UC Davis Nutrition

What role does food play in the prevention of disease and promotion of human health? Scientists in the UC Davis Nutrition Department conduct clinical trials with human subjects to investigate relationships of food components and essential nutrients with health and wellness. Learn more about clinical studies and how to become a research participant: https://studypages.com/ucdavis/studies/?term~sc_paths=centers_dept-of-nutrition

New research alert!

Dr. Jennifer Falbe, Associate Professor of Nutrition and Human Development, and colleagues recently published a study that found added-sugar warning labels on restaurant menus led people to order less added sugar. Labels that included both an icon and the words "Sugar Warning" were especially effective.

These findings highlight how simple menu changes could help consumers make more informed choices and support public health.

Congratulations to the research team on this important contribution to nutrition policy and health equity research!

🔗 Read the full study here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468266726000745



Image description: GGNB logo and text on a blue background. Image text:"Can restaurant menu labels help reduce added sugar consumption? A new study led by Dr. Jennifer Falbe found that added-sugar warning labels encouraged people to order meals with less added sugar."

🌟 Meet Tiffany | UC Davis Nutrition Student 🌟

Tiffany’s passion for nutrition started in the kitchen and became purpose-driven through personal experiences caring for her family and her grandmother’s battle with pancreatic cancer. 💛

At UC Davis, she’s focusing that passion as she assists with pancreatic cancer research exploring how plant-based compounds can influence cancer cell growth.

Outside the lab, Tiffany is active in her community. She teaches children about healthy eating through the Kids in Nutrition organization 🍎, participates in Global Medical Brigades, and connects with her community through social media.

✨ We are proud to spotlight Tiffany and share how she is making an impact—from cells to communities.



Image description: A person wearing a black cardigan over a black top and a cream-colored skirt, with hands holding the lapels of the cardigan. Image text: Student Spotlight Tiffany Henry Clinical Nutrition.

New research on microplastics from the UC Davis Department of Nutrition and Department of Chemistry explores how microplastics may interact with biological systems at the molecular level.

In a mice model, researchers examined oral exposure to polystyrene (a common plastic that can break down into micro- and nanoplastics) and used advanced imaging tools (MALDI MSI + TIMS) to track where these particles go and how organs and tissues respond.

Findings show distinct, organ-specific changes in lipid metabolism:
• Stomach showed signs of epithelial stress
• Liver had altered lipid processing and indications of adjustments to maintain stability
• Heart exhibited disrupted membrane-related lipid pathways

Together, the results suggest microplastics may influence biological systems in more complex and tissue-specific ways than previously understood.

Learn more: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.6528604



College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UC Davis
UC Davis Health

Image description: Stacks of white styrofoam takeout containers on a brown surface. Image text: Microplastics don’t just pass through. They may change how our organs function.

Dr. Debbie Fetter recently contributed her expertise to a national discussion on dietary protein sources and evidence-based nutrition guidance.

Dr. Fetter emphasized the importance of considering overall dietary patterns and the role a variety of protein sources can play in supporting health. Her insights help provide science-based context on topics, including plant and animal source proteins, protein quality, and the growing interest in protein-focused products and supplements.

Read the full article in The Guardian here: https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2026/may/19/pros-cons-popular-protein-sources



Image description: A close-up shot shows three vertical sections: marbled raw meat on the left, a pile of lentils in the center, and a pile of light-colored powder on the right. Image text: “There’s a time and place for all proteins,” says Fetter. What’s best depends on the individual and their dietary needs and preferences.

Congratulations to UC Davis Department of Nutrition faculty members Drs. Lauren Au, Gerardo Mackenzie, and Reina Engle-Stone on being recognized as 2026 Excellence in Nutrition Fellows by American Society for Nutrition!

This recognition reflects outstanding contributions to nutrition research, education, mentorship, and public health impact. This honor highlights the strength of the UC Davis nutrition community and its commitment to advancing science that improves human health worldwide.

Read more: https://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-faculty-honored-excellence-nutrition-fellows



Image description: 1. A woman with dark bobbed hair smiles, wearing a floral print dress and a decorative necklace. 2. A man wearing glasses and a blue plaid shirt smiles at the camera. 3. A woman with long, dark, wavy hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a pink V-neck shirt with a repeating pattern. Image text: UC Davis Faculty Honored as Excellence in Nutrition Fellows by American Society for Nutrition Lauren Au, Associate Professor, Gerardo Mackenzie, Department Chair and Professor, Reina Engle-Stone Associate Professor

New blog alert 💫
How does nutrition shape women’s health from puberty to menopause?

