The Interdisciplinary Center for Food and Well-being was established on the foundation of the extensive experience accumulated by an academic group within the Interdisciplinary Space at the University of the Republic. This process began in 2012 with the University’s call for New Interdisciplinary Clusters, which led to the creation of the Interdisciplinary Cluster on Food and Well-being. After 14 years of continuous work, the Cluster entered a new phase of institutional consolidation in 2026, becoming the Interdisciplinary Center for Food and Well-being.

The Center’s primary mission is to contribute to the realization of the right to food and the transformation of food systems through interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to food and nutrition from a food systems perspective.

The Center is currently co-directed by Gastón Ares (Faculty of Chemistry) and Alejandra Girona (School of Nutrition). It brings together faculty members from the following units of the University of the Republic: the Faculty of Chemistry, School of Nutrition, Faculty of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Space, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Agronomy, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Faculty of Information and Communication, Northeast Regional University Center (CENUR Noreste), East Regional University Center (CENUR Este), and the Apex Program. It also includes members from international institutions.