Peroxide Reaction Mechanisms

通过这个奖项，有机和大分子化学项目支持了范德比尔特大学内德·a·波特教授的工作。这项研究将包括调查脂肪和油，特别是多不饱和脂肪酸，即所谓的omega-6和omega-3脂肪酸，如何与分子氧发生称为脂质过氧化的反应。这项研究的目的是在基础水平上提供对这一重要化学反应的理解。本研究涉及的问题包括：反应的产物是什么？这些产品表现出什么生物活性？（已知有些产品是促炎的，有些是抗炎的）不同的脂质对这种反应的反应是什么？抗氧化剂如何阻止这些有害反应呢？就更广泛的影响而言，这项研究非常重要，因为有证据表明，增加鱼油中omega-3多不饱和脂肪酯的饮食摄入，可以预防和治疗许多环境和生活方式因素起作用的疾病。这些疾病包括动脉粥样硬化性心血管疾病、神经退行性疾病、糖尿病和癌症等。了解其中的化学成分可以找到预防这些疾病的方法。此外，该研究将涉及学生广泛的跨学科计划，研究与生物问题相关的基本机械化学问题。这项研究将涉及女性和少数民族学生，范德比尔特大学有一个学生志愿者科学推广项目，一些学生将参与其中。还将与范德比尔特大学医学院的研究人员进行合作研究。

With this award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program supports the work of Professor Ned A. Porter of Vanderbilt University. This research will involve investigation of how fats and oils, particularly the polyunsaturated fatty acids, the so-called omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, undergo a reaction with molecular oxygen known as lipid peroxidation. The research is intended to provide an understanding of this important chemical reaction at the fundamental level. Among the questions that the research addresses are the following: What are the products of reaction? What biological activities do these products exhibit? (some of the products are known to be pro-inflammatory, others anti-inflammatory) What is the reactivity of different lipids towards this reaction? How can antioxidants stop these harmful reactions? In terms of the broader impacts, this research is quite important since there is evidence implicating increased dietary intake of the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty esters present in fish oil in the prevention and treatment of a number of diseases in which environmental and lifestyle factors play a role. These include atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes and cancer, among others. Understanding the chemistry involved could lead to ways to prevent these diseases. In addition, the research will involve students in a broadly interdisciplinary program, with studies on fundamental mechanistic chemistry problems relevant to biological problems. The research will involve women and minority students and there is a student volunteer science outreach programs at Vanderbilt that some of the students will be involved with. There will also be collaborative studies with investigators at the Vanderbilt University Medical School.