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Manchester to add master’s degree in nutrition with DNA twist – FW Business

Posted: January 4, 2020 at 8:47 am

In the future, nutritionists and dietitians will have a new tool for studying the relationship between a persons nutrition and health theyll be adding DNA into the mix.

Manchester University is moving ahead with plans to offer a master of science degree in nutrition and nutrigenomics (MSNGx).

It builds on Manchesters masters degree in pharmacogenomics, which is the study of DNA and medication. Manchester is the first university in the nation to offer that degree.

To our knowledge, the MSNGx program would be the first of its kind in the country, said Teresa Beam, Pharmaceutical Sciences Department chair and professor of pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacogenomics at Manchesters Fort Wayne campus.

Manchester University will train the nutritionist of the future, she said. The program will be divided into two phases: three years of undergraduate study at the North Manchester campus and two years of professional study at the Fort Wayne campus.

Jeff Beer will be responsible for the first three years the undergraduate phase. Beam will lead the graduate-level phase in Fort Wayne.

In lay terms, the program will teach nutritionists how to use an individuals DNA to make better nutrition choices. Beam said eventually, with additional research the body of evidence will grow and nutritionists and dietitians will be better able to match diets to genes, the gut microbiome and metabolism.

The ultimate goal of this new field, Beam said, is to use nutrigenomics to improve health and make healthier communities. Complex diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease could some day be better managed when an NGx-trained nutritionist is part of patients health care teams.

The importance of diet in preventing and treating complex diseases is well-known, she said. Food as medicine is emerging as a necessary component of managing complex diseases.

In Spring 2020 the university plans to hire an MSNGx program director. By the end of 2020 the MSNGx application should be submitted to the accrediting council. The accreditation site visit will be in spring of 2022 and the first students will be admitted in fall 2022.

Nutrigenomics also has the potential to improve athletic performance. Genetics can influence the bodys ability to recover from injury, generate inflammation or cause oxidative stress, Beam said. Genetics can also affect performance. All are factors that can be considered when constructing athletic training regimens, designing physical therapy treatments or optimizing game strategies.

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Manchester to add master's degree in nutrition with DNA twist - FW Business

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