Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Omega-3 fatty acids are well known for their beneficial health effects, with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) being the ones with the greatest therapeutic potential. In this context, omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to improve glucose tolerance in humans. These effects could derive from a direct regulatory effect of these fatty acids on glucose utilization in skeletal muscle. However, only limited information is available regarding the potential beneficial effects of EPA and DHA on skeletal muscle glucose and fat metabolism. Importantly, skeletal muscles account for ~40% of body weight in men and ~30% in women and have great capacity to clear a large amount of blood glucose. In fact, skeletal muscle is the main site for insulin-stimulated glucose disposal. Thus, a potential direct effect of omega-3 fatty acids could be of therapeutic value for type 2 diabetes, a disease which is characterized by elevated blood glucose levels. Thus, the focus of my research will be to investigate the direct effects of EPA and DHA on glucose and fat metabolism in skeletal muscle cells, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects. Due to the anti-inflammatory properties of EPA and DHA, I will also study whether these fatty acids regulate glucose and fat metabolism by reducing the negative impact of inflammation on insulin signaling in skeletal muscles. These studies will advance our knowledge regarding the role of omega-3 fatty acids in health and disease, which can be of great therapeutic value for the treatment and prevention of disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.