[INMP Roster]

The Integrative Nutrition and Metabolic Processes study section [INMP] reviews research grant applications dealing with the integration of molecular events, gene responses, metabolic processes, and physiological functions that pertain to macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, and protein), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), and other food components.  Complications of these processes and their influence on disease are also addressed here.  Approaches span basic to patient-oriented research using cell culture systems, genetically manipulated animals, and human studies.

Specific areas covered by INMP:

• Protein Metabolism: Human, animal, and cellular studies of proteins, amino acids, and their metabolites regarding mechanisms of their synthesis, utilization, degradation, and metabolism and the inter-organ flux of these components.
  
  
• Lipid Metabolism: The role of cholesterol, phospholipids, and fatty acid metabolism in physiological and pathophysiological processes (including gene regulation). Studies may range from cellular to patient-oriented research.
  
  
• Lipoprotein Metabolism: The biogenesis and catabolism of lipoprotein particles, the transfer of lipids among particles, and the role of lipoproteins in health and disease.
  
  
• Carbohydrate Metabolism: Human, animal, and cellular studies of glucose, disaccharides, polysaccharides and their metabolites regarding mechanisms of their synthesis, utilization, and metabolism, and inter-organ flux of these components.
  
  
• Intermediary Metabolism: The flow of substrates through metabolic pathways, regulation of the metabolic processes, and identification of new pathways involving nutrients and other food components.  Substrate turnover and flux of carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals may be investigated in health and disease states other than diabetes and obesity.  In vitro, or compartmental models may be used as well as in vivo approaches.
  
  
• Vitamin Metabolism: Cellular through human studies of vitamin requirements, utilization, metabolism, and function (including genotype-phenotype relationships of vitamin metabolism).  Vitamins as modifiers of the functions of specialized cells (including dose-response studies over a range from deficient to excessive); relationship of vitamin metabolism and function in neurochemistry, brain dysfunction, and cognition.
  
  
• Mineral Metabolism: Cellular, animal, and human studies of absorption, transport, metabolism, and the function of macro and trace elements; approaches include the use of genetically manipulated animals, genomics, and human subjects using a wide range of levels from deficient to excessive; studies of the functions of minerals including the role of metals in: neurochemistry and cognition, the acute phase response, immune function, and cellular development.
• Other Food Components: The cellular, metabolic, and functional effects of other components in the food supply that influence health and disease in humans; this includes studies of the role of carotenoids, flavonoids, and other phytonutrients on metabolic processes, cellular function, and gene expression.
  
  
• Differentiation, Neoplasia, and Immune Response: Human, animal, and cell studies of the effect of nutrients and other food components on normal and abnormal cell differentiation and proliferation; studies of underlying mechanisms as well as the effects on nutrient metabolism and function and studies of the effects of nutrients, or other dietary components, on immune functions or responses.
  
  
• Inborn Errors of Metabolism: The molecular mechanisms underlying inherited disorders of metabolism involving amino acids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
  
  
• Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants: The effect of nutrients, other food components, and metabolic substrates on the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and on disease processes; and the contribution of specific nutrients, and other food components to antioxidant defense.

INMP has the following shared interests within the EMNR IRG:

• With Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology [MCE]: INMP reviews studies of the effect of hormones on nutrient metabolism.  This includes studies at the cellular level, their role in integrating the metabolism of nutrients and food components at the organismal level, and the consequences of inadequate or excessive nutrient supplies on hormone actions.  Studies of the mechanism of hormone action on nutrient metabolism other than glucose metabolism may be referred to MCE if the focus is the mechanism or its implications.
  
  
• With Pregnancy and Neonatology [PN]: Studies of the effect of pregnancy and reproductive hormones on nutrient metabolism may be referred to INMP.  Abnormalities of fuel metabolism, such as gestational diabetes, may be referred to IPOD.
  
  
• With Integrative Physiology of Obesity and Diabetes [IPOD]: There is shared interest with IPOD, particularly as related to lipids and lipoproteins, the metabolism of which is frequently disturbed in both diabetes and the metabolic syndrome/central obesity.  Moreover, nutritional approaches are central to the management of both diabetes and obesity. In general, INMP may review in vivo aspects of protein and lipid metabolism, while IPOD may review in vivo aspects of carbohydrate metabolism.  However, these distinctions are flexible, since metabolism of the three substrates is inter-related.  Applications dealing with energy intake, satiety, energy expenditure, and energy balance may be referred to IPOD.  INMP could be assigned studies of the effects of micronutrient metabolism in obese and diabetic populations.

