Call for Abstracts:

Please note, we have extended the deadline for abstract submissions and will accept submissions until March 26th, 2019. The entire abstract should have a maximum of 1,000 words, up to three pages (including references). There is no up-front fee for submitting a conference abstract. Once the abstract is generally accepted for the conference, the corresponding/first author is responsible to pay the abstract publication fee of $49 within 10 days. Failure to pay the abstract publication fee within 10 days after abstract acceptance day will result in a late abstract publication fee of $99. First authors are expected to register, pay the conference and abstract fee, and present the paper (if submission is accepted). In the case of an emergency and the author(s) are unable to attend the conference, they are required to pay an abstract publication fee of $99. Decisions on selection will be promptly communicated to the authors via e-mail. All contributions will be reviewed, and accepted abstracts will be published in the conference proceedings book. Please email your abstract as an attachment to ffc@functionalfoodcenter.com. Please review our sample abstract.

There is no charge for the withdrawal of an abstract before January 3^rd, 2019. In the case that the first author cannot attend the conference and present, he or she must contact the conference organizing committee via e-mail at ffc@functionalfoodcenter.com, to provide notification of withdrawal or to request a substitute presenter. Withdrawals must be received before January 3^rd, 2019.

Please note: Abstracts withdrawn after January 3^rd, 2018, will be published and the first author will be expected to pay the abstract publication fee. The conference does not provide financial support nor registration fee waivers for any presentations.

To avoid the last-minute rush, submit your abstract in advance. Abstracts received by the Conference Organizing Committee after January 2^nd, 2018, at 5 pm will not be accepted). For any information concerning publications please contact us at ffc@functionalfoodcenter.com. For more information about abstract submission, click here.

Abstract Submission Deadline Extended

We have extended the deadline for abstract submissions and will accept submissions until March 26th, 2019.

Instructions for Poster Presenters:

Poster presentations allow the audience to get a clear visual of the presenters' work in a simple format. The reasonable size for posters is 2.5 - 3.0 feet high by 3.5 - 4 feet wide.

Poster Presentation Recommendations:

The poster should clearly present the title, the author(s), affiliation(s), and a description of the research, along with highlighting the abstract's major elements. Remember that pictures, tables, and figures are key to any poster display. At least 50% of the surface area should be used for photos, graphs, or diagrams. Good use of color and the use of black or dark blue for text. Too much color can be hard to read! One or two large high-quality photographs attract attention. Make the title large and clear! Include author(s) name(s) and address(es). Your poster title should be easily readable from 3 - 4 meters away. We recommend the following sections on the poster: Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Tables, Figures, Results, and Conclusions.

For more information about poster sessions, please click here.

Full Registration Benefits:

The complimentary package will also contain:

• Access to all oral sessions
• Access to daily poster sessions
• Conference Proceedings Book (Abstract Book)
• Lunches for 2 days  
• 12-Month membership for ASFFBC (Academic Society for Functional Foods and Bioactive Compounds)
• Each registration allows the registrant to present a maximum of 3 accepted abstracts
• Hourly credits for conference attendance will be allocated towards certification as a Certified Functional Food Scientist
• Endless opportunities to network with colleagues from around the globe
• Choice of FFC textbook Limited Time Only*

*List of Textbook Options (Free textbooks will be avelable only until October 30th 2018) 

Introduction to Functional Food Science, Textbook, Volume 1, Third Edition

Functional Foods for Chronic Diseases: Textbook, Volume Two, First Edition

Cancer Biology and Dietary Factors: First Edition, Textbook, Volume 3, First Edition

Bioactive Compounds and Cancer: Volume 4, First Edition

Functional Foods in Integrative Oncology: Volume 5, First Edition

Basic Principles of Functional Food Science: Volume 6

Cancellation Policy: Before December 27, 2018: 75% refund; before February 27, 2019: 50% refund; after February 28, 2019: No refund. Reimbursements will be sent after the conference. Notice of cancellation of registration must be received in writing to the Conference Secretariat, at: ffc@functionalfoodcenter.com. All refunds will be provided after the conference within 14 days.

