** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS APPLICATION IS RESPONDING TO PROGRAM AREA 3. FOOD SAFETY, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH, ADDRESSING 3C. DIET, NUTRITION AND THE PREVENTION OF CHRONIC DISEASES, A1344, BY INTEGRATING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN THE FOCUS AREAS 1) EVALUATION OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE EATING PATTERNS THAT SUPPORT THE PREVENTION OF CHRONIC DISEASE AND 2) INVESTIGATE AND ASSESS NUTRITION RESEARCH WITH THE GOAL TO IMPROVE AND SUSTAIN HEALTH.POLYPHENOL-RICH DIETS HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RESILIENCE AGAINST OBESITY-ASSOCIATED CHRONIC DISEASES. STUDIES SHOW THAT INTESTINAL OBESITY-ASSOCIATED MICROBIAL DYSBIOSIS MAY NOT EFFECTIVELY METABOLIZE POLYPHENOLS, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN LIMITED BENEFITS. THIS PRESENTS A DISADVANTAGE TO THE VERY POPULATION THAT IS IN NEED OF THESE BENEFITS. OUR RECENT HUMAN CLINICAL STUDIES SHOWS THAT SYSTEMIC LEVELS OF TANNIN METABOLITES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER IN OBESE COMPARED TO LEAN INDIVIDUALS UPON CONSUMPTION, WHICH MAY LIMIT THEIR DERIVED HEALTH BENEFITS. THE OBJECTIVES AIM TO 1) EVALUATE THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MICROBIAL COMPOSITION, MACROMOLECULAR POLYPHENOLS, AND METABOLIC SIGNATURES IN ANAEROBIC FERMENTATIONS AND AN ANIMAL MODEL AND TO 2) EVALUATE MACROMOLECULAR POLYPHENOLSWITH ENZYMATIC AND PROBIOTIC STRATEGIES IN A RANDOMIZED, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED DOUBLE-BLINDED HUMAN CLINICAL TRIAL 3) PROVIDE HANDS-ON RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERREPRESENTED UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS ENHANCED BY ASSET-BASED PRACTICES, 4) PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR 9TH-12TH GRADE SCIENCE, CAREER-TECHNOLOGY-EDUCATION (CTE) TEACHERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH-IMPACT LEARNING RESOURCES BASED ON THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF PLANT-BASED FOODS AND THE ROLE OF THE INTESTINAL MICROBIOME IN HEALTH AND DISEASE.THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE CRUCIAL INSIGHTS INTO POLYPHENOL-MICROBIOME INTERACTIONS AND SUSTAINABLE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS, UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS.