We spoke with Prof. Ryota Hosomi about their time working as a First Editor on the Journal for Nutritional Science, and how the field of nutrition research is evolving.

Can you tell us about your current role and what led you to specialise in nutrition?

I am focused on the health benefits of dietary food and nutritional components using animal and cell studies. I frequently handle papers employing cell and animal experimentation techniques.

I became interested in nutrition and food science simply because I enjoyed cooking and savouring food. Then, I chose a major in food and nutritional sciences at university and studied related subjects.

How did you first become familiar with the Journal of Nutritional Science?

I learnt about JNS when I read an interesting research article in JNS about 7 years ago. At that time, I knew that JNS was an offshoot of the British Journal of Nutrition.

What led you to take on the role of First Editor for Journal of Nutritional Science?

The opportunity to take on the role of FE coincided with the time when the JNS Editorial Board was being put together. At that time, I was a First Editor for the British Journal of Nutrition, but I had also accepted the role of First Editor for JNS because it was a great opportunity to learn about editorial roles for scientific journals.

Can you share with us your experience working as a First Editor for Journal of Nutritional Science? What are some of the highlights and challenges you have encountered? Are there any memorable experiences or achievements you would like to share from your time working with the journal?

It has been an excellent opportunity for me to take on the role of First Editor and learning about the role on an editorial board. This experience has helped me author my own scientific paper, as I am now able to understand the publishing process from the other side. I have also met a lot of new people and have had the chance to speak with them at conferences, so this has been a very valuable experience.

Looking back on your journey with Journal of Nutritional Science, how would you describe the overall impact it has had on your professional life and scholarly contributions? What does this journal mean to you?

This has been a great opportunity to learn about the scientific process for publishing a paper and ways to improve the submitted paper. These experiences have helped me grow in my professional life, and it would not have been possible without working as a First Editor for the Journal of Nutritional Science.

Tell us a bit about your life outside of the journal: what is your current job title? Where are you based in the world?

I am a professor at Kansai University, located in Japan. I am focused on the health benefits of dietary marine components using animal and cell studies. I am based in Osaka, Japan. Last year, I took a sabbatical and studied human studies as a visiting fellow at Western Sydney University, Australia.

 In a few sentences, can you describe the focus of your work or your specialism within the field?

My focus is on food and nutritional sciences. I focus on studying the effects of seafood, such as fish oil and protein, on health benefits through animal and cell studies. Lately, I have been studying the preventive effect of dietary fish protein on cognitive function. For example, through my research I have found that it seems Alaska pollock protein helps prevent short-term memory decline associated with aging in mice.

What are some current challenges or trends in this field that you find particularly compelling or concerning?

In the field of functional food, most researchers are focused on the high functional components. However, there are also many low and worse components in food. We must focus on the components that cause deterioration, clarify their mechanism of action, and consider methods for their removal. 

What advice would you give to early-career researchers interested in pursuing a career in nutritional science based on your own experiences and insights?

Frankly speaking, I don’t think there are many groundbreaking discoveries in nutrition research. However, nutrition can quietly support people around the world in improving their daily lives. There are still many unresolved issues in nutrition worldwide. Would you like to join us in advancing research to solve these problems and improve people’s lives globally?

How do you see the field of nutrition evolving in the future, and what areas do you believe hold the most promise for further exploration and discovery?

The problems nutrition science must solve have expanded to a global scale. In the future, I believe it will be necessary for researchers in specialised fields within nutrition science to collaborate not only with each other, but also with researchers from other disciplines to find solutions to these problems. Since the foundation of nutrition science lies in research involving humans, epidemiology will remain the primary field of study. To clarify the findings from epidemiology in greater detail, it is also necessary to combine this with elucidating the mechanisms of action using animals and cells – my area of expertise – as well as integrating epidemiological data through meta-analysis.

If Prof. Hosomi’s experience sounds like something you might be interested in and you have expertise in nutrition status, malnutrition, and/or diabetes, we are currently hiring for new First Editors to join the team! Find out how to apply here.