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ODS Events
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ODS 2024–2025 Seminar Series
The ODS 2024–2025 Seminar Series presents virtual seminars on dietary supplement research and related topics. The series is for those interested in dietary supplement research but is open to everyone. This month’s seminars will be the last in this series—stay tuned for details about the 2025–2026 series.
June 11, 2025, 11 a.m. ET
Expert Roundtable: Approaches to Translating Natural Product Dietary Supplement Research to Improve Public Health
Amy L. Roe, Ph.D., DABT, FATS, Principal Toxicologist, Product Safety & Regulatory Affairs, Personal Health Care Division, Procter & Gamble
Freddie Ann Hoffman, M.D., Founder and CEO, Heterogeneity LLC
Hellen Oketch-Rabah, Ph.D., Deputy Director; Office of Dietary Supplement Programs; Office of Food Chemical Safety, Dietary Supplements & Innovation; Human Foods Program; U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Jeff Chen, M.D., MBA, Co-founder and CEO, Radicle Science
Register and view the Seminar Series flyer to learn more.
NIH Workshop on Prenatal Dietary Supplements: Evidence Gaps and Research Needs
Registration is now open for the NIH Workshop on Prenatal Dietary Supplements: Evidence Gaps and Research Needs, taking place Monday, June 30 and Tuesday, July 1, 2025, on NIH’s main campus and virtually. Registration deadline: June 14, 2025.
The intended audience includes researchers, clinicians, policymakers, industry, public health professionals, and others interested in prenatal nutrition and supplement research who are invited to:
- Review the state of the science on prenatal dietary supplements.
- Determine whether nutrient levels in current formulations support maternal and infant health.
- Provide recommendations for further research.
- Discuss steps toward scientific consensus on appropriate nutrient ranges in prenatal supplements marketed in the United States.
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ODS in the News
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“Malnutrition is one of those issues that can be easy to overlook, but has major consequences... As people age, they become more vulnerable to malnutrition for a host of reasons... That’s why it’s so important that we screen for and address malnutrition early.”
--Jaime Gahche, Ph.D., MPH, ODS Epidemiologist
Dr. Gahche recently led a collaborative study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition Dietetics (JAND), analyzing the 2022 National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants, which assesses how aging services, like home-delivered meals, support older adults’ health and independence. The study, Malnutrition Risk among the 2022 National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants: A Cross-Sectional Study, featured in a recent JAND podcast hosted by Dr. Linda Snetselaar, found those receiving home-delivered meals for 2 to 5 years were significantly less likely to be at risk of malnutrition compared to newer recipients (less than 6 months).
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Co-Funding Opportunities
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ODS provides funding support to the NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) through its co-funding program. Co-funding allows ODS to share the costs of NIH extramural dietary supplement-related research project grants, training and career development grants, and scientific conferences with primary ICOs. See the list of active ODS co-funding opportunities and learn more on our Grants & Funding webpage.
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Advancing the Field Together
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Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) will host the 2025 BENFRA Symposium on June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (PT), showcasing 5 years of accomplishments at the NIH-funded BENFRA Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Center. Register and join online to celebrate and reflect on 5 years of collaborative research and innovation on Botanicals Enhancing Neurological and Functional Resilience in Aging.
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Science Shorts
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A recent publication in Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry highlights the collaboration between ODS and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create reference materials for chemically characterizing dietary supplements and their ingredients. This paper, co-authored by ODS colleagues, Stephen Wise, Sanem Hosbas Coskun, Adam Kuszak, and former ODS Director Stefan Pasiakos, describes the nearly 60 reference materials NIST has developed over the past 20 years for supplements such as multivitamins/minerals, ginkgo, green tea, turmeric, and other botanicals. These reference materials help manufacturers and researchers confirm their testing methods are accurate when analyzing ingredients and finished products. The paper also documents the development process of these reference materials, including challenges encountered, valuable lessons learned, and future needs.
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Featured Fact Sheet
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ODS recently released a fully updated consumer fact sheet on dietary supplements and COVID-19. This comprehensive fact sheet summarizes current research on the safety and effectiveness of several dietary supplement ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, probiotics, and omega-3 fatty acids. While this research has not clearly shown that any dietary supplement helps prevent COVID-19 or can decrease the severity of COVID-19 symptoms, this fact sheet serves as an important resource for consumers seeking reliable information on the role of dietary supplements in relation to COVID-19.
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About ODS
The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation’s medical research agency—supporting scientific studies that turn discovery into health.
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