Nutrition Think Tank

From Ideas to Action: Leveraging the Seattle Nutrition Community

In a world with 7 billion people, nearly 2 billion people on earth are undernourished and 1.9 billion adults are overweight or obese. For the last two years, we’ve invited nutrition experts to join us in a learning symposium focused on innovative research, technical assistance, and food systems to combat this statistic. From research on drug development to prevent infectious disease, to human-animal interactions’ impact on child nutrition, Global WACh’s Nutrition Think Tank brings together leading experts to discuss the generation of evidence to improve nutritional outcomes around the world.

View the master slide deck of all presentations here.

Session One: Innovative Research and Action: Child Nutrition and Infection

Improving malnutrition inpatient and post-discharge outcomes – Kirk Tickell, University of Washington

Human-animal interactions and impact on child nutrition, microbiome, and growth – Peter Rabinowitz and Emily Mosites, University of Washington

Drug Development to prevent infectious disease and poor nutritional outcomes  – David Shoultz, PATH

Session Two: Scaling up Through Technical Assistance

Remote sensing for global development: sensors for public health and nutrition – Evan Thomas, Portland State University

Understanding intervention uptake and scale-up through the perspective of maternal capabilities – Scott Ickes, University of Washington

Effective technical assistance towards the elimination of iodine deficiency disorders– The role of the Iodine Global Network – Jonathan Gorstein, University of Washington

Planning for sustainable interventions through strategic partnerships – Kiersten Israel-Ballard, PATH

Session Three: Food Systems, Health and Nutrition (Panel Discussion)

Food Systems – Carol Levin, University of Washington

Exploring global and local linkages and initiatives that shape food systems and support bi-directional learning – Adam Drewnowski,  Jennifer Otten, and Kristi Ebi of University of Washington

Session One

1. Microbiome and growth, including assessment of gut microbiome in relation to nutrition interventions: Judd Walson, MD, MPH. UW Associate Professor, Allergy and Infectious Dis., Global Health, Pediatrics; Adjunct Associate Professor, Epidemiology; Co-Director, Strategic Analysis Research and Training (START) program

2. Neuro-cognitive development and nutrition through the life-cycle: Sarah Benki-Nugent, PhD. UW Acting Instructor, Global Health

3. Development of field appropriate biomarkers to assess environmental enteric dysfunction: Donna Denno, MD, MPH. UW Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Global Health; Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Services

4. Biomarker development for vitamins and minerals: Eleanor Brindle, MA. UW Research Scientist, Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology (CSDE); Director, Biodemography Core

Session Two

5. Double-burden of malnutrition: Rachel Nugent, PhD. UW Clinical Associate Professor, Global Health; Project Director, Disease Control Priorities Network (DCPN)

6. Improved nutrition through the life-cycle, focusing on adolescent girls and interrupting intergenerational cycles of under nutrition: Rachel Katzenellenbogen, MD. Seattle Children’s Hospital Assistant Professor, Pediatrics Section of Adolescent Medicine

7. From Nutrition Research to Policy Implementation: Studies to Inform the Process: Jennifer Otten, PhD, RD. UW Assistant Professor, Health Services; and, Donna Johnson, PhD, RD. UW Professor, Health Services. Associate Director Center for Public Health Nutrition, Nutritional Sciences Program.

8. Advocacy for improving the first 1,000 days: Jennifer Rigg, MPA. Director of Policy & Partnerships, 1,000 days

9. Country Engagement: Katharine Kreis, MPH.  PATH Director of Strategic Initiatives for International Development

Session Three

10. Building Capacity for Monitoring and Evaluation of Large Scale Nutrition Programs: Jonathan Gorstein, PhD. UW Clinical Associate Professor, Global Health; and, Suzinne Pak-Gorstein, MD, MPH, PhD. UW Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics; Attending Physician, Harborview Medical Center; Co-Director – Global Health Pathways, Seattle Children’s Residency Program

11. Costs and cost-effectiveness of nutrition interventions: C arol Levin, MSc, PhD. UW Senior Health Economist, Disease Control Priorities Network; Clinical Associate Professor, Global Health

12. Training opportunities, institution strengthening and bilateral capacity building: Carey Farquhar, MD, MPH. UW Professor, Departments of Medicine, Epidemiology, and Global Health; Director, International AIDS Research and Training Program (IARTP); Director, Afya Bora Consortium Fellowship in African Global Health Leadership

The Schools of Public Health and Nutritional Science have partnered to present courses relevant to nutrition’s vital role in health, wellness, and prevention.

For an updated list of current course listings, please click here.