The Story
In 1993, the Howard Foundation established a chair in Human Nutrition at the University of Ulster which was held for nine years by Dr David Thurnham. He and Dr Howard looked at the relationship of macular carotenoids with eye health. They identified the potential benefits of Mezo-zeaxanthin. Professor Thurnham is now a Trustee of the Foundation.
In 2007, Dr Howard met Professor John Nolan from the Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland (WIT) who had been studying the efficacy of the three carotenoids (Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Meso-zeaxanthin).
In 2009 the Foundation commenced regular contributions towards a Research Fellowship at Waterford Institute of Technology (“WIT”) as part of its Nutrition Research Centre Ireland (NRCI). The Fellowship was awarded to John Nolan and this was converted into the Chair in Human Nutrition in October 2016, which now runs for fifteen years with tenure. A further Howard Fellowship was established in 2014, with the support of commercial partners of Howard Foundation, and ran until 2019.
WIT became part of the South East Technological University (SETU) in 2022.
Starting in 2009, the Howard Foundation, in collaboration with Industrial Organica (IOSA) in Mexico, supported the team at the Nutrition Research Centre Ireland (NRCI) at WIT to examine the benefits on visual function, of giving a supplement containing the three macular carotenoids to both healthy adults and people with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
These clinical trials, and others, have identified the importance of three carotenoids (Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Meso-zeaxanthin) to both eye and brain health. They also showed the lack of these carotenoids in modern diets due to the development of intensive farming.
These studies expanded into other populations, including patients with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive impairment. This added omega-3 fatty acids to the carotenoid supplement.
In September 2016, the BBC programme Trust Me, I’m a Doctor featured the work of the NRCI. Click here to see this episode.
This research led to commercialisation of supplements for eye health (Macuprime in the EU and UK; Macuhealth in North America) and for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (Re-Mind in the EU and Memory Health in the USA).
In 2020, the November edition of Ophthalmology Times Europe included an overview of the work of Professor John Nolan.
In March 2023, the patent and trade mark portfolio relating to macular carotenoids was sold to Maravilla, a company formed by the two main commercial partners, IOSA and Macuhealth. Click here for the announcement in May 2023.
See the page An Interview with Alan Howard for his personal recollections of how this research developed. Also see the website of Professor John Nolan for the continuation of this story.
NRCI at the South East Technological University (SETU)
In addition to the Chair in Human Nutrition and the Howard Fellowship mentioned above, the Foundation has contributed towards a research facility at the NRCI site with the creation of the Howard Laboratory opened in 2015. The laboratory is now the home of Supplement Certified within the South East Technological University. Supplement Certified gained ISO accreditation in April 2024.
In September 2025, the Foundation provided funding to support the role of Dr Anne Graham Cagney as Deputy Director at the NRCI.
The photograph shows Dr Howard outside the Laboratory at the opening in 2015 with Senator Paudie Coffey (then Teachta Dála (TD) for the Waterford constituency), Professor John Nolan and Alicia O’Rourke Research Liaison Officer for the European Commission Representation in Ireland.
The Foundation also funded creation of the Howard Gate to provide improved access to Carriganore House, the home of the NRCI, for patients coming for testing in the lab.
In 2019, Dr Howard was awarded an honorary fellowship at WIT. Click here for the announcement.
Following the death of Dr Howard in 2020, Professor Nolan has arranged Alan Howard Memorial lectures held at the NRCI. The first in September 2021 and the second in August 2023.
Trustees of the Foundation have visited the NRCI on many occasions. In April 2025, following two new Trustees joining, they were given a guided tour of the facility and saw presentations by NRCI researchers.
Publications
The Publications page provides further explanation of the development of this research into macular carotenoids and lists the most significant papers published to date.
Dr Anthony Leeds, a Trustee of the Foundation, holds video conversations with leading scientists. In September 2024, he interviewed Professor John Nolan and Professor Riona Mulcahy in a series of four talks about Eye and Brain Health and in June 2025, he spoke again to Professor Nolan for an update on dietary carotenoids and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).