News & Events

The UC Davis Department of Nutrition and its collaborators made a strong impact at this year’s International Milk Genomics Consortium (IMGC) Symposium in Aarhus, Denmark, with students, faculty, and clinical researchers all contributing to the program. The symposium brought together scientists, industry leaders, and clinicians from around the world to advance understanding of milk, its bioactive components, and its role in human health across the lifespan.

Every August, National Breastfeeding Month invites us to celebrate nursing parents and their dedication. But it also offers an opportunity to reconsider how science and public health approach one of the most foundational aspects of human development: nutrition in early life.

What makes a baby healthy—and what does the latest research say?

The early days with a baby can be overwhelming. Having someone who understands, especially in your own language, can make all the difference. A recent donation to UC Davis is helping ease financial barriers for bilingual students training to become lactation consultants, so they can bring that care to their communities.

ST. GEORGE, Utah — The Fruit and Vegetable Foundation announced a $10 million gift to the University of California, Davis School of Medicine and UC Davis Health. This gift establishes the Dr. Douglas S. L. Howard Endowed Chair in Nutrition for Transformative Healthcare and supports the development of the corresponding program.

In the Department of Nutrition and the Graduate Group in Nutritional Biology at UC Davis, our scientists are diving deep into the wonders of human milk — from its unique composition to how it shapes lifelong health.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally, affecting millions of lives each year. From heart attacks and strokes to high blood pressure and atherosclerosis, the burden of heart-related conditions is not only physical but also emotional and economic.

Dr. Angela Zivkovic is a leading researcher in precision nutrition and a professor in the Department of Nutrition at UC Davis. Her work is grounded in the belief that chronic disease is not an inevitable part of aging, but rather the result of accumulated damage driven by factors like dysregulated metabolism and chronic inflammation—both of which are deeply influenced by diet and lifestyle. 

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, killing 87% of patients within five years. Previous studies have shown that obesity can increase pancreatic cancer risk by around 50%. In a new study from the University of California, Davis, researchers showed evidence that switching from a high-fat diet to a low-fat diet slowed pancreatic precancer development in mice, even after weight gain and precancerous changes began. The research was published in the Journal of Nutrition.

This year, UC Davis Campus Recreation was honored to have four students selected for the NIRSA William N. Wasson Student Leadership and Academic Award. These awards recognize exceptional undergraduate and graduate students who set the standard for campus recreation departments across the country. Students from Region VI (comprising Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona and California), were selected—four of them are Aggies!

Four researchers with the UC Davis Department of Nutrition are being recognized for their contributions to advancing nutrition science and health.

Nutrition Department faculty, Drs. Lauren Au and Cassandra Nguyen, presented at the 20th Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Healthy Eating Research meeting in Durham, North Carolina on March 12-14th. They were joined by GGNB faculty, post-doc, and graduate student, Dr. Jennifer Falbe, Dr. Jennie Davis, and Christabel Domfe.

Congratulations to Alana Chaney! 

Dr. Kathryn Dewy has been awarded the 2024-2025 UCD Emeriti/Emeritae Association’s Distinguished Emerita Award. This annual award honors outstanding scholarly work and/or University or professional service performed by a UC Davis Senate emeritus or emerita since their retirement.

Nutrition Alumni and Friends!

Join us for a virtual coffee chat with Nutrition Chair Gerardo Mackenzie!
Grab your favorite cozy beverage, spend some time to learn what’s new. Hear
about the department’s latest breakthroughs and the vital role our faculty
and students play in addressing today’s pressing issues. After a brief
presentation, Professor Mackenzie will open the floor to your questions,
followed by a raffle of fun swag to show your Aggie pride. Don’t miss this
opportunity to connect, engage, and support the future of nutrition science!

It’s mid-February and many New Year’s resolutions have already fizzled out, with research suggesting that about 80% don’t last past this point. Debbie Fetter, associate professor of teaching with the UC Davis Department of Nutrition, shares some practical tips to help make healthy habits last all year long. Fetter, who teaches the NUT 10 course, earned her Ph.D. in nutritional biology from UC Davis and provides strategies to help make healthy eating and exercise fun and sustainable.