WAMDA Annual Dinner Program: Nutrition and the Gut Microbiome

Presented by: 
Dr. David Sela
Date & time: 
Tuesday, May 22, 2018 - 5:00pm to 7:30pm
Location: 
Crestview Country Club 281 Shoemaker Ln, Agawam, MA 01001
Non-WAMDA Special Recognition Award winner- Dr. Janivette Alsina
Non-WAMDA Special Recognition Award winner- Dr. Janivette Alsina

About the Speaker

Dr. David Sela earned his doctorate in microbiology at UC Davis followed by postdoctoral fellowships at Stanford School of Medicine and the UC Davis Foods for Health Institute. Currently, Dr. Sela holds appointments at the Dept. of Food Science and the Dept. of Microbiology at UMass Amherst. Dr. Sela has an adjunct faculty appointment in the Dept. of Microbiology and Physiological Systems at the UMass Medical School.

Dr. Sela studies molecules secreted in breast milk that interact with commensal bacteria to benefit infant health and nutrition. The overarching mission of Sela Lab is to translate fundamental nutrition research to enhance infant health and other stages of human development. In addition to human milk, the Sela Lab broadly studies dietary molecules that interact with members of the gut microbiome that impact host health. This includes plant-derived products as well food-grade antimicrobials that potentially disrupt microbiome structure and function.

Dr. Sela is committed to promoting nutrition and human milk research through leadership within several scientific communities. Accordingly, Dr. Sela is the past-chair of the Maternal, Perinatal, and Pediatric Research Interest Section (RIS) of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). Furthermore, Dr. Sela established and chairs a new ASN RIS that focuses on Nutritional Microbiology. This RIS is responsible for advancing microbiome, probiotic/prebiotic, and fermented foods research within nutrition science. Currently, Dr. Sela serves on the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation Executive Committee. Dr. Sela is the lead organizer of the next FASEB science research conference on human milk bioactives to be held in July 2019. In addition to human milk and nutrition societies, Dr. Sela is an internationally recognized leader within the microbiome research community. Accordingly, he served on the organizing committee of the international conference on bifidobacteria (Propiobifido 2016). Dr. Sela is a member of the editorial boards for Applied and Environmental Microbiology and Frontiers in Nutrition.

Program Objectives

  • Attendees will become familiar with the current science behind dietary interactions with the human gut microbiome and downstream impacts to nutrition and health.
  • Attendees will learn the state-of-the-art on dietary manipulations of one’s gut microbiome including infants and adults.
  • Attendees will participate in a group discussion to bridge gaps between the fundamental science of the microbiome and application by practitioners.

    • Program Schedule


    5:00-5:30 Registration & Social
    5:30-6:00 Dinner Buffet
    6:00-6:30 President’s Report, Awards/Scholarships, Announcements
    6:30-7:30 Presentation

    RSVP Information:
    Cost Prior to Event: WAMDA Members $25, Non-Members $30, Students/Interns $20
    *There will be a $5 increase at the door without RSVP*

    RSVP by May 17th

    Please make check payable to WAMDA and send to:
    WAMDA
    c/o Barrie Sutton
    80 S. Spencer Rd
    Spencer, MA 01562


    To RSVP by email: [email protected]