{"id":4755,"date":"2024-08-15T14:19:30","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T18:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/evanscenteribr\/?p=4755"},"modified":"2026-10-06T15:50:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T19:50:19","slug":"food-is-medicine-pre-arc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/evanscenteribr\/2024\/08\/15\/food-is-medicine-pre-arc\/","title":{"rendered":"Food is Medicine"},"content":{"rendered":"

Join Our Quarterly Collaborative Meetings to learn more!
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New Times & <\/strong>Dates to be announced<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>
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Interdisciplinary Leadership<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Olivia Thomas, MS, RDN<\/span><\/a><\/td>\nPopulation & Translational Studies<\/strong>
Director of Nutrition Innovation and Implementation at BMC, where she oversees the Nourishing Our Community program<\/a> which includes the Rooftop Farm, Teaching Kitchen, Therapeutic Food Pantry, and a portfolio of food-based programs embedded in clinical care<\/td>\n		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alana Brennan, PhD<\/a><\/td>\nPopulation & Translational Studies<\/strong>
Associate Professor in the Department of Global Health at the BU School of Public Health, whose research focuses on chronic disease and health systems research<\/td>\n		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vipul Chitalia, MD<\/a><\/td>\nMechanistic Studies<\/strong>
Professor of Medicine in Nephrology at BU, whose research focuses on post-translational protein modifications, especially polyubiquitination, in vascular diseases linked to cancer and kidney failure<\/td>\n		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maria Kukuruzinska, PhD<\/a><\/td>\nMechanistic Studies
<\/strong>Associate Dean for Research; Professor of Translational Dental Medicine; Director, Predoctoral Research Program; Chair, Department of Translational Dental Medicine<\/td>\n		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Megan McCrory, PhD<\/span><\/a><\/td>\nMechanistic Studies
<\/strong>Research Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences at Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, whose research focuses on r<\/span><\/span>oles of eating patterns, dietary composition and their interaction effects on energy regulation; Physiological and psychological factors influencing energy balance; Improvement in dietary intake, physical activity and body composition assessment methods.<\/td>\n		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Summary<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Food is Medicine ARC is a joint initiative between Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University (BU) that brings together interdisciplinary researchers, clinicians, and implementation experts to advance the science and practice of food-based healthcare interventions.<\/p>\n

Food-based interventions, collectively referred to as Food is Medicine (FIM), are gaining national attention as essential strategies for preventing, managing, and reversing chronic disease. While the link between nutrition and health has long been established, integrating food access and nutrition services into the standard delivery of medical care remains a relatively new frontier. FIM interventions have shown promise in addressing a broad spectrum of conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver disease, obesity, and certain cancers. These interventions are relevant across the lifespan, from pregnancy and early childhood to aging populations.<\/p>\n

Moreover, food is not just medicinal, it is personal, cultural, and social. To be effective, FIM interventions must go beyond clinical risk factors to incorporate individual preferences, social determinants, and systemic inequities. This demands a research agenda that is interdisciplinary, community-informed, and methodologically robust.<\/p>\n

Thus, Our Pre-ARC was organized around four core and interconnected research domains:<\/p>\n

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  1. Basic to Translational Research \u2013 Bridging basic science with real-world practice.<\/li>\n
  2. Community Engagement \u2013 Ensuring that interventions are informed by and responsive to the populations they serve.<\/li>\n
  3. Education \u2013 Training the next generation of FIM researchers, clinicians, and community leaders.<\/li>\n
  4. Clinical Research \u2013 Conducting rigorous trials and implementation studies within healthcare settings.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Opportunities for Collaboration<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    We are actively seeking collaborators with expertise or interest in the following areas:<\/p>\n