Registration Rates:

Registration fees do not include abstract publication fees or membership fees. You can save up to $100 off the price of registration by first becoming a member of Academic Society for Functional Foods and Bioactive Compounds. If you're not already a member, join today by clicking the Society logo below. 

You may click here to make a payment for the conference registration fee. Early Bird Registration is avelable until November 1st, 2018

*Students enrolled in an undergraduate, MSc., PhD or MD program are eligible for the student discount rate. You must enter your mentor's name and Email address during checkout to verify your student status.

**Visitors/Guests must be 16 years of age or older and may not be current members of Academic Society for Functional Foods and Bioactive Compounds. "Visitors/Exhibits" only fees include access to only expo of exhibitors for both days (lunches and refreshments, acess to Scientific Sessions are not included). A name badge is required for admittance to the above activities. Visitors/Exhibits Only cannot attend educational sessions or earn credits toward certified functional food professionals. 

Please note: space at this conference is limited and will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.

Please note that the program and sessions are subject to change. For more information about the conference, please contact us by e-mail at ffc@functionalfoodcenter.com. For international calls, please use:

Phone: 619-642-8088, Toll free: 1-866-202-0487 

Conference Program 

May 9, 2019

8:15-8:45 Registration

8:45-9:00 Welcome and opening remarks: Danik Martirosyan, Conference Chairman, PhD, President, Functional Food Center, Dallas, TX, USA

Session 1. Opening and Keynote Session. Session Chair(s): Dr. Abdulkerim Eroglu and Dr. Garth Nicolson

9:00-9:30 Garth Nicolson, Keynote Speaker, PhD, Research Professor of Molecular Pathology, The Institute for Molecular Medicine, S. Laguna Beach, CA, USA. Dr. Nicolson has over 600 scientific publications, several of which are citation classics. Dr. Nicholson’s previous positions include Professor and Chairman, Department of Tumor Biology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Professor of Internal Medicine and Professor of Pathology at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He is engaged in research on chronic illnesses, such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gulf War Illness, and various autoimmune diseases. Dr. Nicolson was also a Nobel Prize Nominee. The use of oral Membrane Lipid Replacement with glycerolphospholipids to treat systemic pain, gastrointestinal symptoms and fatigue in fibromyalgia patients.

9:30-9:50 Hameed Khan, PhD, Senior Scientist, National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA. The Impact of Sequencing Human Genome on Novel Drug Design and the Synthesis of Analogs of Aziridinylbenzoquinones (US Patent 4,146,622) as a Novel Class of Drugs Designed for Treating Brain Cancer

9:50-10:15 Abdulkerim Eroglu, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, Plants for Human Health Institute College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NC, USA. Molecular Mechanisms of Action of β-apocarotenoids and Functional Biomarkers of Plasma Carotenoids

10:15-10:25 Coffee Break

Session 2: Dietary Nitrite and Nitrate. Session Chair and Organizer: Dr. Nathan S. Bryan

10:25-10:50 James R. Coughlin, PhD, Certified Food Scientist, President, Coughlin & Associates: Experienced independent Ph.D. consultant in food chemistry and nutritional toxicology, with a 4-decade demonstrated history of working successfully in the food and beverage, dietary supplement and consumer packaged goods' industry, Aliso Viejo, CA, USA. Unfounded risks of nitrite and nitrate in humans: The Need for a new framework based on their health benefits

10:50-11:10 Tianying Wu, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA. Red meat, renal function, race, and other predictors of circulating nitrates 

11:10-11:35 Nathan S. Bryan, PhD, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine-Houston, TX, USA. Evidence for Use of Functional Nitric Oxide Nutrition in Primary Care

Session 3: Vitamins, Nutrients and Nutritional Supplements in Cardiovascular Health and Dysfunction. Session Chair and Organizer:  Dr. Dragan M. Djuric

11:35-12:00 Devendra K. Agrawal, PhD, Professor and Chairman, Department of Clinical and Translational Science, The Peekie Nash Carpenter Endowed Chair in Medicine, Professor of Internal Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, US. Vitamin D deficiency accelerates intimal hyperplasia and restenosis following coronary intervention

12:00-12:25 Dragan M. Djuric, MD, PhD, Professor, Executive Council Member, International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (IACS); President, Serbian Association for Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Research; Professor of Physiology and Founder, PhD Program in Physiological Sciences, Institute of Medical Physiology “Richard Burian”; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. Sulfur amino acids homocysteine and methionine: overview of the cardiovascular effects in rats

Lunch: 12:25 -13:15

Continuing Session 3: Vitamins, Nutrients and Nutritional Supplements in Cardiovascular Health and Dysfunction. 

