Working With Research Matters for CNS Candidates

A New Collaboration With Project HEAL and the EAT Lab

One of the most meaningful parts of becoming a Certified Nutrition Specialist is learning how to hold complexity. Clinical work involves real people, real meals, and real emotions, often all at the same time. Much of what CNS candidates learn after school happens in moments that cannot be fully captured in textbooks or protocols.

At Clinician’s Incubator, we believe CNS training should reflect the reality of practice rather than an idealized version of it. That is why we are excited to share that CNS candidates completing hours with our nonprofit partner, Project HEAL, will be participating in a collaborative research study with the EAT Lab at the University of Louisville.

This study gives CNS candidates a meaningful opportunity to engage directly with research while continuing to support clients through meals with care, curiosity, and compassion. The goal of the research is to help inform the creation of a future app designed to support people during meals when they do not have immediate access to a care team.

This fully virtual research study is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Louisville’s EAT (Eating Anxiety Treatment) Lab research team. The purpose of the study is to better understand thoughts, emotions, and behaviors related to eating and food restriction.

The long-term aim of the study is to support the development of a meal support app. This app is intended to offer guidance and reassurance during meals, particularly for people who are eating on their own or do not have immediate access to a clinician, group, or support person.

The study is led by Dr. Irina Vanzhula, and all research activities are managed directly by the EAT Lab team.

CNS candidates participating through Clinician’s Incubator and Project HEAL will invite eligible clients to learn about the study. Candidates will share a brief script and an informational video explaining what the study involves, that participation is optional, and how clients can decide whether they would like to learn more. 

By participating in this research, CNS candidates are contributing to work that reflects the realities of practice and the needs of people navigating eating and restriction. This experience strengthens clinical judgment, ethical clarity, and the ability to contribute thoughtfully to the future of nutrition care.