For more than 150 years, scientists in the Department of Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology and its predecessors have been at the forefront of research and education in nutrition, toxicology, and human metabolism.
Agricultural chemists conducted early foundational research on the dietary benefits of vitamins and minerals and the harmful effects of cholesterol and fats. Researchers isolated nutrients like vitamins E, B6, and K; trained generations of registered dietitians to translate scientific research into practical solutions to address nutritional challenges and promote health and wellness; and developed a method to test for E. coli in drinking water and wastewater systems, as well as public pools and beaches.
But as technological advances make it easier to study the intricate nature of metabolic networks and genetic factors in disease, the department is embracing its molecular future. To better reflect its ongoing academic and research mission, NST has been renamed the Department of Metabolic Biology & Nutrition (MBN). The change was approved this fall by university leadership and follows more than two years of planning and input from the department.
“Renaming the department acknowledges our continued evolution and future direction," said Professor and MBN Chair David Moore. “Aligning the department name with our current focus not only enhances our visibility but ensures that our faculty and alumni are appropriately recognized at the forefront of their fields.”
An Evolving Program
The renaming is the latest evolution of a program that traces its roots back to UC Berkeley’s founding. At that time, faculty across multiple campus units—including the Agricultural Experiment Station, the College of Letters & Sciences, and the College of Agriculture (a predecessor to Rausser College of Natural Resources)—conducted research on animal agriculture and home economics. Even with that fragmentation, the College remained at the forefront of a changing field: it appointed Myer Jaffa as the first professor of nutrition in the United States; hosted UC Berkeley’s first program in nutrition and dietetics, developed by Professor Agnes Fay Morgan; and influenced state and federal policy.
Courses in home economics and household sciences were phased out in 1962 following reorganization into a new Department of Nutritional Sciences. More than a decade later, UC Berkeley administrators included the department in the new College of Natural Resources. Joining the College allowed researchers the opportunity to collaborate with economists and other scientists on studies of nutritional issues relating to global food production and distribution.
Its most recent evolution occurred in 1992, when the word “Toxicology” was added to the department name to reflect faculty who studied the hazardous and beneficial effects of natural and synthetic substances. Among the new crop of department faculty was Professor Leonard Bjeldanes, a molecular oncologist credited with identifying the mutagens and carcinogens in cooked meats and anti-carcinogens in vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli.
Reflecting Modern Research
As such, the department slowly phased out the Molecular Toxicology PhD program and the undergraduate specialization in toxicology. In 2023, department leaders began exploring a name change to coincide with its shift in research and programs. Nearly 60% of faculty, staff, and graduate students polled by the department supported adopting Metabolic Biology & Nutrition. Renaming was supported by the department’s executive committee, College leadership, and the Berkeley division of the Academic Senate. Final approval was granted by the UC Berkeley Division of Academic Planning last October.
Moore said the department’s new name aims to clarify its identity for prospective students and to foster interdisciplinary collaborations with other researchers and institutions studying the metabolic causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Undergraduates can now pursue a streamlined Nutrition and Metabolic Biology major that integrates elements of the dietetics and physiology and metabolism tracks to provide a comprehensive understanding of how diet influences the pathophysiology of human health.
The name change also signals the department’s commitment to advancing experimental biology in metabolic regulation and its role in human disease.
“I am proud of our heritage and the achievements of our current faculty, and I believe the new name will help us carry that legacy forward,” said Moore.
