# Multi-Omics Analysis of the Association of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids with Asthma and Allergy in Childhood

> **NIH NIH K08** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2021 · $170,640

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This K08 proposal describes a comprehensive training program tailored to the career development of the
candidate. The candidate is a physician who recently completed a clinical fellowship in Allergy and
Immunology and whose research contributions to date have addressed early-life risk factors for childhood
asthma and allergy with a focus on the diet and intestinal microenvironment. Asthma and environmental
allergies have increased in prevalence and asthma is now the most common chronic disease in children. The
increased occurrence of asthma and allergy has been attributed to changes including dietary shifts and
dysbiosis, though contributory factors are incompletely defined and interventions to prevent asthma and allergy
remain elusive. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (FA) have
well-defined immunologic effects, and the ratio of omega-6:omega-3 FA intake has increased concurrently with
the increase in allergic disease. However, reported associations of PUFA with asthma and allergy in childhood
are inconsistent. The overarching hypothesis of this proposal is that effects of PUFA are impacted by host
genotype and the intestinal microbiota. Our scientific goal is to examine these omics to identify determinants of
when a safe and inexpensive intervention, intake of PUFA, is effective in reducing asthma and allergy in
childhood. We will utilize data from 6- and 7-year-old participants in three study populations: Vitamin D
Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial (VDAART), Project Viva and Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in
Childhood 2010 (COPSAC). We have three specific aims: (1) Identify gene by omega-3 FA interactions in
asthma and allergy in childhood; (2): Define the contributions of intestinal bacteria and metabolites to
associations of omega-3 FA dietary intake with asthma and allergy in childhood; and (3) Characterize clinically
relevant childhood plasma PUFA profiles using unsupervised classification methods and integrative machine
learning algorithms. Our findings could lead to cost-effective and personalized approaches to asthma and
allergy reduction by elucidating which individuals benefit from dietary PUFA supplementation and whether
microbiota-modifying therapies could boost protective responses to PUFA. The candidate proposes to execute
this research plan alongside a training and development plan including hands-on bioinformatics instruction and
preparation for independent mechanistic and clinical R01-level follow-up projects. The proposed work will be
mentored by Dr. Scott Weiss, a Professor at Harvard Medical School and a leader in environmental, nutritional
and genetic asthma risk factors. The candidate will obtain additional scientific input and career guidance from a
team including a co-mentor and three scientific advisors with expertise in asthma epidemiology, lipid mediators
of allergic inflammation, multi-omics analysis and translational research methods. This proposal...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10246291
- **Project number:** 5K08HL148178-03
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Kathleen A Lee-Sarwar
- **Activity code:** K08 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $170,640
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-05 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10246291

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10246291, Multi-Omics Analysis of the Association of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids with Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (5K08HL148178-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10246291. Licensed CC0.

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