13:15-13:40 Bram Ramjiawan, PhD, Director of Research, Asper Clinical Research Institute, Director of Research, Innovation and Regulatory Affairs, Director Office of Clinical Research, St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. Facts and Controversies Associated with the Assessment and Use of Vitamin D.

13:40-14:05 Grant Pierce, Professor, Executive Director of Research, St Boniface Hospital and Distinguished Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.  Supplementation of the diet with flaxseed - its effects on cardiovascular health

14:05-14:25 Martin Kwok, ND, Richmond Alternative Medical Clinic Inc., Richmond, BC, Canada. Lumbrokinase – the result of a perfect marriage between traditional empirical knowledge and modern medical science

14:25-14:35 Coffee Break and Networking

Session 4. Functional Foods with Bioactive Compound(s): Prevention and Management of Non-communicable Diseases. Session Chair(s): Sunny Jain and Mahnaz Kargar

14:35-15:00 Sunny Jain, CEO, Sun Genomics, San Diego, California. Analysis of gut microbiome using WGS and the long term effectiveness of customized FLORE´ probiotics

15:00-15:20 Mahnaz Kargar, PhD student, Department of Horticulture, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA. Physicochemical properties and bioactive compounds of selected Banana cultivars (Musa spp.): Consumer demand and potential health benefits for diabetes

15:20-15:40 Ulku Demirci, PhD, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Gedik, Istanbul, Turkey. Mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) in the gastrointestinal tract

15:40-16:00 Tatiana Korolenko, PhD, Professor, Laboratory of Experimental Models of Neurodegeneration, Institute of Physiology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation.  Mannan and trehalose: A study of their hypolipidemic effects in mice with acute lipemia

16:00-17:00 Session 5: Poster Session and Exhibition

17:00 Conference closing

17:00-20:00 San Diego City Tour and Networking 

May 10, 2019

Session 6: Functional Foods and Chronic Diseases. Session Co-Chairs: Dr. Smiti Gupta and Dr. Anureet Kaur)

8:45-9:05 Naranjan S. Dhalla, PhD, Distinguished Professor and Senior Fellow, Centre for the Advancement of Medicine, Director of Cardiovascular Developments, SBRC, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, University of Manitoba, Max Rady College of Medicine, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Modification of catecholamine-induced cardiac arrhythmias by treatment with some vitamins

9:05-9:25 Akinori Yanaka, MD, PhD, Professor, Hitachi Medical Education and Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Hitachi Ibaraki, Japan. Chemoprevention against gastrointestinal cancer by Sulforaphane

9:25-9:45 John F. Burd, PhD, CEO, Lysulin, Inc. San Diego, CA, USA. Glucose toxicity: The worldwide problem and the all-natural solution

9:45-10:00 Elisabetta Soragni, PhD, Department of Molecular Medicine, Gottesfeld lab - The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla CA, USA.  Friedrich's Ataxia: Pathology and modern approaches for disease manageent 

10:00-10:25 Smiti Gupta, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA. 1H NMR metabolomics reveals modulation of Glutamine by Tocotrienols via mTOR pathway in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

10:25-10:35 Coffee Break and Networking

Session 7: Food Bioactive Compounds and Functional Foods: Promising Concept for Chronic Disease and Healthy Aging. Session Chair: Dr. William Li and Dr.Sara Tabrizi

10:35-11:00 Robert Rucker, PhD, Emeritus Professor, University of California – Davis, Department of Nutrition, Davis, CA, USA   Pyrroloquinoline quinone: Its importance to mitochondriogenesis

11:00-11:20 Sara Haddad Tabrizi, PhD, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA. The Effect of bioactive peptide extracted from soybean, lunasin, on cardiometabolic risk factors

