Head’s Message

Welcome to the Department of Clinical Nutrition at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Established as an independent department in 2023 (1402 SH), the department is committed to advancing clinical nutrition through education, research, and evidence-based patient care. Our activities focus on nutritional care in intensive care, oncology, and metabolic diseases, while promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and the training of skilled clinical nutrition professionals.

Overview

The discipline of nutrition at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences began in 2005 (1384 SH) when it separated from biophysics to form the Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, established to support incoming medical and nutrition students. The academic faculty expanded with international specialists trained at institutions such as the University of Surrey and Imperial College London. The department launched its Master of Science program in Nutrition in 2009 and gained independent departmental status in 2010. By 2012, the department established its Ph.D. program in Nutritional Sciences, followed by a Master’s program in Food Safety and Hygiene in 2015. Recognizing the vital role of specialized nutritional support in medical settings, the Department of Clinical Nutrition was formally established as an independent academic entity at the end of 2023 (1402 SH). It operates under its first dedicated development plan (1403-1407 SH / 2024-2028).

Expertise

The Department of Clinical Nutrition consists of 9 academic faculty members providing education, research, and clinical consultation. The department’s capabilities span:

• Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT): Designing targeted nutritional interventions for chronic conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, renal disorders, and gastrointestinal diseases.
• Critical Care Nutrition: Formulating specialized enteral and parenteral nutrition protocols for ICU and critically ill patients.
• Oncology Nutrition: Implementing nutritional support plans to prevent cachexia and support patients undergoing cancer therapies.
• Metabolic Disorders & Weight Management: Providing evidence-based management for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and inherited metabolic diseases.
• Food Safety & Public Health Nutrition: Analyzing food toxicology, quality control, and community-level nutritional health.

Clinical Scope

The department’s clinical faculty and staff provide consulting services across MUMS teaching hospitals. They lead clinical nutrition rounds in intensive care units, oncology wards, and medical-surgical units, and run outpatient nutrition clinics that focus on metabolic diseases, weight management, and preventative health.

Educational & Research Mission

• Vision: To serve as the premier national center of excellence in clinical nutrition, driving academic distinction, clinical standards, and research initiatives that integrate nutritional science into routine medical practice.
• Mission: To train skilled clinical nutritionists and researchers, deliver evidence-based clinical nutrition services, and conduct research that addresses patient recovery, metabolic health, and disease prevention.
• Objectives:
  • Providing undergraduate medical students and allied health professionals with fundamental nutrition training.
  • Delivering high-quality postgraduate programs (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) in Nutritional Sciences and Food Safety.
  • Expanding clinical research in clinical trials, nutrigenomics, and hospital-based nutritional outcomes.
  • Collaborating with hospital food service divisions to standardize patient diets and clinical nutritional screening tools.