Dr. Amy Nichols explores how key life stages influence long-term health—and why women’s health research needs a stronger lifecourse lens.

Read the full article here: https://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/news/advancing-womens-health-across-lifecourse



Image description: A pregnant person in a yellow cardigan slices a hard-boiled egg on a cutting board next to a bowl of salad. Image text: Women’s Health Across the Lifecourse: How nutrition shapes lifelong health.

UC Davis Nutrition Graduate Student Spotlight

Meet Shannon Trinh, a UC Davis Nutritional Biology Ph.D. student whose journey connects physiology, nutrition science, and a passion for education and research.

💡 What inspired her path into nutrition?
Her interest began during an undergraduate seminar that highlighted how underprioritized prevention, such as nutrition, can be in healthcare. Another course on science in the media led her to explore nutrition misinformation, which sparked a deeper interest in how nutrition science is communicated and understood.

📚 Favorite UC Davis courses:
• NPB 114 — GI Physiology (Dr. Bautista)
• FST 230 — Food and Gut Microbiota (Dr. Mills)

🔬 Current research:
The effects of grapes on the gut microbiome and vascular health.

🤝 Involvement:
Graduate student leader in GGNB GradSAC (Treasurer and Assorted Development, Mentorship, and Exploration (ADME) peer mentoring Program Coordinator).

🌱 Most rewarding part of nutrition:
Using her background in physiology to better understand and explain emerging findings in nutrition research.

🎯 Career goal:
To pursue a career in academia as a professor to teach and mentor future dietetics and nutrition students.

We are proud of students like Shannon whose experience reflects the UC Davis Nutrition vision of transforming lives through nutrition discovery and education.

Interested in our graduate degrees? Learn more about the GGNB at: https://ggnb.ucdavis.edu/



Image description: A person with dark hair, wearing a black sleeveless turtleneck and a silver necklace, with arms crossed and smiling. Image text: Shannon Trinh, Ph.D. student. A UC Davis Nutritional Biology Ph.D. student whose journey connects physiology, nutrition science, and a passion for education and research.

Proud to spotlight undergraduate research in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition

At this year’s Annual Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Conference, fifteen students showcased projects ranging from food fortification and vitamin deficiency to precision nutrition and disease prevention. Their work reflects the power of mentorship and hands-on research experiences in shaping future leaders in nutrition science.

Read more in our latest blog + explore the abstracts here: https://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/news/celebrating-undergraduate-research-nutrition-uc-davis

UC Davis Undergraduate Research Center - URC


Image descriptions: A close-up of a digitally created person with colorful splashes on a blue background /A person stands next to a poster presentation/ A person stands in front of a research poster /Two people stand in front of a blue and yellow banner that reads "UC Davis Undergraduate Research Center." The person on the left holds a certificate /A person holds a certificate & stands in front of a research poster/ Two people stand with awards & bouquets in front of an Undergraduate Research Center Banner /A person holds a certificate & stands in front of a research poster /A person smiles & holds a certificate in front of a research poster Image text: Swipe to see featured work from undergraduate researchers /Evaluation of dietary switch interventions in obesity-induced hepatic steatosis in mice Ananya Narke, Nutrition Science /Pharmacological Inhibition of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases as a Potential Novel Therapeutic Intervention for Diabetic Kidney Disease Ayaka Sonehara, Nutrition Science /Evaluating Factors Associated with Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Ghanaian Children Aged 2-5 Years Carol Georgies, Clinical Nutrition /Evaluating Lactoferrin Supplementation on Intestinal Development in Early Life Using a Lactoferrin Knock-out Mouse Model Esther Louie, Nutrition Science /Validating an Innovative AI Dietary App at UC Davis: Lessons and Future Directions Nicole Omori, Clinical Nutrition, & Maggie Peña, Molecular and Medical Microbiology /Evaluating Sodium Levels in Chips and Prepackaged Sandwiches at Two UC Davis Campus Markets Qilin Guan, Clinical Nutrition /An in Vitro Model to Evaluate the Capacity of Phthalates to Promote an Acute Phase Response Shayla Nguyen, Biochemistry, Minor in Environmental Toxicology