The Department of Food Science and Nutrition of the College of Agricultural & Marine Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University organized a one day workshop on “Nutritional Antioxidants Therapy: A Multidimensional Perspective” at the Faculty Club Hall on 24 April . This workshop is aimed to create an awareness on prevention and initial screening of human chronic diseases and to update researchers and clinical staff about new research findings regarding antioxidants therapy and dietary intervention strategies that will enhance the Oman's research base to reduce the increasing financial burden of chronic diseases treatment.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Ahmed Al Alawi, Head of the Department said that the Food Science & Nutrition Department at SQU has been extensively involved in the field of cancer research for the past three years and our faculties have taken the initiative effort in establishing the protective role of different functional foods and antioxidant nutrients in chronic diseases prevention. “Researchers and graduate students at our department have developed a network activity with partners at SQU hospital and with health professionals at the Ministry of Health. He hoped that the workshop activity would help in sharing their research findings within SQU community and other partners outside the university.

Dr. Mostafa Waly, Chair of the Workshop Organizing Committee, said that the workshop has three unique features that make it distinctive. It covers the latest information in the field of nutrition and human chronic diseases, provides a comprehensive link between dietary antioxidants and diseases therapy, and combines basic science approaches with clinical practice.

The workshop featured 14 speakers from different disciplines and they covered a broad range of topics in relation to cancer prevention such as Antioxidants, Functional Foods, Natural Therapeutic Agents, Dietary Supplements, and Nutrition after Cancer Diagnosis. The sessions also discussed emerging concepts for human chronic diseases etiology, survivorship and lifestyle modifications.