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Department of Pediatrics: Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center
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    • Clinical Research Core
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      • 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
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Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center

Sarah Sobik standing at the KATV studio with new broadcaster

Board Certified in Breastfeeding and Lactation

Congratulations to Sarah Sobik, part of the inaugural cohort of physicians receiving the new board certification in "Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine."

Breastfeeding Studies
a man stands near a computer with a plastic tent in the background

Translating Nutrition Science

Dr. Porter uses high-flow indirect calorimetry in the clinic to study human metabolism, the same advanced technology already in place in our vivarium to study rodent metabolism.

Investigating Metabolism
images of children having height and head circumference measured, participating in research studies with festive silver text that reads

Community is the Key to our Success

Thanks to our community of children, families and advocates for another year supporting Nutrition Research.

Currently Enrolling Studies
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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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two technicians examine a computer screen with brainwaves

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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