Jens Walter, Dr. rer. nat.
Professor of Ecology, Food, and the Microbiome
APC Microbiome Ireland, School of Microbiology, and Department of Medicine
University College Cork
@JensWalter15
Dr. Jens Walter serves as the Professor of Ecology, Food, and the Microbiome at University College Cork and the APC Microbiome Ireland. From 2014 to 2019, Jens served as Professor and Campus Alberta Innovates Program Chair at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada), where he was the lead investigator of the scientific study on the NiMe diet described in this book. Jens’ expertise lies at the interface of evolutionary ecology of the gut microbiome and human nutrition. He is interested in the evolutionary and ecological processes that shape host-microbiome interactions and the translation of basic microbiome science into therapeutic and nutritional strategies. Directly relevant to this book is Jens’ research on the gut microbiome in rural Papua New Guinea on which the NiMe diet is based. Jens has published >180 peer-reviewed publications and is a ‘highly cited researcher’ according to Clarivate.
Jens almost dying of heat stroke on the way to climb tavurvur volcano in New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
Visiting a local village in New Britain, Papua New Guinea. Photos by: Jens Walter, 2019.
There are several reasons why Jens is passionate about this book. It is important that the research, which was primarily funded through public sources and foundations, benefits as many people as possible. Jens also feels strongly about education and public outreach when it comes to nutrition. He hopes that this research will encourage individuals living in industrialized countries to eat healthier, as well as individuals that live in non-industrialized societies or are in transition to preserve their traditional dietary habits instead of adopting industrialized alternatives.
Out of sheer ignorance, Jens violated virtually every single principle of the NiMe diet in his younger years. Although he got away with this as a young adult, the combination of sports injury and poor diet contributed to substantial weight gain in the past. Following the principles of the NiMe diet has helped keep the kilos off, and he hopes that the information provided in this book will help others live healthier lives!
