Principal Investigator
Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute
Volcano, Hawaii, United States
Dr. Renee J. Dufault is recognized as a world leader in nutritional epigenetics, offering consultations and educational resources that apply epigenetic science to diet, health promotion, and special education nutrition. Her work links nutritional epigenetics to neurodevelopmental outcomes such as autism and ADHD, arguing that prenatal and early life dietary exposures can alter inheritable gene expression patterns and that targeted nutritional interventions and education can help protect the developing epigenome and support children who require special education services.With loyal collaborators, Dr. Dufault founded and directs the non-profit Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute (FIHRI) and leads community based research and clinical projects that investigate how food ingredients and contaminants influence gene expression and child development. She designs and oversees studies and community trials on diet, heavy-metal residues, and epigenetic markers. FIHRI provides nutritional-epigenetics education programs worldwide focusing on underserved populations. Under Dr. Dufault's leadership, the non-profit organization continues to raise awareness about food-supply contaminants and their potential role in developmental disorders, informing educators and health professionals. Dr. Renee Dufault's research is driven by a single, practical ethic: science must improve lives. She focuses on how prenatal and early life nutritional exposures influence neurodevelopmental outcomes and how parents, schools and special education programs can use that knowledge to better support learners. As a consultant and educator, she translates complex epigenetic concepts into actionable guidance for teachers, clinicians, and families, advocating for nutrition informed interventions that reduce barriers to learning.
Monday, July 27, 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET
Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Dietary and Environmental Factors Associated With Gene Expression (Oral Session 20)
Monday, July 27, 2026
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM ET
Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.