The Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention (CCOP) at Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI) is a multidisciplinary research center focused on advancing the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity and related metabolic diseases through integrated biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and community-engaged research.
Established through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) program (NIGMS COBRE P20GM109096), CCOP supports innovative and collaborative research spanning the translational spectrum — from mechanistic discovery to clinical and community implementation.
The Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention was established under the leadership of founding director Judith L. Weber, PhD, whose vision and leadership were instrumental in developing the center’s research infrastructure and multidisciplinary collaborations. Since Dr. Weber’s retirement, Dr. Elisabet Børsheim has led the Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention. She oversees the center’s multidisciplinary research, mentoring, scientific infrastructure, and translational collaborations focused on pediatric obesity prevention and metabolic health.
CCOP brings together investigators, clinicians, scientific cores, trainees, and community partners to address one of the most pressing public health challenges affecting children and families in Arkansas and across the United States.
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Director of Research Faculty Development, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute
Associate Director, Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center