11:20-11:45 William W. Li, MD, President and Medical Director, The Angiogenesis Foundation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Activation of intrinsic health defenses as a mechanism for food bioactives: a systems-based approach to food functionality

Continuing Session 8: Food Bioactive Compounds and Functional Foods: Promising Concept for Chronic Disease and Healthy Aging. Session Chair and Organizer: Kanakaraju Kaliannan

11:45-12:05 Heidi Lynch, PhD, RD, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, California, USA. Plant-based diets and exercise performance

12:05-12:30 Kanakaraju Kaliannan, MD, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. Synergistic effects of omega 3 fatty acids and genistein on gut microbiome is associated with prevention metabolic syndrome.

Lunch: 12:30-13:20

Session 9: Current Research and Development of New Functional Food Products: Session Chairs: Dr. Hairong Cheng and Dr. Danik Martirosyan

13:20-13:40 Hairong Cheng, PhD, Professor, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.  Yarrowia lipolytica, a brewer in sweet life-Recent progress in functional sugars production

13:40-14:00 Simon Itsygin, PhD, President at Czar Salt, Greater San Diego, CA, USA. A new technology to process marine raw materials and ready to use products such as gourmet sea salt, algae dried biomass, food supplements and cosmetics

14:00-14:20 Ilkay Gok, PhD, School of Applied Disciplines, Okan University, Istanbul, Turkey. Consumer preferences, marketing size, regulations and labeling of functional foods in Turkey

14:20-14:30 Coffee Break

14:30-15:30 Session 10. Poster Session and Exhibition

15:30-15:45 Awards and Certificates

15:45-16:00 Conference Closing

*Please note: Schedule subject to change.

Conference Report

The 26th International Conference of Functional Food Center and 14th International Symposium of Academic Society for Functional Foods and Bioactive Compounds (ASFFBC) was held on May 9-10, 2019 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. The conference was entitled “Functional Foods, Bioactive Compounds and Nutraceuticals in Health and Disease”.

This conference consisted of over 100 oral and poster presenters, 33 exhibiting companies(66 exhibitors), 841 EXPO visitors totaling 1036 attendees from 51 countries around the world) including Japan, Turkey, Brazil, Serbia, China, Canada, Israel, Germany, United Kingdom, Cameroon, Czech Republic, Australia, Russia, the United States and many others. Among our participants were experts, scientists, and representatives in the field of biology, food and nutrition, and medicine. Our conferences, including or 26th Conference, are designed to incorporate a significant international presence. This has created a platform for different scientific perspectives and discussions on a wide range of topics regarding functional foods, bioactive compounds, interventions on chronic diseases, and health regulations.

We would like to give a big thank you to our Organizing Committee. Without their hard work, dedication, and constant support, we would have been able to hold such a successful conference.

Garth Nicolson, PhD, Research Professor of Molecular Pathology, The Institute for Molecular Medicine, S. Laguna Beach, CA, USA; Kanakaraju Kaliannan, MD, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Dragan M. Djuric, MD, PhD, Professor, Executive Council Member, International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (IACS); President, Serbian Association for Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Research; Professor of Physiology and Founder, PhD Program in Physiological Sciences, Institute of Medical Physiology “Richard Burian“; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; Nathan S. Bryan, PhD, Session Chair, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine-Houston, TX, USA; Gabriela Riscuta, MD, CNS, Program Director, Nutritional Science Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA; Smiti Gupta, PhD, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.

To begin our conference, our Conference Chairman and Functional Food Center (FFC) President, Dr. Danik Martirosyan,  gave an opening speech to introduce FFC and the purpose of our conference. Dr. Martirosyan discussed the growing occurence of many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, etc. and the associated high expenses spent on healthcare to treat and manage these diseases. In highlighting the purpose of the conference, Dr. Martirosyan discussed the importance of exploring and utilizing the role of functional foods in interventions of chronic diseases. Dr. Martirosyan presented FFC’s role in defining functional foods, stating functional foods as “natural or processed foods that contain biologically-active compounds; which, in defined, effective non-toxic amounts, provide a clinically proven and documented health benefit utilizing specific biomarkers, for the prevention, management, or treatment of chronic disease or its symptoms.'' The definition of functional foods established by FFC purposefully asserts bioactive compounds as being of central importance in functional foods. However, the safety of bioactive compounds and its associated health benefits must be documented and reported in order to improve and standardize the treatments with functional foods. Public education is vital in order to create government changes that will accept the definition of functional foods and recognize them in healthcare. It is critical that those involved in the functional food community work together in order to put standards, regulations, and laws in action.

