NC State University: Plants for Human Health Institute
Through groundbreaking, transdisciplinary discovery and out-reach, North Carolina State University’s Plants for Human Health Institute will pioneer a dramatic shift in the way the American public views and uses plant food crops. These crops will be seen not merely as a source of nutrients and flavorful calories but as a powerful resource for components that pro-tect and enhance human health. Integrated research in me-tabolomics, biochemistry, pharmacogenomics, plant breeding and postharvest attributes will lead to the development of fruits and vegetables with enhanced health benefits and the introduc-tion of new or underappreciated crops and products. This will allow consumers to make proactive, responsible dietary choices that benefit their own and their family’s health. In addition to improving the health-promoting potentials of fruits and vegeta-bles, efforts involving plant breeding, horticulture and posthar-vest technologies will result in products that enhance the local, regional and national competiveness of agricultural families.