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Department of Pediatrics: Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center
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Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center

Colin Kay, PhD Dr. Kay is the new director of the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center

Welcome New ACNC Director, Dr. Colin Kay

Bringing vision, expertise, and leadership to the role of Center Director, Dr. Kay will help foster innovation for the Center's mission to improve children's health.

Meet Dr. Kay
A small group of six daycare friends lay huddled in closely stacked on top of one another as they pose for a portrait

On a Mission for Health

The Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center continues to strive to improve children’s health, in Arkansas and beyond

Past, Present, and Future
pregnant woman in green sits on a yoga mat in a beige room

NIH awards $3M, study PFAS Impact on Development

Aline Andres, PhD, RD leads ACRI project to investigate prenatal exposure to polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

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Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center - 30 Years of Nutrition Research and Discovery

Research Highlights

ACNC Announces New Director

Dr. Colin Kay, Ph.D. joined the ACNC in 2023 as Professor of Developmental Nutrition in the Department of Pediatrics and served as Director of Precision Health Research, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI) and Scientific Director of the Metabolomics and Analytical Chemistry Research Core. Prior to joining the ACNC, Kay served as Distinguished Professor in the Plants […]

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Mix of blueberries and strawberries

Exploring the Path of Dietary Bioactives

One study conducted by Dr. Colin Kay and colleagues examined how a class of bioactives found in blueberries are absorbed, metabolized, and excreted by our bodies after they are eaten. Investigators were particularly interested if processing the whole blueberries (i.e. food processing) would change how the bioactives were metabolized. Fresh blueberries were therefore compared to […]

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child's feet in pink socks standing on a balance plate

Kids Can Get Moving to Improve Balance

Balance is essential for children to develop motor skills, prevent falls, and effectively perform various daily activities. However, what influences balance in children is not well understood. To explore this, researchers at the ACNC measured balance, body composition, physical fitness, and daily physical activity in 219 school-aged children (ages 7-11). Balance was evaluated using a […]

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freezer bags of breast milk stacked vertically

Bioactives in Breast Milk Depend on More than Just Mom’s Diet

Breast milk provides babies with a mix of vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins and fats in an easily digestible form – and it can also be a source of bioactive components that benefit a growing infant’s health and development. What mom eats can modify the type of carbohydrates and bioactive components (carotenoids and polyphenols) found in her […]

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Our Mission

Conduct innovative research, training, and engagement to advance understanding of how parental-child diet, nutrition, and physical activity optimize development.

Our Vision

Enhance parental and child health through the science of food, nutrition and physical activity.

Statistics about the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center

A Cooperative Effort

The ACNC is a cooperative effort of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service and Arkansas Children’s, the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute and UAMS.

One of Six National Human Nutrition Centers

Established in 1994 on the Arkansas Children’s Hospital campus, the ACNC is one of six National Human Nutrition Centers funded through the USDA-ARS.

One of Two Centers Specializing in Pediatrics

The ACNC is one of two National Human Nutrition Centers focusing primarily on pediatric/maternal nutrition and metabolic health.

About the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center

Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center logo

Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center uses modern procedures, equipment, and facilities to determine how early-life exposures to diet, dietary factors, physical activity, and other factors can affect biological systems including brain development, skeletal health, adipose tissue development, gastrointestinal health, immune system development, cardiometabolic health, and whole-body metabolism. Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center investigators are UAMS Department of Pediatrics faculty members within the section of Developmental Nutrition and receive funding beyond USDA-ARS, including the National Institutes of Health, non-profits, and industry partners. The Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center also receives funding from the Arkansas Biosciences Institute, which was created as the major research component of the Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000.

Want to Participate in a Nutrition Research Study?

We want to understand how nutrition and physical activity change the health of mothers and children. Volunteers are invited to participate in clinical research studies to evaluate the impact of nutrition, exercise, and other behaviors in pregnant women, children and infants.

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Core Research Facilities

With approximately 54,000 square feet of shared research space, the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center provides ever-expanding clinical research facilities, laboratories, equipment, and Core Facilities designed for its team of over 75 scientists and support staff.

Infant getting his head circumference measured

Clinical Research Core

Well-equipped for both long- and short-term research, the clinical research core has a robust record supporting large, longitudinal and RCTs from design to +12-year follow-up.

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Child on exercise bike

Physical Activity and Metabolism Core

Including both the Laboratory for Active Kids and Families — one of only a few dedicated pediatric exercise physiology labs in the nation — and a fully outfitted fitness facility

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Biostatistics and Data Innovation Core

Dedicated, in-house space and staff to support statistical, analytical and bioinformatics needs, including statistical analysis and visualization of –omics based data

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A collage of images with blood cells, a DNA double-helix, test tubes and flasks

Metabolomics and Analytical Chemistry Core

Dedicated to chemical processing and analysis of metabolite profiles (targeted and untargeted) in a variety of human and animal samples

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A female scientist works at a vented lab station in the ACRI facility on the Arkansas Children's Little Rock campus.

Rodent Metabolic and Behavioral Phenotyping Vivarium Core

Utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance and dual x-ray absorptiometry to assess body composition, the vivarium is also equipped with two state-of-the-art Promethion Systems

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colorful microscopy image

Histology and Bioimaging Core

All the necessary facilities to conduct histochemical and immunohistochemical analysis, in situ hybridization, imaging/microscopy with a full-time certified histotechncian

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Brain Research Cores

With both the Budding Brains and Brain Imaging Labs to examine structural and functional development in children using advanced, non-invasive neuroimaging methods.

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Mailing Address: 4301 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: (501) 686-7000
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