ACNC Facilities and Capabilities

Advancing Maternal and Child Health Through Cutting-Edge Nutrition Science

The Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC) is a national Human Nutrition Research Center supported by the USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), dedicated to improving pediatric and maternal health. For more than 30 years, ACNC has been at the forefront of translational research, combining world-class science with community impact. Located in Little Rock, Arkansas, the ACNC is uniquely positioned within a robust health ecosystem that includes Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Facilities and Capabilities

ACNC operates more than 55,000 square feet of research space and supports over 100 scientists and staff. Its eight integrated Core Research Facilities provide comprehensive capabilities:

• Maternal and Early Nutrition to Optimize Development (MEND) Core: Inpatient/outpatient units, body composition labs, and brain function testing.
• Physical Activity and Metabolism Core: Facilities for children’s physical activity research and family-based interventions.
• Brain Research Core: EEG, behavioral testing, and MRI-based neuroimaging.
• Metabolomics and Analytical Chemistry Core: Precision analysis of biological samples, diets, and bioactive compounds.
• Preclinical Metabolic and Behavioral Phenotyping Core: State-of-the-art preclinical models with advanced imaging technologies
• Histology and Bioimaging Core: Specialized histological and imaging services.
• Biostatistics and Data Innovation Core: Comprehensive statistical and bioinformatics expertise.
• Bioinformatics Core: Comprehensive bioinformatics, computational and chemometric modeling
• Experimental Kitchen - supports precise food preparation for research protocols.