Nutrition Research
Getting Started in Research
HNU faculty are always looking for curious, hard-working and motivated students who are eager to challenge themselves and learn new things.
One of the advantages of attending a small, primarily undergraduate university is that students can obtain faculty mentorship and research training as early as the sophomore year. This can lead to summer work as a research assistant, undergraduate research awards, and an exciting honours project.
HNU Faculty have expertise in diverse areas of human nutrition research including, but not limited to:
Health education and practice
Population and public health
Chronic disease prevention and management
Clinical nutrition
Sports nutrition
Indigenous culture and nutrition curricula
Healthy aging
Food systems
Investigating the functional and health properties of food
Nutritional science
Food product development
For details on the opportunities that are presented in the HNU Honours program, visit the program documentation page.
Published Work
Many HNU Honours graduates and senior students have presented and published their undergraduate research in collaboration with their faculty advisors. Graduates have gone on to complete advanced studies (Masters, Ph.D.) in fields such as human nutrition, food science, nutritional sciences and nutrigenomics, social sciences, public health, and dietetics.
Publications & knowledge translation documents: [*denotes student author]
Marcia English, Ogadimma Okagu, Alex Goertzen, *Kristen Stephens, and Chibuike Udenigwe. (2023). Encapsulation for improving the flavour of foods: A review of techniques, impact of food matrix and flavour chemistry, and analytical and sensory characterization. Frontiers in Nutrition. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1019211
Emmanuel Otchere, *Brighid McKay, Marcia English, Alberta N. A. Aryee. (2023). Current trends in nano-delivery systems for functional foods: a systematic review. PeerJ. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14980
Jamieson, JA, Gill*, K, Fisher*, S, English, M. (2022) Development of a Canadian food composition database of gluten-free products. Foods, 11, 2215. Special Issue: Quality of Grains and Grain-based foods. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152215
Ofori, K., *Antoniello, S., English, M., and Aryee, A. (2022). Improving nutrition through biofortification – A systematic review. Frontiers in Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.1043655
*Viana, L. and English, M. (2022). The impact of dehulling and germination on the physiochemical and functional properties of yellow-eyed bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) protein isolates. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. (2022). https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.855788
Jamieson, JA, Viana*, L. English, M. (2020) Folate content and chemical composition of commercially available gluten-free flour alternatives. Plant Foods Hum Nutr, 75, 337-343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-020-00833-z
Jamieson, JA, Neufeld*, A. (2020) Food sources of energy and nutrients among Canadian adults following a gluten-free diet. PeerJ 8:e9590 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9590
Jamieson, JA, Rosta*, E, Gougeon, L. (2020) Grain Products are a Top Source of Energy and Nutrients among Nova Scotian Adults following a Gluten-free Diet. Cdn J Diet Pract Res. In press, 9 Sept 2020 https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2020-023
Burrell, H*., English, M., & Cohen A. (2019). Investigating antihypertensive, Angiotensin-I Converting Enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity of soldier bean protein hydrolysates. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 80, 159-160.
Maccharles*, L., BSc 2018, Fox, A. (2019). Exploring Food Guidance Approaches for Seniors in Antigonish, NS: Is There Still Gold at the End of the Rainbow? Can J Diet Pract Res, 80(3): 137-139. https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2019-002
English, M., Viana*, L. BSc 2017, and McSweeney, M. (2019). Effect of soaking on the functional properties of Yellow-eyed bean flour and the acceptability of chocolate brownies. Journal of Food Science, 83, 623-628. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.1448
English, M., Keough*, M., BSc 2018, McSweeney, & M., Razul, S. (2019). Impact of a novel cryoprotectant blend on the quality of frozen lobster (Homarus americanus).Journal of Food Science: Sensory and Consumer Science, 84(6):1547-1553. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.14642
Jamieson, JA, Weir, M*, BSc 2015, Gougeon, L. (2018) Canadian packaged gluten-free foods are less nutritious than their regular gluten-containing counterparts. PeerJ 6:e5875 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5875
Reynolds* E, BSc 2011, Johnson C, Jamieson JA, Mawhinney* H, BSc 2015 (2018) Prevalence and Correlates of Food Insecurity among Students Attending a Small, Rural Canadian University. Cdn J Diet Pract Res. March 15, 2018: https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2018-004.
