The secrets to stopping chronic disease before it becomes a killer, are right before our eyes - in the food on our plates. To unlock these secrets, the Pennington Biomedical Research Center opened in 1988. This complex is the catalyst for a team of scientists dedicated to pursuing a mission of healthier lives through nutrition and preventive medicine. The Center's strategy is to address nutrition from every angle - cellular, molecular, genetic and behavioral. This research is then applied to human volunteers in a clinical setting.

Our Research Priorities
The comprehensive research program at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center focuses on 10 research program areas: Epidemiology and Prevention, Physical Activity and Health, Cancer, Diabetes, Obesity, Neurodegeneration, Genomics and Molecular Genetics, Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Neurobiology, and Nutrient Sensing and Signaling. Researchers in these program areasrely on the latest molecular, physiological, clinical, behavioral, and bioinformatics technologies. The ultimate goal is to prevent common diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, so that people can live healthier and fuller lives.

The Challenge
Obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke and cancer are among the most serious health concerns facing the industrialized world. The Center has formulated a research program that focuses the forces of cutting-edge science on the role that nutrition plays in each of these chronic diseases. This exceptional research facility is motivated by a visionary mission, supported by a diversified finanicial base, guided by superior leadership and staffed by world-class scientists.