More space and more labs mean more possibilities for research in the Center for Human Nutrition.

In March, the CHN moved into new quarters in the recently completed Cecil H. and Ida Green Biomedical Research Building. Its 8,000-square-foot area includes nine laboratories, an administrative suite and a conference room.

"The laboratory space will allow us to implement some of the programs we have had in mind. We did not have the room to add more personnel or equipment in our old area," says Dr. Scott Grundy, director of the center. Nutrition research at the CHN falls into five major areas, all of which use the new laboratory facilities:

Heart disease
Studies include comparison of the effects of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in the diet, evaluation of the cholesterol-lowering ability of Mevinolin, a new drug being tested throughout the country under the direction of Grundy, and research into the treatment of high cholesterol and high triglycerides.

Cancer
Research represents a cooperative program in which Dr. Michael Bennett, professor pathology, is studying the relationship of diet and cancer. Working with cancer-susceptible mice, Bennett is testing the thesis that polyunsaturated fats may suppress the immune system and also may pose a higher risk of cancer than other fats.

Osteoporosis
Using CHN laboratories, Dr. Charles Y.K. Pak, director of the health science center's mineral metabolism unit, is studying the effect of diet on osteoporosis. The gradual loss of calcium from bone is a particular problem for older women. The body may absorb inadequate amounts of calcium because there is not enough in the diet originally. Calcium also can be excreted through the kidneys or lost through the intestines. Pak is seeking the optimal diet to prevent calcium loss.

Diabetes
The Center for Diabetes Research is engaged in collaborative research in the CHN and shares two laboratories in the new space. Studies are being directed by Dr. Roger Unger to determine the best diet for diabetics. Unger and Grundy have also found that a high sugar content in the diet of diabetics appears to accelerate the development of high blood sugar and, in turn, complications of diabetes. They are now trying to determine the process by which this occurs.

Pediatrics
Dr. Ricardo Uauy, who has a joint appointment to the CHN and the Department of Pediatrics, is studying the way in which low birth weight infants absorb and use fats. He will determine the types and proportions of fatty acids that be best to use in feeding these very small, usually premature babies. It appears that certain polyunsaturated fatty acids, similar to fish oils, may be essential for properly functioning brain cells and other physical development.

"We are very pleased that our new facilities are making it possible to expand the research program of the Center and also to offer more support for cooperative efforts with other scientists at the medical school," says Grundy. "More laboratories mean that more studies can be carried on simultaneously and that fewer people have to wait to use equipment."