The conference consisted of 8 informative sessions, 2 poster sessions, and 3 days exhibitions, which included 28 oral presentations. Additionally, there were 2 separate poster sessions. The session topics and session chairs were presented in the following order:

“Opening and Keynote Session” Session Chairs: Garth Nicolson, PhD, Research Professor of Molecular Pathology, The Institute for Molecular Medicine, S. Laguna Beach, CA, USA; Abdulkerim Eroglu, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, Plants for Human Health Institute College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NC, USA.
“Dietary Nitrite and Nitrate” Session Chair: Nathan S. Bryan, PhD, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine-Houston, TX, USA. “Vitamins, Nutrients and Nutritional Supplements in Cardiovascular Health and Dysfunction” Session Chair: Dragan M. Djuric, MD, PhD, Professor, Executive Council Member, International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (IACS); President, Serbian Association for Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Research; Professor of Physiology and Founder, PhD Program in Physiological Sciences, Institute of Medical Physiology “Richard Burian”; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia “Functional Foods with Bioactive Compound(s): Prevention and Management of Non-communicable Diseases” Session Chairs: Sunny Jain, CEO, Sun Genomics, San Diego, California; Mahnaz Kargar, PhD student, Department of Horticulture, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
“Functional Foods and Chronic Diseases” Session Chair: Smiti Gupta, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA “Food Bioactive Compounds and Functional Foods: Promising Concept for Chronic Disease and Healthy Aging” Session Chairs: William W. Li, MD, President and Medical Director, The Angiogenesis Foundation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Sara Haddad Tabrizi, PhD, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA. “Food Bioactive Compounds and Functional Foods: Promising Concept for Chronic Disease and Healthy Aging” Session Chair: Kanakaraju Kaliannan, MD, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA “Current Research and Development of New Functional Food Products” Session Chairs: Hairong Cheng, PhD, Professor, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

We would like to highlight some of the excellent presentations and exhibitors from the 26th International Conference:

Best Oral Presenter: Dr. Smiti Gupta, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA. Dr. Gupta’s presentation topic was “1H NMR metabolomics reveals modulation of Glutamine by Tocotrienols via mTOR pathway in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer”. This topic greatly benefited our conference audience and aligned well with the purpose of this conference. Congratulations to Dr. Gupta on a successful presentation!

Best Poster Presenter: Melanie Hutchings, Student, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA. Ms. Hutching’s presentation topic was “Efficacy of Oil Palm Phenolics and Curcumin on the Serotonin Pathway”. Congratulations to Melanie on a successful poster presentation!

Best Conference Organizer: Dragan M. Djuric, MD, PhD, Professor, Executive Council Member, International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (IACS); President, Serbian Association for Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Research; Professor of Physiology and Founder, PhD Program in Physiological Sciences, Institute of Medical Physiology “Richard Burian”; Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. Dr. Dragan organized our 3rd Session entitled “Vitamins, Nutrients and Nutritional Supplements in Cardiovascular Health and Dysfunction”. We honorably chose Dr. Dragan as he not only organized this session and presented his own research, but also brought 6 other excellent oral presenters to the conference. We congratulate Dr. Dragan on a successful presentation and session, and also thank him for the hard work he contributed to our conference to make it great!  

Best healthy and functional food information provider: Japan Institute for the Control of Aging (JaICA), Nikken SEIL Co., Ltd., Fukuroi, Shizuoka, Japan. The Japan Institute for the Control of Aging has conducted research into control of aging since its foundation under the doctrine of contributing health promotion. As a result, the institute succeeded in developing a DNA oxidative damage measuring kit, thus taking the lead for this field. A few companies had fascinating exhibitions, including those by: "Lysulin", "Sun Genomics", "Ketodough", and "Czar Salt". 

