Nutrition research in the Center for Human Nutrition is concentrated in three areas: disease causation, disease prevention, and treatment of disease. The primary type of research carried out in the Center is human investigation. Researchers are recruited into the Center who are committed to investigations in human beings. This holds for both M.D.s and Ph.Ds. Some researchers do studies directly on patients.
These studies include identification of disease markers, testing of special diets, and testing of new drugs. The Center specializes in sophisticated methodology for its clinical investigation. Other researchers in the Center study samples taken from patients. These samples consist of blood, serum, tissues, and DNA. Various metabolic and genetic constituents are isolated from samples identified and measured. The results of clinical studies and basic analyses make it possible for Center investigators to gain new insights about disease causation and about how to prevent disease or to manage disease if it is already clinically manifested. Scientific evidence indicates that nutrition plays a role in the causation of most chronic diseases as well as several acute illnesses. The major chronic diseases that have a strong nutritional component are coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer. Often improper nutrition combines with genetic susceptibility in individuals to bring on premature chronic disease. The metabolic abnormality that results from this interaction of improper nutrition and abnormal genetics is called the metabolic syndrome.
Investigators in the Center for Human Nutrition are committed to understanding the study of abnormal metabolism and to elicit the contributions of nutrition and genetics in human beings. Our faculty can all be classified as clinical investigators but make use of approaches extending from intensive interaction with patients to high-technology molecular biology. This amalgam of talent and close collaboration creates a clinical-research team that is rare in academic medical centers today. They make possible fundamental new insights into the causation of nutritionally related chronic diseases.
The Center for Human Nutrition's research program has concentrated its research on preventing the artery clogging condition of atherosclerosis and its attendant coronary heart disease, stroke, aneurysm, and other circulatory problems.
Atherosclerosis is greatly worsened by the "risk factors" of high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity--all of which make up the metabolic syndrome and are affected by diet. The Center for Human Nutrition is fortunate in having a widely recognized team of scientists studying the effects of diet on cholesterol metabolism. Important advances already have been made in this area.
High blood pressure not only accelerates atherosclerosis, but it can bring about stroke and failure of the heart and kidneys. Two prominent nutritional problems--excess salt intake and obesity-worsen high blood pressure; in fact, some researchers believe proper diet could practically eliminate high blood pressure. Research in the nutrition center on the metabolic consequences of obesity offers new avenues to the prevention of high blood pressure so that drug therapy may be avoided.
Diabetes is the third greatest cause of death after heart disease and cancer. It makes atherosclerosis worse and damages the eyes, kidneys, nervous system and circulation. Proper nutrition probably could prevent most cases of adult onset diabetes and is appropriate therapy to prevent complications in the more serious juvenile onset diabetes.
Center investigators have made fundamental contributions to improved management of the metabolic abnormalities present in patients with adult-onset diabetes. Many patients with acute and chronic diseases have special nutritional requirements. In many instances, these have not been defined adequately. The nutrition center has collaborated with other centers and departments in determining nutritional needs of these patients. Special attention has been given to patients with burns, cancer, surgical problems, diabetes, gastrointestinal disease, arthritis and diseases of the heart, lungs and blood. Outstanding research on all of these diseases is being carried out at UT Southwestern. However, more attention needs to be given to use of nutrition in their treatment. The nutrition center attempts to stimulate new investigations in existing programs.
