Conferences
venue Assembly Buildings Conference Centre
from to
Organised by:
Irish Section, The Nutrition Society
Co-chair of local organising committee: Dr Anne Nugent, Queen's University Belfast
Dr Anne Nugent
Co-chair of local organising committee: Professor Jayne Woodside, Queen's University Belfast
Professor Jayne Woodside
Conference Panel

This conference is endorsed by the Association for Nutrition EN438

Join us as we kick off the Society’s inaugural Congress!

Unique to the new Congress (previously the Summer Conference) is that you will have greater opportunity to engage with more nutrition science than ever before. In 2024 the core programme will be delivered by the Irish Section of The Nutrition Society, supported by the Science Committee. The theme of these symposia will be ‘new data – focused approaches and challenges’. Outside of the core programme you will have the chance to hear the latest research from the Society’s partner organisations, universities, the private sector and more, on a diverse range of research.



Wonder if the congress is for you? The Society’s conferences bring together a global audience from a diverse range of disciplines within the field, including academics, students, HCPs, industry, freelancers, and policy leaders.

Topic of the congress:

The discipline of nutrition science is diverse in nature – encompassing the study of human health from a molecular to a public health level, and from an ingredient or nutrient level to positioning as part of a (sustainable) global food system. Recognising this diversity, the data used to underpin and inform nutrition science are complex, stemming from a variety of sources. The aim of this congress is to provide an overview of the diversity of the data collected and used within the field of nutrition science and how analysis of this data has and can be used to progress the discipline.

 

Congress Dinner 

Join us for a special congress dinner at Titanic Belfast – one of the most popular attractions in Belfast City! Our congress dinner will be a fun and relaxed event where we step away from the science for one evening and enjoy great food and even better company.

Relive the Titanic dining experience in the The Titanic Suite which has a replica of the liner’s Grand Staircase and stunning views of the Slipways and Belfast Lough – where the world-famous liner was designed, built, and launched.

We have limited tickets to this unique dining experience, be sure to buy your ticket before it sells out!

To book your place at the congress dinner, please click HERE 

Format 

This conference is an in-person event only. 

Day One

10:15

Registration

Exhibition Area

11:00

Opening Ceremony

Assembly Hall

Professor Mary Ward, President of The Nutrition Society, UK and Ulster University, UK

Professor Ian Young, Queen’s University Belfast and Chair, Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition

Professor Jayne Woodside, Queen’s University Belfast, UK

Dr Anne Nugent, Queen’s University Belfast, UK  

11:05

Plenary Lecture One

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

11:05

Global food transformation and SDGs by 2030: challenges for prevention policy and systems change

Dr Tarra Penney, York University, Canada

12:00

Core Symposium One: Nutrition data in epidemiology

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

12:00

Data challenges in nutritional epidemiology – intake, patterns or biomarkers – or else?

Professor Edith Feskens, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

12:30

Big data in nutritional epidemiology

Professor Tilman Kühn, University of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Austria

13:00

Biomarkers of nutritional exposure and status

Professor Lorraine Brennan, University College Dublin, Ireland

13:30

Lunch

Exhibition Area

13:30

Satellite networking session: Mix ‘n’ mingle

Hosted by: NutriPD

Board Room

Dr Lisa Ryan, Atlantic Technological University, Ireland

Miss Sarah O’Donovan, Atlantic Technological University, Ireland

14:30

Original Communication Session One

Room locations are noted in the programme booklet running order

15:30

Refreshment Break

Exhibition Area

16:00

Original Communication Session Two

Room locations are noted in the programme booklet running order

17:30

Theme Highlights

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

Nutrition in the treatment, management and prevention of disease 

Novel nutrition research methodologies and technologies 

Food Systems 

Nutrition and Optimum Life Course 

17:30

Satellite Symposium

Hosted by: Workplace diet and health SIG, The Nutrition Society

Conference Room

Introduction to the session

Dr Rachel Gibson, King's College London, UK



Shift-Diabetes: Working the night shift and living with type 2 diabetes

Dr Rachel Gibson, King's College London, UK



Developing a nutrition policy for sensory panels: the why, how, and what

Dr Louise Durrant, Marlow Foods Ltd, UK



The effectiveness of workplace dietary interventions on organisational and business-related outcomes: a systematic review

Ms Georgia Rogerson, King's College London, UK



Panel Discussion 

18:30

Close of Day

19:00

Drinks Reception

Europa Hotel

The reception is open to all delegates as part of the registration fee.

Day Two

08:00

Satellite Symposium: Feeding the future: exploring roles in food systems transformation   

Hosted by: University College Dublin –  Institute of Food and Health

Assembly Hall

Food production for a growing global population

Professor Tommy Boland, University College Dublin, Ireland

Creating a health enabling food environment: Where we are now and future perspectives

Sinead O’Mahony, University College Dublin and Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), Ireland

Transforming dietary guidelines for more sustainable healthy diets

Dr Aifric O’Sullivan, University College Dublin, Ireland

08:00

Satellite Symposium: Are dietary recommendations for whole-grain intake necessary for UK and Ireland?

