A Star Clusters Program
Advancing Nutritional Sciences Through Collaboration & Innovation
Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health
Wen Public Health is forging collaborations with community stakeholders to address the lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables so that the residents of Orange County can improve and optimize their health.
Bernadette Boden-Albala, MPH, DrPH Founding Dean of the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health
Advancing Nutritional Sciences Through Collaboration & Innovation
Diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) pose a significant global public health challenge, responsible for approximately 41 million deaths annually. In the United States alone, obesity contributes over $170 billion to medical costs, while in Orange County, California, 24.2% of adults are classified as obese.
Unhealthy diets and malnutrition are major drivers of NCDs, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Preventing diet-related NCDs is crucial given their high prevalence and the strain they place on healthcare systems.
A Star Cluster hire in this area would position UCI Health and the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health as leaders in nutrition science and policy research. By leveraging existing assets, experts and momentum, we are
poised to build a synergistic effort that sets new standards in preventing, diagnosing and treating diet-related NCDs.
Envision a future where leading-edge nutritional science and policy breakthroughs eradicate diet-related diseases. At the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, that future begins today.
We are unlocking the potential of nutrition science through unparalleled collaboration to combat the global public health challenges associated with diet-related non-communicable diseases, obesity, malnutrition and more. By building on recent successes, we aim to transform the landscape of nutrition research and policy – ultimately improving health outcomes – locally, nationally and internationally.
Building on Recent Success
Wen Public Health has developed a robust foundation for primary and secondary prevention research on NCDs. Our notable achievements in nutritional epidemiology, nutrition policy, and multilevel interventions to reduce food insecurity rates and improve dietary behavior have positioned us as leaders in the field.
Community engagement efforts include culturally relevant cooking classes to teach families about the importance of nutrition, healthy eating and the benefits of a plant-based diet.
Notable recent faculty appointments include:
- Matthew Landry, PhD, RDN, DipACLM, FAND, FAHA, assistant professor, Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention. Landry studies how to promote food and nutrition security and preserve cardiovascular health. He was recognized by the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as the Young Dietitian of the Year.
- Denise Payán, PhD, MPP, associate professor, Department of Health, Society, and Behavior. Payán specializes in nutrition policy and community-engaged interventions to address nutrition-related health disparities. She serves on the editorial board for the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Additional expertise would enhance our work in nutrition science and policy research, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across the Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences and leveraging partnerships with the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute.
Vision for the Future
Our vision includes recruiting elite nutrition scientists and fostering interdisciplinary research across public health and health sciences fields. This Star Cluster effort aims to attract a leading investigator who can utilize UCI Health data to develop innovative secondary and tertiary prevention strategies for diet-related NCDs.
Potential interventions include strengthening partnerships between healthcare providers and community organizations in alignment with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food is Medicine initiative, a national public health awareness campaign rooted in the idea that food and nutrition can help improve health, and that access to nutritious food is essential for well-being. Programs such as produce prescriptions and medically tailored meals can help prevent, manage and treat diet-related NCDs, reducing the need for invasive health services and lowering healthcare costs. Federal investment increasingly supports these Food is Medicine approaches.
The Star Cluster emphasis aligns with broader healthcare trends, including addressing social determinants of health, such as food insecurity, and the growing use of GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic for weight management. With this collaborative effort, we have the potential to shape the future of nutrition research and policy, improving health outcomes across the globe.
Join Us in Making an Impact
We are seeking philanthropic partners to fund Star Clusters throughout the Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences. These distinguished recruits will strengthen our research enterprise significantly. By becoming a philanthropic partner, you will forever link your legacy to a Star Cluster and its groundbreaking research. To learn more about supporting this transformative initiative at UC Irvine, please contact Health Advancement at healthadvancement@uci.edu.