New Human Physiology and Translational Sciences Program Prepares Undergrads for Careers in Disease Prevention

To meet a rising need for preventive medicine education and research, the University of Missouri has formed a new undergraduate degree emphasis to study how nutrition and physical activity influence human health and disease. The undergraduate program is the first of its kind in Missouri.

The new degree emphasis in the MU Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology — Human Physiology and Translational Sciences — is a science-based program that draws on a wide range of fields — including chemistry, biology, and social and psychosocial sciences — to study how nutrition and physical activity influence human health and disease.

“It’s an unfortunate reality that two-thirds of Americans are considered overweight or obese,” said Christopher Hardin, PhD, chair of the MU Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. “Students will learn about modifiable risk factors that can prevent or reduce the severity of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. The program is ideal for training students who want to pursue a degree in medicine or other health professions.”

With a curriculum focused on current and future health concerns, the program incorporates the latest medical research with a patient-centered approach to prevent and treat chronic diseases. The new four-year degree program is designed to prepare students for careers in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry or other human health careers.

The Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology is the only department on the MU campus that spans three colleges: the School of Medicine, College of Human Environmental Sciences, and College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Students receive instruction from faculty members in all three colleges and have opportunities to conduct undergraduate research in their labs.

The science-based program is highly multidisciplinary, integrating human physiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, biology and the social/psychological sciences to study the modifiable influences of nutrition and physical activity on human health and disease.