About
The New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health is an interdisciplinary research and education center at Rutgers University that brings together faculty, staff, and students to address preventable health problems through the study of food, nutrition, and health. The Institute serves the Rutgers community and broader public through research initiatives, educational programming, and community engagement focused on improving health outcomes across New Jersey.
The Institute operates on the principle that health and wellness require collaboration across multiple disciplines. Since its founding in 2010, it has supported research initiatives, provided seed funding, and shared knowledge through symposia and public events. The organization is currently focused on four strategic research areas: digestive health, environmental influences on food and nutrition, food as medicine and precision nutrition, and health across the lifespan. The Institute's physical location in an 80,000 square-foot facility designed around health and wellness principles includes research spaces, classrooms, and community gathering areas.
Services and programs offered include:
- Research support and seed funding for interdisciplinary projects
- Academic symposia and conferences
- Classes in fitness, training, and nutrition
- Dining services through Harvest Café
- Cook/Douglass Health Center access
- Preschool programming
- Student wellness programming and center development
- Access to research spaces and interdisciplinary collaboration facilities