skip page navigationOregon State University

Linus Pauling Institute
Micronutrient Research for Optimum Health

The Flu Fighters—
In Your Food


New research points to ways to boost immunity by making sure your diet has the right nutrients.

  • Determine the function and role of vitamins and essential minerals (micronutrients) and chemicals from plants (phytochemicals) in promoting optimum health and preventing or treating disease
  • Determine the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in human health and disease, and the protective effects of dietary factors with anti-oxidant or anti-inflammatory properties
  • Help people everywhere achieve a healthy and productive life, full of vitality, with minimal suffering, and free of cancer and other debilitating diseases

Major areas of research include cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, cancer, aging, immune function, and neurodegenerative diseases. Specific research projects address:

  • Inflammation, lipoic acid, and essential metals in atherosclerosis
  • Metabolism and health effects of dietary flavonoids
  • Vitamin E metabolism and biological functions
  • Oxidative and environmental stress in Lou Gehrig's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease
  • Stress response, lipoic acid, and mitochondrial dysfunction in aging
  • Genetic and epigenetic approaches to cancer chemoprotection by dietary phytochemicals
  • Transplacental cancer chemoprotection
  • Zinc and antioxidants in prostate cancer, immune function, and neurodegeneration
  • Novel biological functions of vitamin C
  • Antioxidants and gene expression in diabetes
  • Dietary fats, and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism
  • Vitamin D in immune function and aging

The Linus Pauling Institute relies heavily on public support to fulfill its mission. We invite you to consider the opportunities for giving to the Institute.