Partner 43: Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht (NUTRIM)

 NUTRIM is an interfaculty research institute of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine of Maastricht University in co-operation with the University Hospital Maastricht. Within NUTRIM, 15 biomedical, clinical and behavioural-science departments co-operate in the implementation of scientific research in the fields of nutrition and toxicology and in the education of PhD-students. NUTRIM participates in the Graduate School VLAG (Food Technology, Agrobiotechnology, Nutrition and Health Sciences), accredited by the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). The total number of scientific staff participating within NUTRIM is approx. 210 including 89 PhD students. At the Department of Human Biology, effects of diets on cardiovascular risk have been a line of investigation since its establishment. The Department has the required expertise and facilities to carry out controlled human intervention studies. Research within this domain is focused on energy and substrate metabolism, dietary requirements and food intake of man in relation to characteristics like age, body composition, growth, pregnancy, physical activity and exercise, and genetic background. Furthermore, studies are performed on the functional consequences of changes in dietary intake and/or energy expenditure in healthy subjects and patients. In particular relevant for SEAFOODplus are the studies using stable isotopes and molecular-biological techniques on the nutritional and physiological determinants of elongation and desaturation of essential fatty acids (linoleic acid and a- linolenic acid). The studies will become part of the interfaculty research program ‘Nutrition and Metabolism, a successful line of research from NUTRIM.

 

Key persons

Prof. Ronald P. Mensink (Project 1.3 METAHEART)

Petra Goyens