Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging - Tufts University
Current Projects
- Determine effects of dietary fat on the bioavailability of provitamin A carotenoids in biofortified rice.
- Determine the vitamin A equivalence of plant carotenoids in children, using deuterium-labeled spinach, Golden Rice, and pure beta-carotene in Chinese children.
- Determine the vitamin A equivalence of spirulina in adults with and without vitamin A
- Determine the vitamin A equivalence of yellow
- Determine the bioavailability of lutein and zeaxanthin/capsanthin from peppers in humans.
- Evaluate the effect of nutritional supplements on the progression of retinal disease.
- Examine the relationship between serum levels of antioxidants and the presence of age-related maculopathy.
- Determine the changes in macular pigment density of the eye and changes in antioxidant capacity in the circulation when consuming lutein
- Determine the major factors affecting antioxidant capacity in humans and to modify antioxidant capacity by supplementing with antioxidant nutrients.
- Elucidate effects of bioactive plant-based foods on biological functions and genomic stability in humans.
- Examine the functions of dipeptides as a quencher of cytotoxic carbonic compounds.
- Evaluate the role of lipoprotein subpopulations in macular pigmentation.
- Develop a database of individual levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in their major food sources in the U.S. diet.
- Apply the lutein and zeaxanthin food database to determine their individual intakes in populations.
- Determine the role of xanthophylls in cognitive function
