MARS RESEARCH AWARDS

Scope of Awards

MARS Research Awards are conferred on the excellent presenters of ICPH2007 by the grant of MARS Co.
Awardees would present relevant work on flavonoid chemistry and analytics, or on the biomedical properties of flavonoids as demonstrated in pertinent dietary intervention studies using flavonoid-containing foods, including tea, wine and grape juice, cocoa and flavonoid-rich fruit/vegetables. Investigators that qualify for a reward would be expected to present novel work in one of the following areas:

1. Novel findings emanating from dietary intervention studies in humans;

Qualifying studies are:

-	rigorous in terms of study design and the degree of statistical power;
-	utilizing flavonoid-rich testing materials that are well characterized in terms of specific flavonoid content, chemical composition and nutritional value;
-	assessing relevant biomedical end-points or readouts that, within reason, can be directly and causally related to specific physiological or pathophysiological functions.

2.	Novel findings emanating from investigations aimed at elucidating the absorption, metabolism and tissue distribution of dietary flavonoids;

Qualifying work is:

-	based upon flavonoid doses that are relevant to the dietary intake of specific flavonoids;
-	grounded on well established and validated analytical procedures;

3.	Novel findings emanating from studies aimed at understating the mechanisms that underlie the bioactivity of flavonoids, or that help to identify specific molecular targets or mechanism of action:

Qualifying work is characterized by:

-	pertinent experimental designs and model systems;
-	the consideration of essential biological processes that affect the efficacy of any orally ingested compound, i.e. absorption, metabolism, plasma concentrations and tissue distribution;

4.	Novel procedures aimed at improving analyses of flavonoids in plants, food sources, and especially biological samples;

5.	Novel insight in the effects of agricultural practices, food processing and food preparation on the flavonoid content of foods and beverages.

Awards

1) ICPH Award for outstanding Flavonoid Research (1 entry): Prize 3,000 USD

2) ICPH Awards for Flavonoid Research (5 entries): Prize 1,500 USD

Criteria of Selection

The selection will be undertaken by the awards selection committee and that the members of the committee will judge who best fulfills the qualifying criteria, and who best contributed to progress within one of the five criteria.

Mars Research Awards Selection Committee (alphabetical order):
Toshihiko Osawa (Nagoya Univ., Japan)
Catherine Rice-Evans (King's College, USA)
Augustin Scalbert (Unite de Nutrition Humaine INRA, France)
Hagen Schroeter (Mars Symbioscience, USA)
Helmut Sies (Heinrich Heine Univ.,Dusseldorf, Germany)
Junji Terao (Univ.Tokushima, Japan)
Tojiro Tsushida (NFRI, Japan)
Andrew L. Waterhouse (Univ.California, USA)
Gary Williamson (Univ.Leeds, UK)

Young Investigator Awards

Young Investigator Awards are partly supported by MARS Co.