Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

The ability to identify biomarkers for a specific disease is critical to the early identification, treatment and ultimately even the prevention of the disease. The purpose of the present proposal is to identify novel biomarkers that improve upon those already in use. The sampling method is even more valuable if these biomarkers are detected in a non-invasive, rapid fashion. Breath analysis is one of these potentially valuable new tests. The objective of this study is to use breath samples to identify new biomarkers for cardiovascular disease and to study the effects of good dietary fatty acids (omega-3 FAs) on these biomarkers. Heart disease is believed to be reduced by diets rich in omega-3 FAs. Our research will examine the use of fish oil, milled flaxseed or flaxseed oil as dietary supplements in healthy human subjects and in patients with clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease. We will then correlate physiological data obtained from their blood samples to novel biomarkers in their breath. This will identify in these subjects biomarkers specific to n-3 fatty acid status and diseased state. Once these biomarkers have been identified, the objective will then be to identify a smell print of the entire breath sample using a technique known as electronic nose. The practical significance of this will be that manufacturing companies can then be approached to design a portable, handheld device that nurses and clinicians can use within the hospital for the quick and easy sampling of patients for diagnostic purposes.