Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) Program Coordinating Center

May 2023 Council

Lead Division/Office

DDN

Point(s) of Contact

Mary Evans, Ph.D.

Executive Summary

This proposed initiative would add a Coordinating Center to the Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) Program. The NORC program is designed to support and enhance the national research effort in nutrition and obesity at academic and medical centers with substantial existing Federally funded research bases. NORCs support three primary research-related activities: Research Core services, a Pilot and Feasibility program, and an Enrichment program. All activities pursued by NORCs are designed to enhance the efficiency, productivity, effectiveness and multidisciplinary nature of research in nutrition and obesity. A Coordinating Center would permit the NORC program to sustain existing trans-NORC collaborations and working groups; to coordinate and manage trans-NORC meetings, communication, and the NORC Central website; to develop new projects of value to the nutrition/obesity community; and to provide additional funds for a centralized pilot and feasibility program targeting investigators from underrepresented groups in scientific research, which could be made available to institutions outside of the NORC consortium to reach the broader research community.