# An Integrated Investigation of the Interaction Between PUFAs and Genetic Variants in Trauma and Critical Care

> **NIH NIH K25** · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2021 · $54,000

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Elaheh Rahbar, PhD is requesting 5 years of didactic quantitative training under the supervision of Drs.
Carl Langefeld, Floyd Chilton, Charles McCall and D. Clark Files. Primary reasons for this early career
transition award include: i) PI was hired as an Assistant Professor in the area of trauma research, ii) PI has not
been formally trained in statistical genomics or lipid metabolism, and iii) the PI's inherent desire to understand
and improve treatments for traumatic injuries and inflammatory morbidities following injury using mathematical
modeling techniques. In this K25 quantitative mentored career development project, the PI proposes to
develop sophisticated mathematical and statistical models that incorporate mixed and multi-level interactions
between dietary and endogenous fatty acids and genetic, epigenetic and other physiologic markers to better
understand how to attenuate the acute response to traumatic injuries. We have compiled a strong combination
of didactic training, formal coursework, and mentorship to develop and validate a multi-factorial mathematical
model of traumatic injuries. This includes training in statistical genomics, and lipid metabolism under the
guidance of Drs. Langefeld and Chilton, respectively. Wake Forest provides an outstanding environment to
pursue this research and career development award because of its encouraging interdisciplinary atmosphere.
 Specifically, we will first evaluate the role of fatty acid metabolism and contribution of genetic/epigenetic
variations within the fatty acid desaturase (FADS) gene cluster on changes in inflammation and coagulation in
critically ill patients. Leveraging on previously collected bio-specimens and NIH funded clinical datasets (e.g.
OMEGA trial; Glue Grant) we will also develop new integrated genomic models to assess the effect of dietary
polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) interventions for the treatment of trauma. We hypothesize that specific
variants within the FADS gene cluster (chromosome 11; 12-13q) play a critical role in regulating lipid and
inflammatory responses to injuries and consequently are potentially responsible for the disparate findings.
Furthermore, these genetic/epigenetic factors are possibly key players in regulating the response to dietary
PUFA interventions, such as ω-3 PUFAs, in the critically ill. The novel multi-level statistical genomic models
developed during this K25 will provide insight into the contribution of genetic/epigenetic variants within the
FADS gene cluster on the interactive nature of inflammatory, thrombogenic and metabolic responses following
an injury. The proposed research is significant because there is a general lack of appropriate quantitative
methods to evaluate the dynamic responses to trauma and an under-appreciation for the role of genetic factors
modulating the physiologic responses to injury. The approach is innovative, because it attempts to use
mathematical and statistical genomic techniques to a...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10348226
- **Project number:** 3K25HL133611-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Elaheh Rahbar
- **Activity code:** K25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $54,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-03-01 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10348226

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10348226, An Integrated Investigation of the Interaction Between PUFAs and Genetic Variants in Trauma and Critical Care (3K25HL133611-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10348226. Licensed CC0.

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