current issues that are a major factor in the food industry's development of new products development . In this framework, the consumption of meat analogues based on vegetable proteins is a growing trend. However, the implications of this substitution from a nutritional point of view need to be carefully studied. In this work the composition of classic (beef) hamburgers and ready-to-eat vegan hamburgers was compared. In addition, the effect of digestion on fat, protein and the potential antioxidant capacity of both types of products has been studied.
Parma Summer School - Innovative Food Products
23.09.2024
Summer School "Innovative Food Products" taught virtually and aimed at young professionals, students of doctorate, postdoctoral researchers, as well as other scientists, academics and representatives of public institutions, non-governmental organizations and European agencies. registration free of charge (before June 28) limited to a maximum of 300 students.
- More information -
10th Nutrition Omics Symposium
13.06.2024
Tenth edition of the "OMICS Symposium" to be held on June 13 at TECNUN (San Sebastian). This time it will be led by Frank B. Hu and Miguel Angel Martinez Gonzalez and will be attended by renowned researchers in the field of Nutrition, Preventive Medicine, Metabolomics, Biostatistics, among others (see program).
seminar of Science Communication and knowledge dissemination
07.06.2024
Next Friday, June 7, we invite you to attend to seminar of Communication and knowledge dissemination of Science: "Communicating science with financial aid of AI". The Science Museum and the Scientific Culture Unit of the University organize this workshop of training addressed to researchers. It will feature the following activities:
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Introduction to generative AI: how to apply it to science communication and the value of prompts
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Practical workshop: tools for the documentation process, summaries of scientific articles, outlines for informative articles, translations.
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Ethics and limits of AI use.
This seminar will take place at classroom 10 of the Science Library Building from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm. Places are limited, so registration is required.
- More information -
14 | 08 | 2024
University scientists investigate whether current societal habits alter circadian rhythms and diabetes risk
ImagenCeded
13 | 08 | 2024
The project Biogreenfood seeks to develop healthy products from vegetable protein.
ImagenSchool Pharmacy and Nutrition
08 | 04 | 2024
University scientists investigate whether olive extract can contribute to lowering cholesterol
ImagenManuel Castells