Hosted by: Quaker Oats (PepsiCo)

Conference Room

The importance of wholegrain intake in the diet and challenges with the definition of wholegrain and wholegrain foods

Professor Chris Seal, Newcastle University, UK

Overview of the Danish Whole Grain partnership and how this programme translates to the UK and Ireland

Professor Louise Dye, University of Sheffield, UK

09:00

Core Symposium Two - Nutrition study design

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall


 

09:00

Novel study designs analysis approaches in nutrition research

Professor Baukje de Roos, The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, UK

09:30

Nutrition Study Design - Data integration from multiple assessments

Professor Eileen Gibney, University College Dublin, Ireland

10:00

Understanding and applying food systems to improve dietary health

Professor Maria Bryant, University of York, UK

10:30

Refreshment Break

Exhibition Area

11:00

Silver Medal Lecture

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

Co-designing digital solutions to improve diets in rural communities: an Australian perspective

Dr Katherine Livingstone, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Australia

12:00

Lunch

Exhibition Area

12:00

Satellite Symposium: Navigating the complexity of applying nutrition evidence: Recommendations from the Academy of Nutrition Sciences

Hosted by: Academy of Nutrition Sciences

Assembly Hall

Navigating the complexity of applying nutrition evidence: Recommendations from the Academy of Nutrition Sciences

Professor Christine Williams, Trustee of the Academy of Nutrition Sciences, UK

Dr Margaret Ashwell Trustee of the Academy of Nutrition Sciences, UK

Professor Kevin Whelan, Trustee of the Academy of Nutrition Sciences, UK

12:00

Workshop: 'Ideas for Careers'

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society Academy

Board Room

12:00

Annual Section Meeting (ASM)

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society Irish Section

Conference Room

13:00

UK Postgraduate Competition

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

13:00

Optimising dietary behaviour: can sports nutrition research contribute to improvements in population health?

Michèle Renard, King’s College London, UK

13:25

Creating sustainable diets with metabolic phenotyping

Katie Davies, University College Dublin, Ireland

13:50

Plant-based milk alternatives – can they replace the iodine from cows’ milk?

Katie Nicol, University of Surrey, UK

14:15

Introducing dietary advice as a therapeutic tool to manage psoriasis

Sylvia Zanesco, King’s College London, UK

14:40

BJN Paper of the Year Lecture

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

Weight trajectories from birth to 5 years and child appetitive traits at 7 years of age: a prospective birth cohort study

Dr Sarah Warkentin, Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Portugal

15:30

Refreshment Break

Exhibition Area



 

16:00

Core Symposium Three - Monitoring of food data from purchase to intake

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

16:00

Capturing food insecurity data and implications for business and policy

Dr Sinead Furey, Ulster University, UK

16:30

A nation’s story with food and body weight – through the eyes of national food consumption surveys

Associate Professor Breige McNulty, University College Dublin, Ireland

17:00

Conflict or Interest? Using consumer purchase data to support food systems transformation

Professor Michelle Morris, University of Leeds, UK

Ms Nilani Sritharan, Sainsbury's Plc, UK 

17:30

Rank Prize Lecture

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

Micronutrient deficiency prevention: using the evidence base to inform national, regional, and global policy

Professor Kevin Cashman, University College Cork, Ireland

18:15

Close of Day

20:00

Student Social Event

Day Three

08:00

Satellite Symposium: Sustainable, healthy and resilient food systems, a focus on micronutrients

Hosted by: Queen's University Belfast - Institute for Global Food Security & Centre for Public Health

Assembly Hall

Pasture-based grazing: does it make a difference to human health?

Professor Nigel Scollan, Queen's University Belfast, UK

Transforming food systems - the new Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems

Professor Aedin Cassidy, Queen's University Belfast, UK

Seaweeds in ruminant nutrition: What are the potential benefits for the environment and human-health?

Dr Kayley Barnes, Queen's University Belfast, UK

Plant based alternatives, a viable option – just don’t forget the micronutrients

Dr Claire McEvoy, Queen's University Belfast, UK

09:00

Core Symposium Four - Considerations of the food system

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

09:00

Climate change, food systems, nutrition and health

Associate Professor Pauline Scheelbeek, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK

09:30

Sustainable approaches to ruminant production based upon the one health principles

Professor Sharon Huws, Queen's University Belfast, UK

10:00

Complex, contradictory, and confusing: exploring consumer dilemmas in navigating nutrition knowledge

Professor Mary McCarthy, University College Cork, Ireland

10:30

Refreshment Break

Exhibition Area

11:00

Satellite Symposium: The role of diet in gut health

Hosted by: Yakult UK and Ireland

Assembly Hall

The role of diet in gut health

Professor Kevin Whelan, King's College London, UK

11:00

Satellite Symposium: Animal Nutrition textbook launch

Hosted by: British Society of Animal Science(BSAS) and The Nutrition Society

Board Room

Introduction and session chair

Professor David Kenny, Teagasc, Ireland, President of BSAS

Alternative protein sources for animal feed

Professor Andrew Salter, University of Nottingham, UK

Bioactive plants: the case of polyphenol-rich plants for gastrointestinal parasite control in ruminants

Dr Spiridoula Athanasiadou, Scotland's Rural College, UK

Dietary manipulation of rumen fermentation to reduce enteric methane emissions

Dr Paul Smith, Teagasc, Ireland

12:00

Lunch

Exhibition Area

12:00

Satellite Symposium: Achieving food and nutrition security whilst limiting global warming and enabling healthy diets for all

Hosted by: Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board

Conference Room

Animal and plant source foods and human health – reflections on “too little” and “too much”

Professor Alice Stanton, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Ireland



Health- from the ground up’ a farmer’s perspective

Professor John Gilliland, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, UK

Nutrition and health impacts of reducing meat and dairy intakes to meet the UK Climate Change Committee recommendations in the Scottish population

Professor Geraldine McNeill, The University of Edinburgh, UK

12:00

Satellite Symposium: A masterclass in sustainable healthy diets; education, food service and policy perspectives.

Hosted by: Nutritics Ltd

Assembly Hall

Empowering sustainability through software: navigating strategies for sustainable, healthy diets and consumer perceptions

Dr Laura Kirwan and Frances Douglas, Nutritics Ltd, Ireland

Sustainable diets in education: upskilling the next generation of nutrition professionals

Dr Anne Nugent, Queen's University Belfast, UK

Healthy and sustainable diets at scale: perspectives from the food service industry

Dr Caroline Donovan, Aramark Ireland, Ireland

Food reformulation for a healthy and sustainable diet; policy, progress and future directions

Dr Oonagh Lyons, Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Ireland

13:00

Satellite Symposium

Hosted by: Nutrition and healthy ageing SIG, The Nutrition Society

Conference Room

Food systems mapping for older adults. A gap analysis from the Food4Years Ageing Network

Professor Lisa Methven, University of Reading, UK



A protein enriched Mediterranean diet to combat undernutrition: Findings from the ProMed-Cog intervention study

Dr Claire McEvoy, Queens University Belfast, UK

The challenges and opportunities in developing foods for older adults

Professor Alexandra Johnstone, University of Aberdeen, UK

13:00

Satellite Symposium

Hosted by: Phytochemicals and health SIG, The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

Introduction to the Phytochemicals and Health Special Interest Group

Dr Ana Rodriguez - Mateos, King's College London, UK

Dr Charlotte Mills, University of Reading, UK




The importance of flavonoids for health

Professor Aedin Cassidy, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland



Interplay between dietary polyphenols and the digestive system

Dr Chris Gill, Ulster University, UK

14:00

Original Communication Session Three

Room locations are noted on the programme booklet running order

15:00

Refreshment Break

Exhibition Area

15:30

Plenary lecture two

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

15:30

Animal-source Foods for Nutrition, Environment, and Society: Finding a Balance

Dr Stella Nordhagen, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, UK

16:30

Satellite Symposium: Balancing the scale: micronutrient deficiency and protein quality in European diets

Hosted by: EuroFIR AISBL    

Assembly Hall

Opening Remarks and Introduction

Dr Siân Astley, EuroFIR AISBL, Belgium

Hidden hunger: addressing micronutrient deficiency in Europe

Professor Mairead Kiely, University College Cork, Ireland

Protein quality at the meal level: a cornerstone of wellness

Dr Sander Biesbroek, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Panel Discussion: Integrating solutions into everyday life

16:30

Satellite Symposium: The role of dairy foods in the protein transition: does the food matrix matter?