Sarah Ngunangwa*, BSc 2016, Doris Gillis, PhD, Christine Johnson, Dianne Oickle. Practice Perspectives: Barriers and Enablers to Addressing Health Equity in Public Health Practice. A Briefing Note. Available at: http://nccdh.ca/blog/entry/the-marathon-of-health-equity-and-public-heal...
Wood, Jennifer BSc, 2013*; Gillis, Doris E, PhD. Exploring Dietitians' Engagement with Health Literacy: Concept and Practice. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF DIETETIC PRACTICE AND RESEARCH 2015; 76(2): 51-55. Available at: http://dcjournal.ca/doi/abs/10.3148/cjdpr-2015-003
Dietitians of Canada. Hemochromatosis/Haemochromatosis Background. In: PEN: Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition ®. March-22-2015. Available from: http://www.pennutrition.com. Access only by subscription. Author: Jamieson, JA, PhD. Student contributors*: Barry A, Cleveland T, DeCoste S, Lee J, MacDonald AT, Stanford K, Negus K, Ramsay M, Reeves R, Woodrow B, BSc 2015
Conference Presentations
Jamieson, JA, Rosta, E*, Gougeon, L. Poster: “Quality of gluten-free diets using the NOVA food processing system: piloting the GFStudy in Nova Scotia.” Presented at the Canadian Nutrition Society Annual Meeting, May 3-5, 2018, Halifax, NS. Abstract published in the Journal Appl Physiol Nutr Metab; 43(4):Suppl 1, S1-S42.
Jamieson, JA, PhD, Mawhinney, H*, BSc, 2014, Aucoin, EJ*, BSc 2015 (HKIN), Kane, DA, PhD “Adequacy of vitamin B6 and effects of supplementation on high-intensity exercise performance in collegiate distance runners: a pilot study”. Poster presentation at Canadian Nutrition Society Annual Meeting, May 25-27, 2017, Montreal, QC.
Morgan R*, BSc 2014 and Gougeon L, PhD. “Perceptions of Dietary Resilience among Older Community- Dwelling and Long Term Care Residents”. Mount Saint Vincent University’s Nova Scotia Centre on Aging. “Our Future is Aging: Current Research on Knowledge, Practice and Policy.” June 16-17, 2016, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Gillis, D.E., PhD, Johnson, C, MSc, Ngunangwa, S*., BSc 2015, Stothart, C*, BSc 2011. & Williams, P. “Knowledge Mobilization and Participatory Action Research: A Journey to Make Food Matter”. Poster presentation at the Critical Dietetic Conference, Manchester, UK, August 15, 2015.
Stanford, KS*, BSc 2014 & Jamieson JA, PhD. "Iron and carbohydrate inadequacy in varsity cross-country female runners despite an energy- balanced diet". Poster presentation at Canadian Nutrition Society Annual Meeting. St. John’s, Newfoundland, June 5-7, 2014.
Wood, J* BSc, 2013 & Gillis, D., PhD. “Exploring dietitians’ engagement with the concept of health literacy”. Poster presentation at the Critical Dietetic Conference, Acadia University, August 15-17, 2013.
Weir M*, BSc 2015, Garbary D, PhD Naczk M, PhD Jamieson J, PhD. "Exploring the functional food potential of local seaweed species”. Maritime Natural Products Conference and Academic-Industry Connector. Antigonish, NS, August 13-14, 2013.
Publications acknowledging undergraduate HNU Student Research
Jamieson JA, Gougeon L (2017) Gluten-free foods in rural Maritime Provinces: limited availability, high price, and low iron content. Cdn J Diet Pract Res. Published on the web 11 August 2017, https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2017-020. Special thanks to Research Assistants: Mary Weir, BSc 2015 Ashley Doucette-Tamane, BSc 2015, Taylor Nicholson, BSc 2014 and Sarah Watters, BSc 2016.
For more information on Canadian graduate programs in Nutrition and Dietetics please click on the following links:
For more information on Graduate School Funding Opportunities please click on the following links:
Canadian Institute of Health (CIHR) Training Programs
Social Science and Humanities Research Council Funding
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada - Students
Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation Scotia Scholars Awards
Contact
208 J. Bruce Brown Hall
2320 Notre Dame Avenue
Antigonish NS B2G 2W5
Canada