Research Opportunities

NIH leads all Federal agencies in support for nutrition research and training, spending over $1.0 billion in 2005. NCI contributes almost one-fourth of these funds and support for nutrition research comes from the NSRG, other groups within the Division of Cancer Prevention, and many other areas within the NCI.

NSRG research priorities include: Nutritional modulation of genetic pathways Molecular targets for bioactive food components and cancer prevention Diet, epigenetic events, and cancer prevention Diet-induced changes in cancer processes Nutrient interactions Temporal exposure to bioactive food components and cancer risk Validation of biomarkers for exposure, effect, and susceptibility Use of surrogate markers to determine the impact of bioactive food components on cancer Identification and characterization of molecular targets for nutrients in various cancer sites

Training Opportunities

Nutrition & Cancer Prevention Research Practicum
The practicum is a one-week educational opportunity, typically held every March, for post-baccalaureate nutrition students, dietetic interns, dietitians, and graduate students sponsored jointly with the Department of Nutrition at the NIH Clinical Center. The practicum provides specialized instruction in the role of diet as modifiers of cancer incidence and tumor behavior. The program includes pre-clinical and clinical findings related to the following topics in cancer prevention:

• Cancer Trends
• Bioactive Food Components
• Nutrigenomics
• Molecular Targets and Biomarkers
• Bioenergetics
• Nutrition-Related Databases
• Ethics & Health-Related Messages

Stars in Nutrition & Cancer Lecture Series
This lecture series features extraordinary contributors or “stars” in the field of cancer and nutrition research. Speakers highlight the important role that nutrition plays in modifying cancer development. The lectures aim to facilitate interdisciplinary interactions among basic scientists, clinicians, and behavioral and social scientists. Lectures typically occur each fall and spring. Former “Stars” include the following:

• Ron Evans, PhD, Albert Lasker Professor for Basic Medical Research, Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA
  “Nuclear Receptors and the Complex Journey to Obesity” 
• Paul Talalay, MD, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
  “Protection Against Cancer: Edible Plants, Genes and Enzymes”
• Robert Weinberg, PhD, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Daniel K. Ludwig and American Cancer Society Research Professor, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
  “Mechanisms Leading to the Formation of Human Malignancies”
• Bruce Ames, PhD, Professor of the Graduate School, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA
  “Mitochondrial Decay Contributes to Aging and Degenerative Diseases: The Role of Micronutrients”
• Sheila Bingham, PhD, Director, Medical Research Council Centre for Nutrition in Cancer Prevention and Survival, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Head, Diet and Cancer Group, Medical Research Council Dunn Human Nutrition Unit, Cambridge, UK
  “Nutritional and Molecular Biomarkers in Diet and Cancer Epidemiology”
• Peter Gillies, PhD, FAHA, Senior Research Fellow, Central Research & Development, E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company, Newark, DE
  “Omega-3 Fatty Acids in the Dietary Management of Pro-Inflammatory States: A Nutrigenomic Model”
  

Videotapes of the Stars in Nutrition & Cancer Lectures can be accessed at the NSRG website - click here 

Collaborations

The NSRG collaborates with several other national and international, federal, and non-profit organizations related to nutritional science research and cancer prevention, including:

• NIH Institutes, Centers and Offices
• Food and Drug Administration
• United State Department of Agriculture
• National Science Foundation
• World Cancer Research Fund/ American Institute of Cancer Research
• American Dietetic Association
• Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Nutrition Listserv

The NSRG offers a listserv which provides updates on the latest NCI funding opportunities, workshops, and other resources related to nutrition and cancer prevention. To subscribe to the NSRG listserv:

1. Send an email to: LISTSERV@LIST.NIH.GOV
2. Include the following within the text of the email: SUBSCRIBE NUTRITIONCANCER
3. More information on LISTSERV commands an be found by sending the message HELP in the text of E-mail to LISTSERV@LIST.NIH.GOV 

John A. Milner, PhD, Chief, Nutritional Science Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6130 Executive Boulevard, Suite 3164, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, Phone 301-496-0118, Email milnerj@mail.nih.gov