Exploring New Frontiers in Nutrition and Metabolic Health at the UC Davis GLP-1 Discovery Forum

In September, AG1 announced a partnership with UC Davis and its Innovation Institute for Food & Health (IIFH). This partnership deepens AG1’s role as a collaborator in the future of precision health and nutrition, an approach that integrates life sciences and data science to match nutrients from ingredients with the specific nutrition needs of targeted populations seeking to optimize their health and performance.

This month, our team—including CEO Kat Cole, Chief Science & Nutrition Officer Dr. Ralph Esposito, and Senior Researcher Dr. Caitlyn Edwards—joined more than 100 scientists, clinicians, executives, and investors at the sold-out UC Davis GLP-1 Discovery Forum in California. The two-day event focused on how advances in metabolic research are reshaping the food and health landscape, and what that means for nutrition science moving forward.

A New Era

The adoption of GLP-1s and multi-agonist therapies is moving faster than anyone anticipated, bringing with it new indications, new consumer behaviors, and new system-level challenges. This moment represents more than a medical breakthrough; it marks a broader transformation in how food, health, and care are understood and delivered.

With an estimated 15 million Americans already using GLP-1s, and even more efficacious therapies in development, these treatments are reshaping eating behavior, product design, and care delivery; they’re redefining the very foundations of the food and health ecosystem. Against this backdrop, partnerships like the one between AG1 and UC Davis, which link cutting-edge academic research with real-world nutrition innovation, are more important than ever.

The Role of AG1 and Nutrition

Kicking off the forum, Kat Cole spoke on a panel exploring the intersection of metabolic hormones, patient experience, and market innovation. Sitting alongside Dr. Mohammed Ali, Dr. Bethany Cummings, and Dr. Sean Adams from UC Davis and UC Davis Health, Kat addressed the unprecedented opportunity for innovation and how AG1 is approaching this new era of nutrition and health.

“I don’t think there’s been a class of drugs in my lifetime that is as transformative as what we’re seeing now,” said Kat Cole, CEO of AG1. “That calls for deep humility and a ton of curiosity. It’s why we’re partnering with UC Davis and the Institute. To continue funding research and innovation, and to inform how we advance in an era where a product like ours was almost built for this moment.”

Later that day, AG1 Senior Researcher Dr. Caitlyn Edwards joined a discussion on how metabolic therapies influence the brain—and, in turn, how food is experienced. The conversation revealed that the effects extend far beyond appetite regulation and may reshape how people think and feel about food, highlighting opportunities for nutritional innovation that supports both body and mind.

On day two, Dr. Ralph Esposito, AG1 Chief Science and Nutrition Officer, moderated a session on Precision Nutrition and the Future of Metabolic Health, where researchers and industry experts shared insights spanning gut microbiome research, lipid metabolism, brain health, and functional ingredient innovation. The discussion underscored how scientific advancements are driving more personalized nutrition strategies and how foundational nutrition can complement medical innovation to support better outcomes.

Looking Ahead: Redefining the Future of Nutrition and Health

Across both days, one theme was clear: the future of health demands collaboration. Progress will depend on how well academia, healthcare, and industry work together to connect discovery with application—to translate emerging science into practical solutions that people can use every day.

As Kat shared, “To actually have an impact on health outcomes, we need high-adherence products.”

That’s the opportunity in front of all of us: to design for the whole experience of eating, not just nutrient delivery. To build interdisciplinary care models that treat nutrition as central to safety, adherence, and long-term outcomes. To align product claims with measurable results, backed by science and communicated with clarity and integrity.

Our partnership with UC Davis and the Innovation Institute for Food & Health (IIFH) is about helping lead that progress—moving from watching to doing, translating discovery into action, and rebuilding the connections between food, health, and care in ways that put human experience at the center.

Learn more about our partnership with UC Davis and IIFH.