Personally, I would be quite excited if a bunch of really smart people got onto nutrition research.
I would guess the intention was otherwise, but the fact that the word 'nutrition' is used twice is rather strange.
Edit: After watching most of the video it seems Vassar is suggesting that nutrition -- amongst other possible fields -- be selected for a sort of intensive, cultivated overhaul, by hand selecting and supporting highly capable researchers. Interesting idea.
Of course, there already are many privately funded research groups, perhaps some working in nutrition, so the secret sauce SIAI would be bringing to the table would have to be an exceptional eye for capable researchers, and perhaps exceptional management to boot. Those are both things I would suspect SIAI to be good at, or to be able to become good at.
A week ago I made a pitch for the Singularity Institute to a crowd of interested potential donors, along with a number of leaders of other non-profit organizations with relatively radical and innovative goals. The videos are here, and should be a good introduction to a significant part of the noosphere for people not yet familiar with it.