Outstanding Presentation: William W. Li, MD, President and Medical Director, The Angiogenesis Foundation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Dr. Li co-organized Session 7 entitled “Food Bioactive Compounds and Functional Foods: Promising Concept for Chronic Disease and Healthy Aging” and presented his topic “Activation of intrinsic health defenses as a mechanism for food bioactives: a systems-based approach to food functionality”. We found Dr. Li’s presentation to be especially excellent and beneficial to our audience in the interest of functional food science. We are very grateful for his engaging lecture. Congratulations, Dr. Li, on a successful session and presentation!

Following the first day of our conference, we were thrilled to host a Conference Networking Event for all of our attendees and lecturers. After the completion of a successful first day of the conference, we traveled as a group to the beautiful Balboa Park in San Diego. In the park area we joined together at a local restaurant to enjoy music, food, and drinks. This was an excellent opportunity for our attendees to network and converse amongst each other outside the context of the conference. We emphasize the importance of networking in the functional food community to enhance knowledge, form relationships, and provide opportunity for future collaboration. We make sure opportunities like this are available at each of our conferences.

We are very pleased with the success of our 26th International Conference and all that was contributed. We would like to thank all who attended, presented, and/or exhibited at our conference for making it such a beneficial event. The diverse topics presented aided in expanding the knowledge of all our attendees. We also believe the international diversity present at our conference contributes to a great deal of our success at our conferences.

We hope that you can join us in a future International Conference! Our next upcoming conference is being hosted at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA this September. This conference is our 27th International Conference entitled “Functional Foods and Bioactive Compounds: Health Promotion and Disease Management”. Please visit our Conference Main Page on our website for more information on attending this conference: https://www.functionalfoodscenter.net/27th-int--conference.html

Abstract Accepted for the Presentation:

Poster presentation recommendations:

• Poster presentations give the audience a clear visual of the presenter's work in a simple format. The reasonable size for posters is 2.5 feet wide by 3.5 feet high.
• Present the title, the author(s), affiliation(s), and a description of the research, along with highlighting the abstract's major elements.
• Minimize detail and try to use simple statements. Keep it short and easy to read.
• Remember that pictures, tables, and figures are key to any poster display.
• If possible, use color in your visuals.
• Don't overwhelm the audience with excessive information. Instead, construct a display that enhances the presentation.
• At least 50% of the surface area should be used for photos, graphs and diagrams.
• Use a clear structure and layout.
• Use complementary colors. Use black or dark blue for text. Too much color can be hard to read!
• One or two large, high quality photographs attract attention.
• Your title should be a condensed statement of the main idea of your poster. It should be large and clear.
• Your poster title should be easily readable from a distance of 3-4 meters. Include author(s) name(s), and address(es).
• We recommend the following sections on the poster: Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Tables, Figures, Results, and Conclusions.
• Please confirm your poster number on the list. The posters with odd numbers will be presented on September 20, 2018 and the posters with even numbers will be presented on September 21, 2018.
• Please put up your own poster in the position indicated by your presentation number by noon of each day. Presentation numbers are already indicated on display panels. Please check your presentation number and be careful to put up your poster on the correct panel. Please use pins to put up posters. Please do not use glue or sellotape.
• Please present your work in front of your own poster during the poster session.
• The best poster presentation award will be chosen by votes of all participants.
• Posters will be changed every day. Please help by taking your own poster down. Posters still displayed after the removal time has passed will be disposed of by the secretary the following day.
• For more information on oral presentation please visit conference program page.

Portrait size: 2.5 feet width(76.2 centimeters), 3.5 feet height(106.68 centimeters)

Abstracts Accepted for Presentation 

Scholarships:

Deadlines:

Scholarship applications for the 26th International conference of FFC must be submitted by 5:00 pm December 26th, 2019. Other important deadlines to consider are: 

Abstract Deadline: January 2nd, 2019 5:00 pm (PST)

Award Information:

Functional Food Center is pleased to be offering scholarships to students and postdoc fellows. The purpose of these scholarships is to help students pay for the expenses of attending our conferences. FFC understands it can be expensive for students and academia to afford presenting at conferences, so we hope this financial assistance will support selected applicants present their posters at our conferences.

