The School of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Industrial University of Santander made a notable contribution to the 40th Congress on Metabolism and Clinical Nutrition 2026, organized by the Colombian Association of Clinical Nutrition (ACNC), held August 20–22 at the Ágora Convention Center in Bogotá, D.C.
Among the main accolades was the study “Social Jet Lag, Intake Patterns, and Dietary Quality in College Students,” by researchers Diana Rangel Hernández, Kevin López Medina, Elizabeth Castro Galindo, María Guerrero Vega, and Professor Ana Paola Mora, who won second place in the open research category (research protocol) for the José Félix Patiño Award.
The School also presented the study “Construct Validation of the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ) in Colombian College Students,” developed by researchers Yaritza del Pilar Tamara Sánchez, Eliana Sofía Ome Jiménez, Stephania Vargas Rueda, Carlos Daniel Sánchez Salcedo, and Professor Ana Paola Mora Vergara.
Professors Martha Lucía Cáceres Jerez and Katherin Castro, along with graduates María Camila Lavacude, Marwi Correa, Valentina Pinzón, Yurley Jaimes, and Camila Ortiz, presented the poster “The Relationship Between Burnout, Eating Disorders, and Employers Among Workers in Institutional Food Services: A Cross-Sectional Study.” The graduates were involved in developing this research while they were in their ninth and tenth semesters in 2024, demonstrating the continuity of the research processes begun during their undergraduate studies.
In addition, the school presented the poster “The Relationship Between Non-Protein Calories and Grams of Nitrogen in Critically Ill Patients: A Narrative Review,” prepared by professors Sonia Gamboa and Claudia Milena Ardila, along with graduate Genesis Daniela Méndez.
The poster “Effect of an Educational Intervention for Anemia Control in College Students,” developed by Edna Magaly Gamboa Delgado, Katleen Yaneth López Pana, and Mike Alexander Celis Rodríguez, was also presented.
The academic program was complemented by presentations by Professor Claudia Milena Ardila: “Nutritional Intervention in COPD: What Really Matters?” and “Chrononutrition and Nutritional Management of Cardiovascular Disease.”
UIS took third place in the NUTRIQ ACNC 2026 University Challenge
Students Jorge Armando Noriega Lidueñez and Andrés Felipe Rendón represented the University in the NUTRIQ ACNC 2026 University Challenge, where they took third place—an achievement that highlights the students’ participation in national forums for professional development and academic exchange in clinical nutrition.
In this regard, Alberto Ángel Martín, director of the UIS School of Nutrition and Dietetics, noted: “Participation in these events strengthens the research and academic capabilities of our community, fosters the creation of collaborative networks, and raises the profile of the work carried out by the School. These results contribute to the standing of the Industrial University of Santander and recognize the commitment of our faculty, students, and alumni to the generation of knowledge and the advancement of nutrition and dietetics.”
