Omega-3 Vs. Disease - Dr Marc Surette
The white blood cells in our bodies are our biggest defenders against disease—when they function properly. The skin that wraps around those cells is mostly made of fat, including the omega 3 kinds that are often promoted for good health. White blood cell malfunctions can have a tremendous affect on diseases like cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma, to name a few. One the research projects led by Université de Moncton’s Dr. Marc Surette is aimed at understanding how omega 3 fatty acids can be developed into new ways for promoting health. Traditionally obtained from fish oils, Dr. Surette and his colleagues in 2008 patented a new plant-derived fat using plants to be grown here in New Brunswick.
Born and raised in Moncton, the Foundation’s original funding was a start-up grant in 2004 that brought Dr. Surette back to the New Brunswick from the U.S. where he was Vice President of Research and Development at Pilot Therapeutics. Today, Dr. Surette holds the Canada Research Chair in Cellular Lipid Metabolism, has published 44 scholarly articles, and continues to inspire and train students in his laboratory on a daily basis. His current research projects include:
- Development of health products derived from Atlantic Canada bio-resources
- The biosynthesis of arachidonic acid metabolites in human leukocytes
- Arachidonate-phospholipid remodeling in cell proliferation.
- Genetic polymorphisms and polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism
- Impact of maternal iron deficiency during pregnancy on the offspring's CNS development
One of the richest sources of Omega-3 is codfish. But getting it from cod just isn’t sustainable anymore. Dr. Marc Surette at the Université de Moncton found a way to source it from plants that can be grown right here in New Brunswick…
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