Scholarship winners will be offered reimbursement of expenses associated with attending our conferences (up to 500 USD). These costs include possible airfare, transportation, hotel stays, the conference registration, and textbook on Functional Food. Scholarship winners will receive certificates for 12-Month membership for ASFFBC (Academic Society for Functional Foods and Bioactive Compounds). Please note: receipts will be required to receive reimbursement.

Scholarship recipients will be selected by the conference organizing committee who will review each submitted abstract on the quality of the scientific, the objective’s relevance to the conference topic, and presented findings.

Eligible Applicants:

Students and postdoctoral fellows who submit abstract(s) for poster presentation(s) 
Students who are currently enrolled at an academic institution in a Master’s, PhD, and/or MD program will be considered
Postdoctoral fellows with a Ph.D. and/or M.D. degree at an academic institution who are conducting research after the completion of their doctoral studies will also be considered
An applicant is eligible to receive one award per conference. If one or more abstracts are submitted from the same lab only one applicant will be awarded.

Criteria for Abstract Review:

For general information on abstract submission requirements, please click on the Abstract Submission tab. The conference organizing committee will review each submitted scholarship application according to the following criteria:

• Abstract is relevant to the conference topic(s)
• Objective and problem are clearly articulated
• Methods, findings, and results are explained and related to research question
• Study and findings have potential to inspire discussion on functional food and chronic diseases
• Style and language used
• Abstracts should be written in US English or British English
  Abstracts should be free of spelling and grammatical errors, including limited abbreviations usage, little to none typography errors, and italics are used appropriately

For information on abstract submission requirements, please click here: https://www.functionalfoodscenter.net/abstract-submission-ffc26.html

Application and Submission Requirements:

If you match the eligibility requirements and want to be considered for a scholarship, you should complete all of the following by the scholarship deadline for the conference you wish to present and attend. It is recommended to submit the scholarship application before the deadline to ensure completeness.

Complete the Scholarship Form 
To apply for a scholarship, please click here

Late scholarship applications will not be accepted.

Although full articles do not need to be submitted before the scholarship deadline, full-text papers should be submitted before the abstract deadline. To find out how to submit an article to The Journal of Functional Foods in Health and Disease (FFHD), please click here: http://www.ffhdj.com

Notification for Scholarships:

Once the organizing committee has reviewed all of the scholarship applications, we will immediately send an email to notify all scholarship applicants. Award winners will also be listed on the website page to recognize those with the best abstracts. You should receive an email before the Early Bird Registration Deadline so you are able to register at a discounted price.

Requirements of Scholarship Winner:

In order for scholarship recipients to be reimbursed by FFC they must complete these necessary requirements:

Present their poster at the conference
Keep all receipts of travel and registration for the conference
Complete an exit survey after the conference
After you complete these tasks and send us your proof of purchases associated with attending the conference, FFC will send you a check for reimbursement.

Main Conference Topics/Sessions

Main Topics/Sessions at the 26th FFC's International Conference will include:

GENERAL SESSIONS:

• Session 1: Functional Foods, Bioactive Compounds and Nutraceuticals: Definition and the Status in Different Countries
• Session 2. Functional Food Ingredients: Sources and Potential Benefits in Public health
• Session 2: The Effects of bioactive molecules on Biomarkers of Chronic Diseases
• Session 3: The Effects of Nutrition and Functional Foods on Aging and Health
• Session 4: Nutraceuticals in Health and Disease
• Session 5: Functional Foods and Chronic Diseases
• Session 6: Functional Foods with Bioactive Compound(s): Prevention and Management of Non-communicable Diseases
• Session 7: Food Bioactive Compounds, Biomarkers, and Functional Foods: Promising Concept for Chronic Disease and Healthy Aging
• Session 8: Safety of the Bioactive Compounds and Functional Foods
• Session 9: Biomarkers and Functional Food
• Session 10: Food Bioactive Compounds, Biomarkers, and Functional Foods: Promising Concept for Chronic Disease and Healthy Aging
• Session 11: Current Research and Development of New Functional Food Products

SPECIAL SESSIONS:

