Programme

Content Outline

The research-oriented summer school NUTRITION & HEALTH 2025 is a strong 60-hour training programme focusing on the fundamental and applied aspects of the links between food and health in line with top-tier research centres and leading experts in the field.

The main methods of investigation with a critical look at their relevance as well as prevention policies in France and worldwide will be introduced. Particular emphasis will be laid on childhood obesity and diabetes. Building on the latest scientific discoveries, the major role of nutrition in successful ageing will be explored.

Final research projects will look at topics that now prevail in the participants’ country (epidemiological data, main public health challenges, prevention strategies, etc.). Practical work in biology laboratories will take place. Oral presentations of the results will give rise to a mini-symposium.

Cultural visits and social events will enrich this international programme, promoting friendliness and personal development. These activities will enable participants to build connections, exchange ideas, and immerse themselves in a stimulating and rewarding intercultural experience.

31 h — Scientific Lectures, Practical Work & Visits
9 h — Scientific Research Project
1 h — Lille & Hauts-de-France: A Dynamic Environment for Researchers
13 h — Cultural Visits & Social Events
3 h — Introduction to the French-Speaking World
3 h — Welcome & Closing Events

Keywords

#nutrition, food, health, obesity, diabetes, ageing, longevity, glycation, infant nutrition & health, ultra-processed food, vitamins, food safety, protein digestibility, epidemiology, animal models, cell culture, Caenorhabditis elegans, prevention.

Programme At A Glance

Scientific Lectures, Practical Work & Visits

Minor modifications to the programme may occur.

Nutrition and Health — Scientific Evidence

Public Health — Prevention — Nutrition

Epidemic of Metabolic Diseases (Obesity, Diabetes, NAFLD)

Food Processing and Health

Biology of Ageing

Scientific Research Project

Designed to facilitate your admission to master and doctoral programmes in France, the Scientific Research Project will require personal work. It will include sessions of tutorials and a last session of presentation of the results and discussion with researchers and PhD students from Lille University School of Medicine. The different topics will be selected on the first week of the programme.

The project will be conducted in four stages:

Screening & selection of scientific articles related to nutrition and health;
Reading & critical evaluation of one or two scientific articles;
Preparing a scientific oral presentation with a sequence of slides;
Presenting and discussing (oral defence) the summary of the reading and reviewing in front of senior scientists and local students.

You will have every opportunity to contact teachers/researchers with a view to identify a research project; assistance will be provided in maintaining contact in order to finalise the project up to potential enrolment in a (post-)doctoral programme.

Literature

1. 1. Explorative Screening of Bioactivities Generated by Plant-Based Proteins after In Vitro Static Gastrointestinal Digestion. Dugardin C, Cudennec B, Tourret M, Caron J, Guérin-Deremaux L, Behra-Miellet J, Lefranc-Millot C, RAVALLEC R. Nutrients. 2020 Dec 5;12(12):3746. doi: 10.3390/nu12123746.

2. 2. High hydrostatic pressure processing of human milk preserves milk oligosaccharides and avoids formation of Maillard reaction products. MAROUSEZ L, Sprenger N, De Lamballerie M, Jaramillo-Ortiz S, Tran L, Micours E, Gottrand F, Howsam M, TESSIER FJ, Ley D, Lesage J. Clin Nutr. 2022 Jan;41(1):1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.11.013.

3. 3. Exposure of Caenorhabditis elegans to Dietary Nε-Carboxymethyllysine Emphasizes Endocytosis as a New Route for Intestinal Absorption of Advanced Glycation End Products. Dubois C, Litke R, Rianha S, Paul-Constant C, Lo Guidice JM, Taront S, TESSIER FJ, BOULANGER É, FRADIN C. Nutrients. 2021 Dec 8;13(12):4398. doi: 10.3390/nu13124398.

4. 4. Intestine-liver crosstalk in Type 2 Diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Nawrot M, Peschard S, LESTAVEL S, Staels B. Metabolism. 2021 Oct;123:154844. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2021.154844.

5. 5. Circulating biomarkers characterizing physical frailty: CRP, hemoglobin, albumin, 25OHD and free testosterone as best biomarkers. Results of a meta-analysis. MAILLIEZ A, Guilbaud A, Puisieux F, DAUCHET L, BOULANGER É. Exp Gerontol. 2020 Oct 1;139:111014. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2020.111014.

6. 6. Nuclear Receptors and Clock Components in Cardiovascular Diseases. POURCET B, Duez H. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Sep 8;22(18):9721. doi: 10.3390/ijms22189721.

7. 7. How Can Diet Affect the Accumulation of Advanced Glycation End-Products in the Human Body? Guilbaud A, Niquet-Leridon C, BOULANGER É, TESSIER FJ. Foods. 2016 Dec 6;5(4):84. doi: 10.3390/foods5040084.

8. 8. The expression of genes in top obesity-associated loci is enriched in insula and substantia nigra brain regions involved in addiction and reward. Ndiaye FK, Huyvaert M, Ortalli A, Canouil M, Lecoeur C, Verbanck M, Lobbens S, KHAMIS A, Marselli L, Marchetti P, Kerr-Conte J, Pattou F, Marre M, Roussel R, Balkau B, Froguel P, BONNEFOND A. Int J Obes (Lond). 2020 Feb;44(2):539-543. doi: 10.1038/s41366-019-0428-7.

Cultural Programme

EXCITING VISITS & EVENTS

Gain a richer perspective on the Hauts-de-France region!

The Hauts-de-France region is typified by its maritime and Flemish borders, agrarian economy, ancient trade fairs tradition, former textile and mine industries steeped in the Catholic values of its captains and vivid memory of wounds inflicted by two world wars. France’s youngest region is now renowned for its competitiveness, dynamic cultural and social life, and a unique mix of Flemish cheerfulness and French elegance.

OLD LILLE: Guided tour of streets, squares and monuments of the old town and its beautiful ancient architecture.
CH’TI EVENING: Local cuisine in a traditional restaurant and introduction to the Ch’ti linguistic and cultural specificity.
BRUGES, BELGIUM: Free time in the charming old Flemish city, also known as “the Venice of the North” thanks to its beautiful canals.
FINE ARTS MUSEUM OF LILLE: Visit the exciting collection and splendid building of the largest fine arts museum in France beside Paris.

Introduction to the French-Speaking World

Getting a taste for the French language or rediscovering it.

Spoken by over 300 million people worldwide, French is a beautiful and fascinating language with a rich history and culture. One of the most compelling reasons to learn French is the vast amount of cultural and artistic treasures it unlocks. Besides, knowing French, official language of diplomacy, can open doors to many career opportunities. French is relatively accessible for English speakers, thanks to its many cognates (words that are similar in both languages) that make it easier to build vocabulary and to understand.

An interactive workshop will take the participants through an exploration of the presence and role of French language in the world as well as key linguistic features. Whether they are beginners or intermediate French speakers, the participants will be initiated to basic day-to-day French (greetings, first interactions) or lead to refresh and develop their communication skills.

Human Nutrition Across the Lifespan