INMP has the following shared interests outside the EMNR IRG:

• With the Genes, Genomes, and Genetics [GGG] IRG: Applications that address the role of nutrients on gene expression or the role of genes on nutrition could be referred to INMP or to GGG depending whether the utility of the study's outcome is uniquely related to endocrinological issues.
  
  
• With the Cell Biology [CB] IRG: Cell biology studies of the role of macronutrients, micronutrients and other food components in metabolic processes and physiological function or dysfunction may be areas of shared interest and could be referred to CB if the focus of the study is basic cell biology or to INMP if the focus of the study is nutrition or a nutrition-related disease.
  
  
• With the Biology of Development and Aging [BDA] IRG: Studies of nutritional or metabolic factors underlying mechanisms of aging or control of aging processes, or of the role of nutritional or metabolic factors in clinical, physiologic, or pathophysiologic age-related changes, could be referred to INMP or BDA depending whether the utility of the study's outcome is uniquely related to endocrinological issues.
  
  
• With the Bioengineering Sciences and Technologies [BST] IRG: Shared interest exists in the measurement of intracellular and physiological levels of glucose and other metabolites. Applications that propose the development of new sensor technology could be referred to BST; applications that propose the use of instrumentation to monitor metabolite levels could be referred to INMP.
  
  
• With the Health of the Population [HOP] IRG: Shared interest exists in the area of nutritional behavior. INMP may be assigned studies of the metabolic consequences of dietary behaviors. Studies of dietary selection behavior and patterns of food consumption and studies related to epidemiology, large-scale interventions for obesity or diabetes or applications that focus on their effect on the level of human health could be assigned to HOP.
  
  
• With the Risk, Prevention and Health Behavior [RPHB] IRG: Shared interests exist in the areas of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and their roles in disease onset, and the complications of diabetes, specifically regarding the role of diet in prevention and risk reduction. Applications that focus on metabolic changes associated with lipid, lipoprotein and dietary changes may be assigned to INMP.  Applications that focus on behaviors, attitudes, or psychosocial factors that affect risk and disease outcomes could be assigned to RPHB.
  
  
• With the Immunology [IMM] IRG: In general, applications that focus on the effects of nutrients or other dietary components on immune functions or responses should be referred to INMP.
  
  
• With the Cardiovascular Sciences [CVS] IRG:  Proposals that focus primarily on general glucose or lipid metabolism; or the effects of obesity, or dietary changes on the whole body or multiple organ systems could be assigned to INMP.  Studies relating to cardiovascular metabolism or blood flow as a chronic adaptation to obesity or diet leading to cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure could be assigned to CVS.  Applications dealing primarily with the role of lipids in the inflammation of the vascular system, particularly atherosclerosis, could be assigned to CVS.
  
  
• With the Musculoskeletal, Oral, and Skin Sciences [MOSS] IRG:  Basic, translational or clinical applications that focus on nutrients, or general nutrition where oral and dental disease, bone disease, skeletal muscle or connective tissue are a secondary part of the study, may be assigned to INMP.  Basic, translational or clinical applications that focus on disease, injury or repair of these tissues/systems, where the role of nutrients, or general nutrition are a secondary part of the study, may be assigned to MOSS. 
  
  
• With the Digestive Sciences [DIG] IRG: Shared interests occur in several areas.  (1) In the area of xenobiotic and/or nutrient metabolism, and toxicology:  Applications could be assigned to DIG when the xenobiotics or nutrients are being used at therapeutic or toxicological doses.  Applications dealing with metabolic aspects of nutrients or food components, once absorbed and available to non-digestive system tissues and cells, could be assigned to INMP.  (2) In the area of metabolism:  Assignment could be made to DIG when the focus of the application is the digestion, absorption, and metabolism (in the GI tract, liver, or pancreas) of nutrient and non-nutrient components of the diet or supplements, when presented at physiologic levels.  Studies of metabolism by organs or tissues other than those of the digestive system as well as subsequent disposition, transport and excretion could be assigned to INMP.  (3) In the area of nutritional support:  Studies that focus on the use of nutritional support in the treatment metabolic disorders and diseases could be referred to INMP.  Studies that focus on the role of digestive/gastrointestinal system could be assigned to DIG.  (4) In the area of lipid metabolism:  Applications dealing primarily with lipid metabolism in the GI tract and liver could be assigned to DIG.  Applications that focus on lipoproteins and lipid metabolism could be assigned to INMP.