Nutritional immunology

Nutritional immunology research is centered around studying the mechanisms underlying the modulation of immune responses by nutritional, naturally occurring and orally active compounds. Some of the leading teams of researchers in nutritional immunology research and discovery include the Nutritional Immunology Laboratory at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory (NIMML) at Virginia Tech.

Nutritional immunology researchers have discovered novel mechanisms by which naturally occurring compounds such as conjugated linoleic acid, abscisic acid, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, resveratrol, curcumin, limonin, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D modulate immune responses. Recent advances in nutritional immunology research include applying systems biology, as well as modeling and simulation approaches to accelerate the identification of novel therapeutic targets, biomarkers and the discovery of novel mechanisms of action. In one embodiment Nutritional Immunology relates to the preventive applications of personalized medicine with particular emphasis on immune modulatory effects of naturally occurring, safe and orally active compounds.

External links

• Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory
• MIEP home page