Good nutrition is fundamental to maintain life-long sustainable health and wellbeing, but is influenced by a complex interaction of issues around food security, choices and lifestyle. In response to UK and European policy actions to address key health and societal challenges, our nutrition researchers are undertaking a rapidly growing profile of research activities.

Our research has been funded from external  agencies (industry, charity, national and EU Horizon 2020 funding)  to address nutrition-related problems that benefit and impact  upon the wellbeing of the older person including cancer survivorship, prevention and management of mental health – nutrition and food systems and diets from a sustainability and public health community perspective.

We are also investigating the role of nutrition at the other end of the age spectrum, and have strong links with clinical collaborators in the Poole NHS Trust. For example, we are looking at the therapeutic potential of essential fatty acids in conditions such as Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy and Retinopathy of Prematurity in preterm infants.  We are also looking at the action of nutritional components at a fundamental level, by exploring their role in regulating cell signalling pathways, with the aim of developing strategies to enhance brain repair. This is charity funded work is conducted in collaboration with the University of Roehampton and NUI Galway.

Building on this platform, our research will be translated into concrete and actionable policy outcomes to help drive innovation and impact on practice. We have identified new international collaborations that aim to extend and implement the work and foster new innovative approaches to deliver appropriate food (and hydration) within new pathways and systems across health and social care to demonstrate societal impact.

For more information on our research activity visit our research webpages or contact Dr Jane Murphy.

Related links

Find out more about our research in providing nutrition to people living with dementia and understanding factors that determine vegetable consumption: