The first Arkansas Nutrition, Obesity, and Health Research Retreat will take place starting the evening of Oct. 25 through Oct. 27 at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences in Fayetteville. Registration deadline is Oct. 13.

With the increase in research related to nutrition, exercise, health and chronic disease within the University of Arkansas system, this meeting will be an important opportunity to bring scientists from across the state together to build collaborations and leverage cross-disciplinary teams to pursue grant funding. 

The retreat is hosted by the University of Arkansas; the University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture and the Center for Human Nutrition; the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center; and the Arkansas Children's Research Institute.

The objectives of the meeting include:

• Initiating cross-campus collaborations in nutrition, exercise, obesity, and health
• Providing the opportunity for pilot funding to foster collaboration and pursuit of federal grant funding
• Identifying key gaps in our current knowledge and infrastructure related to nutritional and exercise science research in the state of Arkansas

Faculty with an interest in nutrition, obesity, and health are invited to attend the event. All faculty are eligible to apply for the request for pilot funding.

The meeting will feature speakers from across the U of A system presenting their research in the following areas: Molecular Nutrition and the Microbiome; Arkansas Programs and Core Facilities; Nutrition, Exercise, and Cardiometabolic Health; Community and Social Aspects of Nutrition; and Childhood Obesity and Maternal/Child Nutrition.

For more information regarding the meeting, registration, and networking events, visit the retreat web page. All interested faculty need to register by Oct. 13 in order to participate in the retreat.

Additional information:

• Faculty do not have to attend all retreat days to be eligible to apply for an RFP, please sign up for times when you can participate. 
• If you can only attend a part of the research presentations on Thursday, Oct. 26, please sign up for the entire day.
• If you are unable to attend the retreat, you are still eligible to apply for an RFP.

If you have any questions, please contact Jamie Baum at baum@uark.edu.