Molecular Nutrition PhD programs?

[AndyMD]

I'm becoming more and more interested in the prospects of doing graduate work in molecular nutrition, essentially biochemistry as it relates specifically to the roles of certain nutrients in the body and their effect on health (as I understand it). Some places go so far as to tie this into work towards public health promotion, as well ... I've caught wind of the fact that Emory, UNC, and I believe Cornell all have at least the beginnings of these programs... does anybody else have an interest in this area, or know of other institutions that have programs such as these?

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[ma-bas]

Hi,

I believe Case Western has such a program. Columbia has a Nutrition program within the med school, so you could try there too.

 

[Fermata]

I'm becoming more and more interested in the prospects of doing graduate work in molecular nutrition, essentially biochemistry as it relates specifically to the roles of certain nutrients in the body and their effect on health (as I understand it). Some places go so far as to tie this into work towards public health promotion, as well ... I've caught wind of the fact that Emory, UNC, and I believe Cornell all have at least the beginnings of these programs... does anybody else have an interest in this area, or know of other institutions that have programs such as these?

UNC does have a nutrition program.

 

[Neuronix]

There's such research going on at Penn as well.

 

[pathdr2b]

UNC does have a nutrition program.

UNC has a TERRIBLE nutrition program! Try Dr.Willitte(sp) and Haaavard!

PS - From a grad who spent 1 semester doing reserch in the Nutrition dept (Nutritional Biochemistry).

 

[Fermata]

UNC has a TERRIBLE nutrition program! Try Dr.Willitte(sp) and Haaavard!

PS - From a grad who spent 1 semester doing reserch in the Nutrition dept (Nutritional Biochemistry).

Bummer.


I was actually optimistic about it since I have also considered it in the past....

Ahhh well.....thanks for the heads up.

 

[u2psalm40]

don't rule it out though, see for yourself!

 

[pathdr2b]

don't rule it out though, see for yourself!

Last Fall just before I started grad work a UMaryland, Neuronix gave some advice about the school and I thought to myself " I'll just go and try it out". Needless to say, it was a huge waste of time because ALL of the concerns he expressed about the school were right on point and he had NEVER attended the school.

So yes, for the most part take any advice on SDN with a grain of salt, but among the people on the MD/PhD thread a ton of the advice is pretty dam accurate.

 

[u2psalm40]

Last Fall just before I started grad work a UMaryland, Neuronix gave some advice about the school and I thought to myself " I'll just go and try it out". Needless to say, it was a huge waste of time because ALL of the concerns he expressed about the school were right on point and he had NEVER attended the school.

So yes, for the most part take any advice on SDN with a grain of salt, but among the people on the MD/PhD thread a ton of the advice is pretty dam accurate.

that being said, it is still important, especially in an area that's up and coming, to take advantage of the opportunity to speak with researchers in that area. you never know where they'll be next year or the next, or who the dept is bringing in, or what direction they want to go in (where is money being funneled for the next 3 years?) until you try it out (apply/interview) and get your face out there.

i'm not saying apply/consider every school out there, but rather don't rule a place out that you've formerly considered because of one or two opinions. Definitely take these concerns into account, but in this game, it really is "different strokes for different folks," b/c of all of the other factors going on. i was most surprised at the great conversation and advice from people at institutions that I'd initially considered as 'backups' or found other problems with.

finally, another reason to keep looking into schools that you're not sure about is that you don't know which interviews you'll get or not. I was fortunate enough to get a good number of interviews and having all of those experiences (good and bad) helped me to figure out what EXACTLY i was looking for in a department/program, and what vibed well.

just my 2 cents. good luck

 

[pathdr2b]

that being said, it is still important, especially in an area that's up and coming, to take advantage of the opportunity to speak with researchers in that area.

I fully understand what you're saying BUT..
I have a friend at Chapel Hill in the PhD currently at Chapel Hill. He's been there 7 years with no signs of graduating. I have another that left Chapel Hill's Nutrition dept to go to go to UCLA 2 years ago (he had been accepted to Harvard's Nutrition dept.). Still a 3rd person took 10 years to finish a Nutrition PhD while I was there. Make of this what you will.

That being said, it's rumored that the reason Chapel Hill's School of Public Health dropped from #1 years back to whatever it is now which I believe is #3 or 4, is because of the nutrition dept. Now if this doesn't tell you anything about the dept, I don't know what will.

Bottom line, the department is weak, and can't graduate it's students on time. The "that won't happen to me" isn't a realistic attitude to have IMHO. I know I'm not applying to grad depts that can't graduate students in a timely fashion.

 

[drdr2010]

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has an MD/PhD in Nutritional Science through the Medical Scholars Program (non-MSTP, but fully funded). Very well known nutrition program, in the top 5.

 

[Super Rob]

I'm becoming more and more interested in the prospects of doing graduate work in molecular nutrition, essentially biochemistry as it relates specifically to the roles of certain nutrients in the body and their effect on health... and I believe Cornell all have at least the beginnings of these programs... does anybody else have an interest in this area,

I was not aware that Cornell had such a program. I'm going to look into it and report what I find.

This is essentially the sort of research I find most interesting and I would also appreciate any information people have about where to pursue such interests.

 

[flyingillini]

I'm becoming more and more interested in the prospects of doing graduate work in molecular nutrition, essentially biochemistry as it relates specifically to the roles of certain nutrients in the body and their effect on health (as I understand it). Some places go so far as to tie this into work towards public health promotion, as well ... I've caught wind of the fact that Emory, UNC, and I believe Cornell all have at least the beginnings of these programs... does anybody else have an interest in this area, or know of other institutions that have programs such as these?

I am also looking for the EXACT same thing. The MSP at UIUC looks like my dream place as of right now. I really want to stay in the Midwest, but we'll see how it goes. I'd like to make a list of schools that offer this program for our reference.