• Special Session 1: Functional Foods for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Special Session 2: Metabolic Syndrome. Session organizer: 
• Special Session 3: Immunonutrition. Session organizer: Gabriela Riscuta MD, CNS, Program Director, Nutritional Science Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
• Special session 4: Sports Nutrition and Functional Foods. Session organizer: 
• Special Session 5: Metabolic syndrome and gut microbiome. Session organizer: Session organizer: Kanakaraju Kaliannan, MD. 
• Special session 6: Sulfur compounds, B-group vitamins and cardiovascular health.  Session organizer: Dragan M. Djuric, MD, PhD, professor
• Special Session: Dietitian's Point of View

Detail Discription of Sessions and Topics

Session: Functional Foods, Bioactive Compounds and Nutraceuticals: Definition and the Status in Different Countries

• The regulations, policy, and labeling of functional foods in Japan
• Weaknesses and strong points of FOSHU/Food for Special Health Usage
• What is the status of Functional Foods in the USA? Expert opinions from NIH, USDA, and FDA
• How the new definition of Functional Foods can help to improve the status of functional foods word wide
• Please suggest your own topic 

Session: Nutrition, Functional, and Medical foods for Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD)

• Epidemiology of CVD
• Biomarkers of different cardiovascular diseases
• The effects of functional food and bioactive compounds on biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases
• Nutrition, Functional, and Medical foods for CVD

Session: Functional Foods with Bioactive Compound(s): Prevention and Management of Non-communicable Diseases

• Functional foods and other non-communicable diseases
• Bioactive compounds and other non-communicable diseases
• The effects of medical food on biomarkers of non-communicable diseases

Session: Safety of the Bioactive Compounds and Functional Foods

• Food-Drug Interactions
• Safety of bioactive compounds at efficacious levels
• Safety of functional foods at efficacious levels
• Regulatory issues and health claims

Session: Biomarkers and Functional Food

• Biomarkers and functional foods
• Biomarkers available for assessing diet-related changes
• How can biomarkers improve functional food products development process?
• The importance of Monitoring Biomarkers in Functional food Science
• FDA’s Biomarker Qualification Program and creation of new functional foods

Session: Functional Foods and Chronic Diseases 

• Functional Foods and Obesity
• Functional Foods and Diabetes
• Mental and Neurological Diseases
• Cardiovascular Diseases
• Functional Foods and Cancer
• Functional Foods and other Chronic Diseases

Session: Current Research and Development of New Functional and Healthy Food Products.

• Incentives for functional and healthy food research and development
• Consumer acceptance of healthy and functional food products
• Functional food composition and dietary intake databases
• Food vehicles for delivery bioactive compounds
• Research, development and marketing of new healthy and functional food products

Session: Functional Foods for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): What causes and what are the symptoms?
• IBD: functional foods, bioactive compounds and biomarkers
• Nutrition and bioactive compounds in the management of IBD 
• Dietary management of pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• The role of nutrition in the development and functioning of Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
• The Role of Prebiotics in IBD
• The use of glycerolphospholipids to treat systemic pain and gastrointestinal pain
• Probiotics for therapeutic application in pouchitis and to a lesser degree in Ulcerative Colitis

Special session: Sports Nutrition and Functional Foods

• Nutrition for Strength Adaptations
• Requirements of Proteins, Fats, and Carbohydrates for Athletes
• Physiological Basis for Creatine Supplementation In Skeletal Muscle and the Central Nervous System
• The Role of Glycine-Arginine-Alpha-Ketoisocaproic Acid (GAKIC) in Sports Nutrition
• Roles of Chromium (III), Vanadium, Iron, and Zinc in Sports Nutrition
• Human Performance and Sports Application of Herbal Supplements
• Carbohydrate and Glycogen Metabolism: Training and Dietary Influences and Their Impact on Performance and Recovery
• Eccentric Exercise: Benefits and Applications to Training
• Strength Assessments: Neuromuscular and Biomechanical Considerations
• Sports Nutrition Beverages: An Overview
• Nutrition in Paralympics
• An Overview of Extreme Sports

ANALYTICS

Table 1. Presenters, exhibitors, and expo visitors

Table 2. Job function of attendees