BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND SYNTHESIS OF w-3 POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS: DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AGENTS

Project summary: 1) The first objective is to conduct biological evaluations at Harvard of the PUFA products prepared by the Oslo group. The biological significance of these compounds will be investigated during the applicant´s sabbatical period. The Ser han group has reported the isolation, structural elucidations and biological effects of new metabolites of EPA that exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects. Hence, this group has a solid research experience in this field. 2) A second objective is to incr ease the collaboration between the research groups in Boston and in Oslo. This aim will also be met beginning with Professor Hansen´s sabbatical period in the Serhan group. The joint projects will be: a) synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids derived fr om DHA conducted in Oslo. b) then the biological evaluations of the new DHA-products will be performed in Boston. The w-3 essential fatty acids exhibit a large number of potential beneficial effects for humans. Both groups have common research interests r elated to the chemistry and biology of PUFAs, and this will be the topic of our collaborations. It is important to emphasis that the knowledge and expertise in synthetic lipid chemistry that the Hansen group possesses will be very useful for future joint collaborations. Norway has a long and strong research tradition in the chemistry of the w-3 PUFAs that will be further advanced and employed in the USA if funding of this project is secured. A competitive advantage exists both in Boston (biology related t o PUFAs) and in Oslo (chemistry related to PUFAs). 3) The third objective of this project is to form the basis for a long-term collaboration with Professor Charles N. Serhan and Harvard Med. School. This collaboration will include exchange of students fro m Norway to the USA, but also exchange of American scientists to Oslo to learn more about lipid chemistry. Professor Hansen will provide knowledge in lipid chemistry to the group at Harvard Med. School.