Markers in blood and urine that reveal what you eat
Biomarkers Project for the Dietary Biomarkers Development Center at Harvard University
This project looks for molecules in blood and urine that reflect recent food intake in adults so diet can be tracked more accurately.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143152 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you may follow short, controlled diets and provide blood and urine samples so researchers can measure small-molecule fingerprints with metabolomics. The team will determine how long each marker stays in the body and create calibration charts linking marker levels to specific foods and amounts. They will test marker changes during 6-week diet patterns (DASH-style high-carbohydrate, high plant-protein, and high unsaturated-fat diets) and then check the markers in larger observational groups. The aim is to produce simple, objective tests that work across different populations.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults (21+) willing to follow controlled diet protocols, attend clinic visits, and provide blood and urine samples, including people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Not a fit: Children, pregnant people, or those unwilling to provide samples or follow diet instructions are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could give clinicians and researchers reliable, objective measures of food intake to personalize nutrition advice and monitor diet-related treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior metabolomics work has found food-specific markers, but comprehensive, validated marker lists across diets and populations remain limited and this project builds on those emerging methods.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sun, Qi — Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Sun, Qi
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.