Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received a $529,665 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847), effective June 15, 2026, through May 31, 2031. The project focuses on developing and validating DNA and metabolomic biomarkers to improve dietary assessment methods, specifically targeting diets rich in polyphenols and processed foods. This research addresses a critical gap in nutritional epidemiology by moving beyond self-reported dietary intake assessments, which are subject to significant measurement error and bias. The study leverages novel methodologies, including fecal DNA sequencing techniques adapted from wildlife ecology and metabolomics analysis, to create objective dietary biomarkers that can more accurately characterize individual dietary patterns and support precision nutrition research.

The research deliverables will advance the scientific understanding of dietary biomarker development through rigorous testing of fecal DNA and metabolite approaches as alternatives to traditional dietary assessment tools. The project aims to fill existing gaps in the literature by providing empirical validation of these emerging biomarker methods and generating data that can inform future nutritional epidemiologic studies. Outcomes from this work are expected to support the broader federal nutrition research agenda, including priorities outlined in the NIH Strategic Plan for Nutrition Research and related initiatives under the All of Us Research Program's Nutrition for Precision Health initiative.