Much of the work of IFNH is in collaboration with the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Animal, Dairy and Food Chain Sciences Groupand the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences. I also have very valuable associations with the Institute of Primary Care & Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Cardiff (epidemiology), Tilburg University, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology (epidemiology and diabetes), the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen (dairy foods, nutrition and health) and the University of Florida (nutrition of the young).
Professor Ian Givens
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+44 (0) 118 378 8491
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Director (IFNH), Professor of Food Chain Nutrition
- Director, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health (IFNH)
- Leading a research programme in animal-derived foods and human health
- Contribution to teaching nutrition-related topics
- Recruitment and management of staff and PhD students
Areas of interest
My key interest is in human nutrition and food chain nutrition in particular. This involves understanding the pre-consumption factors which affect food composition and functionality and the subsequent effects on human health. A particular focus is animal-derived foods, their effect on cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk and how the composition of animal-derived foods can be improved to reduce risk.
My current work covers milk and dairy products and the fats they contain in relation to CMD risk including the use of both meta-analysis of data from prospective studies and more detailed work into the mechanisms involved. Current work also includes the effects of milk proteins on blood pressure and vascular stiffness as well as their effect on insulin stimulation and sensitivity, key factors in relation to type 2 diabetes, factors affecting the iodine content of milk and the role of animal-derived foods as sources of dietary vitamin D. Other research includes studies on the A1 and A2 β-casein proteins in milk and the specific effect a peptide from the A1 protein may have on inflammation in the gut.
Research centres and groups
- Membership of external committees and panels including:
- UK Food Standards Agency, Advisory Committee (Vice Chair)
- Scientific Advisory Committee of the British Nutrition Foundation
- Advisory Committee of the Institute for Food and Health, University College Dublin
- International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk: Member of panel on dietary lipids
- European Healthy Lifestyle Alliance: Member of panel on obesity
- International Expert Movement to Improve Dietary Fat Quality
- Member, Scientific Council of Bio-Competence Centre for Healthy Dairy Products, Estonia
IFNH Collaborators