The David Lab Is Now Edible Atlas
As previous visitors to our lab’s website are certain to notice, the David Lab has changed its name to Edible Atlas. We’ve also updated the URL to edibleatlas.org (but don’t worry; all ladlab.org links will continue to forward here). And if you’re looking for our citizen science project, Everyone EATS, which previously held this web address, please visit everyoneeatsproject.org and/or follow us on Instagram.
Why the name change?
In the more than a dozen years since it was first established at Duke University, the David Lab has evolved and expanded. Modulating the microbiome via diet led our team to pivot toward molecular genomics and develop FoodSeq, a novel amplicon-sequencing technique that can detect DNA from the foods people eat in human stool. This technology spurred new research opportunities spanning everything from public health and epidemiology to nutrition and anthropology. It has also opened the door to outward-facing projects, including Everyone EATs and urban food systems.
In reflecting on this evolution and charting our future course, we realized the David Lab no longer communicated the broad nature of our work, which is rich in multi-disciplinary connections that span not only various STEM fields but also a multitude of people, places, communities, traditions, and more.
Food is a point of connection no matter where in the world you find yourself. Similarly, an atlas is a collection of maps that can span the globe, and what better representation of our group? Edible Atlas charts the foods that people eat across populations, cities, and cultures, making the invisible patterns of human diet visible through molecular tools.
What else is changing?
This name better reflects where the work is heading, and academic research still remains a foundational pillar. So if you’re a researcher, don’t hesitate to reach out regarding opportunities to leverage FoodSeq, pick our brains, and/or collaborate.
We aim to have updates regarding both Everyone EATS and the urban food systems project soon. Stay tuned! There are many new frontiers to be explored at Edible Atlas.