RECIPE
Develops an AI-supported system to design plant-based meals for healthcare settings while optimising protein quality, taste and nutritional adequacy.
Assistant Professor · Nutrition & Ageing · Wageningen University & Research
Nutrition science for healthier ageing
I study how nutrition, protein quality and plant-based diets can influence biological ageing, muscle health and physical function, combining human studies, biomarkers, epidemiology and digital tools.
Research focus
Four interconnected pillars
My work connects nutrition science, ageing biology and practical implementation. Across clinical studies, population data and digital tool development, I aim to translate nutritional insights into strategies that support healthy ageing.
01
Biological ageing
Using biomarkers and biological age models to understand how nutrition and lifestyle relate to ageing trajectories.
02
Muscle health
Studying how nutrition supports muscle mass, physical function and resilience in older adults.
03
Protein quality
Developing and applying methods to assess the quality of meals and diets, especially in plant-forward dietary patterns.
04
Digital nutrition tools
Building and validating tools that help researchers and practitioners translate nutrition science into practical decisions.
Selected research projects
Current projects
My current projects cluster around two connected themes: plant-based nutrition and biological ageing.
Visual overview
Project details
Plant-based nutrition
Project Alpha
Focuses on the further development and application of the Alpha-Tool to calculate and optimise the protein quality of plant-based meals.
Microsunset
Develops a web-based extension of the Alpha-Tool to quantify the bioavailability of key micronutrients in foods, meals and diets.
Biological ageing
Bio-Compass
Investigates whether insight into biological age can motivate healthier behaviour and develops personalised nutrition and lifestyle strategies to support healthy ageing.
Sensing Age
Studies how diet, lifestyle and biological markers are related to biological ageing using data-driven network analyses and causal inference methodology.
Towards healthier ageing through nutrition, biomarkers and personalised strategies.
My research programme aims to connect mechanistic insight, human data and practical tools to better understand — and ultimately influence — trajectories of ageing.
Recent work
Selected publications
-
2025
A Well-Balanced Vegan Diet Does not Compromise Daily Mixed Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates when Compared with an Omnivorous Diet in Active Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial
The Journal of Nutrition, 155(4):1141–1150
Shows that a well-balanced vegan diet can maintain daily muscle protein synthesis in active older adults.
-
2025
Perspective: Biomarkers of Aging in Human Nutrition Research — A Focus on Applications, Challenges, and Opportunities
Advances in Nutrition, 16(9):100486
Outlines how biomarkers of ageing can be used in human nutrition research, including opportunities and methodological challenges.
-
2024
Meal Protein Quality Score: A Novel Tool to Evaluate Protein Quantity and Quality of Meals
Current Developments in Nutrition, 8(9):104439
Introduces the Meal Protein Quality Score as a practical tool to evaluate both protein quantity and quality at meal level.
-
2024
Discovering the direct relations between nutrients and epigenetic ageing
Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 28(9):100324
Uses data-driven methods to explore direct relations between nutrients and epigenetic ageing.
Teaching
Education & supervision
I teach and coordinate courses on nutrition, ageing, lifestyle interventions and healthy ageing, with an emphasis on translating scientific evidence into intervention design.
MSc course
Nutrition and the Ageing Body
Wageningen University & Research · Lecturer, coordinator and developer · 2020–present
MSc course
Designing Nutritional and Lifestyle Interventions for Healthy Ageing
Wageningen University & Research · Course coordination and lecturing
Online / MOOC
Online education
Lead developer of the Nutrition for Healthy Ageing MOOC and co-developer of the Nutrition, Exercise and Sports MOOC at Wageningen University & Research.
About
Pol Grootswagers
Pol Grootswagers, PhD, is Assistant Professor in Nutrition & Ageing at Wageningen University & Research. His work focuses on nutritional strategies to support healthy ageing, with particular attention to protein quality, plant-based diets, biomarkers, biological ageing and human intervention studies. He works across clinical trials, nutritional epidemiology and digital tool development to translate nutrition science into practical impact.
I am especially interested in building bridges between rigorous nutrition science, scalable digital tools and real-world dietary strategies for older adults.
Position
Assistant Professor in Nutrition & Ageing
Institution
Wageningen University & Research
Research keywords
Protein quality · Plant-based diets · Biological ageing · Muscle health
ORCID
0000-0002-1850-1714
Speaking & media
Speaking & media
I regularly speak about nutrition, healthy ageing, protein quality, plant-based diets and the future of personalised nutrition. I am available for keynote lectures, invited talks, panel discussions, event chairing, podcasts and media interviews.
My talks connect scientific evidence with practical relevance, making complex topics accessible for academic, professional and public audiences. I am available for talks in both Dutch and English.
Example topics include:
- Can nutrition slow biological ageing?
- Plant-based diets in older adults: promise, pitfalls and protein quality
- The future of personalised nutrition: biomarkers, AI and healthy ageing
- Protein quality, muscle health and ageing
- Data-driven nutrition science and causal inference
Lectures
Keynotes & invited talks
Talks on nutrition and ageing, biological age, muscle health, plant-based diets, protein quality and personalised nutrition.
Moderation
Chairing & moderation
Available as day chair, panel moderator or session host for scientific, professional and public events.
Media
Media & podcasts
Open to interviews, podcasts and expert commentary for journalists, media producers and organisations working on nutrition, health and ageing. I can provide short expert commentary, background interviews and accessible explanations of nutrition and ageing research.
Looking for a speaker, moderator or expert voice?
For keynote lectures, event chairing, media requests or podcast invitations, feel free to get in touch.
Contact me about speaking
Contact
Get in touch
For collaborations, supervision enquiries, speaking invitations, media requests or questions about my research, feel free to get in touch.
I am open to collaborations on nutrition and ageing, biological age biomarkers, plant-based protein quality, digital nutrition tools and intervention studies.
Email
pol.grootswagers@wur.nl
Institution
Wageningen University & Research