Hosted by: European Milk Forum

Conference Room

Introduction to the food matrix concept: implications for the protein transition

Professor Michelle McKinley, Queen’s University Belfast, UK

Dairy matrix effects: the case of protein transition and micronutrient bioavailability

Professor Ian Givens, University of Reading, UK

Beyond protein content to optimise musculoskeletal health: interactions in the dairy matrix

Dr Oliver Witard, King’s College London, UK

16:30

The Nutrition Society Annual Charity Meeting (ACM)

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Board Room

17:30

Close of Day

19:00

Conference Dinner

Titanic Belfast

To book your place at the congress dinner, please click HERE 

Day Four

09:00

Julie Wallace Award Lecture

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

The role of nutrition in dementia risk reduction: Current evidence and context

Dr Oliver Shannon, Newcastle University, UK

09:45

Core symposium Five - How food and nutrition data can inform policy

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

09:45

Translating data into policy informing decisions: current and future perspectives from EFSA

Dr Maria Anastassiadou, European Food Safety Authority, Italy

10:15

Translating evidence into policy - the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Professor Maijaliisa Erkkola, University of Helsinki, Finland



 

10:45

Refreshment Break

Exhibition Area

11:15

Core symposium Six - Novel approaches in nutrition research from evidence to impact

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

11:15

Participatory approaches in human nutrition research

Professor Michelle McKinley, Queen's University Belfast, Ireland

11:45

Good practices and misconceptions in machine learning in nutrition research

Dr Daniel Kirk, King’s College London, UK

12:15

Using citizen science to monitor food intake as we move towards sustainable diets and a sustainable food system

Dr Christian Reynolds, City, University of London, UK

12:45

Plenary Lecture Three

Hosted by: The Nutrition Society

Assembly Hall

National Food Composition Data – capabilities and culpabilities in monitoring food intake on an individual and population basis

Dr Maria Traka, Quadram Institute Bioscience, UK

13:50

Close of Congress

Find out more about the organisations supporting the Congress here

Venue address and accommodation

The congress is an in-person event. 

Congress venue: 

Assembly Buildings Conference Centre

2-10 Fisherwick Place

Belfast

BT1 6DW




The Assembly Buildings Conference Centre is deemed accessible, featuring ramps and elevators.



Congress Dinner 

Join us for a special congress dinner at Titanic Belfast – one of the most popular attractions in Belfast City! Our congress dinner will be a fun and relaxed event where we step away from the science for one evening and enjoy great food and even better company.

Relive the Titanic dining experience in the The Titanic Suite which has a replica of the liner’s Grand Staircase and stunning views of the Slipways and Belfast Lough – where the world-famous liner was designed, built, and launched.

We have limited tickets to this unique dining experience, be sure to buy your ticket before it sells out! Please note that delegates will be responsible for their own transportation to and from the Titantic Belfast. 

To book your place at the congress dinner, please click HERE.

Nutrition Society Congress accommodation recommendations

Queen's University Belfast - Halls of Residence

Ensuite single room: £65 per night 



Elms Village in BT9 is located 15 minutes from Queen's University Belfast and just 25 minutes from Belfast City Centre. The accommodation is also a 10-minute walk from the Lisburn Road which has a variety of different cafes, restaurants, and shops which you can visit. There are buses that will take you to the city centre from Windsor Avenue every 20 minutes to outside The Belfast City Hall, a short walk from the conference venue. All public transport accepts contactless card payments including Apple Pay and Google Pay. Please note they do not accept cash. For more information, please click HERE

To make a booking please click HERE 

Please note that online booking reservations close on 4 June 2024.

Additional accommodation recommendations 



Prices start from £85 per night

Please click HERE to see a list of accommodation recommendations, provided by VisitBelfast.

*Please note that the Society is not responsible for any arrangementes related to the booking of accomodation for delegates. Should you have any accomodation queries, please direct these to your chosen hotel. 

speaker

Call for Abstract Details

The abstract submission portal for the Nutrition Congress 2024 is now closed. 

Order your tickets

£220

Member - To benefit from the membership rate, please log in to your membership area before completing the registration. 

£100

Student/LIC/Unwaged Member - To benefit from the membership rate, please log in to your membership area before completing the registration.

Any students attending alone or for the first time and would like a conference buddy, please sign up HERE.

£185

Group rate for members and non-members* Please contact [email protected]



Please note you must have a minimum of 10 people to qualify for the group rate. 

£350

Non - Member

£75

Group rate for students* Please contact [email protected]

Please note you must have a minimum of 10 people to qualify for the group rate. 

£150

Non - member -  Please register HERE to purchase the day rate. 

£100

Member - Please register HERE to purchase the day rate. 

To benefit from the membership rate, please log in to your membership area before completing the registration.

£65

Student/LIC/Unwaged Member - Please register HERE to purchase the day rate. 

To benefit from the membership rate, please log in to your membership area before completing the registration.

£57

Congress Dinner

To book your place at the congress dinner, please click HERE 

UK Postgraduate Competition

The Nutrition Society Postgraduate Competition offers current Society members who are postgraduate students registered for a Higher Degree the opportunity to present an original short review paper on their research topic in the Postgraduate Symposium at the Nutrition Society Congress. All winners of the competition will have the opportunity to have their review published in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 

Find out more and apply here.

Silver Medal

The Silver Medal application portal is open. 

Find out more about the medal here.

Julie Wallace Award

The Julie Wallace Award application portal is open. 

Find out more about the award here.