Based at St John’s Innovation Centre in Cambridge, NNEdPro has over 600 members including a virtual core of over 65 professionals from a range of disciplines and 10 regional networks across six continents. A not-for-profit social enterprise, NNEdPro develops educational models to improve nutrition in health systems and conducts training courses and research studies.
Professor Sumantra (Shumone) Ray is the Founding Chair, Chief Executive and Executive Director at NNEdPro. He holds a fractional appointment with Ulster University as Professor of Global Nutrition, Health and Disease in the School of Biomedical Sciences as well as being part of the inaugural teaching team in the Ulster Medical School. He has also been cross appointed as Director of Research in Food Security, Health and Society at the University of Cambridge School of Humanities and Social Sciences; and ; Bye-Fellow in Human, Social & Political Sciences (Hon), Fitzwilliam College – University of Cambridge.
The role of NNEdPro
NNEdPro is also the co-owner of the peer-reviewed journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health. NNEdPro offers a global network that provides mentoring and career opportunities through their International Academy of Nutrition Educators (IANE) membership scheme.
Annually NNEdPro provides world class nutrition education at their summer school where recipients receive an accredited foundation certificate whilst having the opportunity to network and immerse with some of the best educators in their field, this event is followed up by the International Summit which brings together a consortium of like-minded people and organisations that understand the importance of nutrition education.
The NNEdPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health and NICHE at Ulster university work with strategic partners to advance nutrition and health without borders.
NNEdPro’ s Nutrition and Vascular Studies Platform (originally established in 2011 in the Medical Research Council Elsie Widdowson Laboratory) was officially transferred to the Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE) at Ulster in 2019.
The aim was to enhance the ability to conduct cutting-edge nutrition and cardiovascular research, a priority area within NICHE and a global health issue of concern for people in Northern Ireland.
In 2018, NNEdPro formed the Nutrition Research and Innovation Consortium (NRIC) bringing together academic partners from Ulster, Parma, London, Cambridge and further afield.
The combined strengths from these centres of research excellence will seek to address further unanswered questions around Nutrition and Non-Communicable Disease. It will connect the cutting edge of science to evidence-informed professional education.
Global Nutrition Health and Disease (GNHD)
Within NRIC, the collaboration between NNEdPro and NICHE has created the Global Nutrition Health and Disease (GNHD) programme to address range of themes and topics aimed at advancing research and knowledge.
Nutrition and Vascular Studies
Nutrition and Vascular Studies (NVS) is concerned with advancing research and knowledge into how nutrition may prevent or modulate vascular diseases. NVS is located in the NICHE Human Intervention Studies Unit (HISU).
This team is led by Prof Shumone Ray, Prof Mary Ward and other NICHE researchers including Dr Chris Gill and Prof Daniele Del Rio, working closely with NNEdPro/NRIC members and researchers.
Nutrition Education for Implementation and Impact
Nutrition Education for Implementation and Impact (NEfll) is aimed at evaluating NEfII interventions for practitioners and populations.
This team is led by Prof Shumone Ray, Ms Pauline Douglas and others working in the education and implementation sections of NNEdPro including Dr Kathy Martyn.
Graduate Studies Forum
In 2022, NNEdPro Global Institute along with Ulster University (NICHE) launched its Graduate Studies Forum which provides an excellent professional development opportunity for our graduate students PhD and Master students (from NNEdPro and Ulster) to share their research with a broad audience of faculty, peers and members of the wider community.
This event also showcases the unique partnership of both institutions, key project areas and future research avenues.
Global Networks
Global Networks is aimed at fostering communication and sharing of knowledge with the assistance of the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) which provides funding for projects within Ulster-Latin America and Cambridge-Indian Subcontinent networks.
The global networks are linked with the NNEdPro Regional Networks. Led by Prof Shumone Ray with Prof Helene McNulty, Prof Mary Ward, Dr Santosh Gaihre, Ms Pauline Douglas and others including Jorgen Johnsen, Helena Trigueiro and Elaine MacAninch undertaking part-time PhD studies in NICHE supported by NNEdPro, with Prof Shumone Ray as lead supervisor and with internal supervisory/advisory input from Dr Alyson Hill, Dr Caomhan Logue, Prof Louise Dubras as well as external supervisory/advisory input from Dr Kathy Martyn, Dr Celia Laur and Dr Marjorie Lima do Vale.