GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) Research at the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids has revealed a lot about how the body’s metabolism works and how our overall health and well-being depends on more than just what we eat.
Dr. Sarah Novinsky joined the VAIs Metabolism and nutrition planning group For just over two years, he has been studying the granularity of cells, trying to better understand why people metabolize the same nutrients differently.
You have a program of what pathways your cells use relative to others, and so even if two people have similar activity levels and caloric intake, there are all these other factors that influence how their cells decide to consume the same nutrients. Be available and match them to your energy needs, Novinsky said.
It’s because of those differences that Novinsky said he can’t definitively answer one of the first questions people ask him when they learn he studies metabolism: What’s the best diet? But discoveries from his and his colleagues’ work at the VAI could help provide answers.
I like to use this analogy of mitochondria. Everyone has heard the phrase, mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell, but what does that really mean? Novinsky said.
He likes to use an assembly line analogy to explain:
You must process the parts on the assembly line as they move forward. And if that assembly line gets faster, you have to be able to adapt and increase your speed. And if you don’t, things can start to fall apart, they don’t process properly, and so you have to be able to adapt and move on and make sure everything is going well to keep the cell healthy, he said.
His work is part of the ongoing groundbreaking research being done in the VAIs metabolism programs and is the main topic of discussion in November. Talk about fuel metabolismhosted by Carol Van Andel, the philanthropist whose family started the Van Andel Institute.
People are more aware of their health and wellness, and these conversations we’ve been having for over a decade raise awareness of how you can be more aware of your body and preventative measures, as well as educate your audience so they can too. act actively Van Andel said that they and their doctors.
The event is a rare opportunity for the community to get an up-close look at what Novinsky and others are doing. More than that, van Andel said, it’s an opportunity for people to contribute to the work at VAI that continues to advance discovery.
Van Andel said 100 percent of the day’s proceeds will go to support Dr. Nevinsex’s lab. So what are we doing there? We engage the audience to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Novinsky emphasized how vital it is to support his work and that of his colleagues.
None of the work we do in my lab would be possible without the VAI philanthropic community. Nowinski said there has been a lot of support. And so we’re very grateful for the community’s involvement because it allows us to really focus on the science.
A Conversation on Fueling Metabolism, hosted by Van Andel, will be held November 15 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Van Andel Institute. Learn more about the event Here.
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