• Skip to main content
  • Skip to main content
Choose which site to search.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Logo University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Department of Pediatrics: Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center
  • UAMS Health
  • Jobs
  • Giving
  • About Us
    • Contact and Directions
    • News
  • Our Team
  • Research
    • Clinical Research Core
      • More Information on the Clinical Research Core
      • Clinical Nutrition Research
    • Physical Activity and Metabolism Core
      • The Laboratory for Active Kids and Families
      • The Fitness Facility
      • The Physical Activity, Energetics and Metabolism (PAEM) Research Group
    • Rodent Metabolic and Behavioral Phenotyping Core
    • Biostatistics and Data Innovation Core
    • Metabolomics and Analytical Chemistry Core
      • Untargeted Metabolomics
      • Untargeted Lipidomics
    • Histology and Bioimaging Core
    • Brain Research Cores
  • External Advisors
    • Materials
  • Participate in a Research Study
    • Connect With Us

Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center

Dr. Aline Andres standing in front of colorful children's toys

Our 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

Congratulations Dr. Andres, tasked with reviewing current nutrition science to develop a scientific report that includes its independent, science-based advice for HHS and USDA.

Meet the 2025 Committee
Elizabet Borshiem holding her Fiser award between Drs. Mourani and Ferruzzi

Dr. Børsheim, 2022 Fiser Award Recipient

Congratulations Elisabet Børsheim, PhD, who received the Dr. Robert H. Fiser, Jr., Research Achievement Award, for her extraordinary research that will have a lasting impact

More on Dr. Børsheim's Work
Previous Next

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.

Learn More

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.

Learn More
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

Learn More

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

Learn More
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

Learn More
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

Learn More
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

Learn More
A brain imaging scan taken from a machine at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center

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.

Learn More
UAMS College of Medicine LogoUAMS College of MedicineUniversity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Mailing Address: 4301 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: (501) 686-7000
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement

© 2023 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences