HUNTINGTON, WV – Ongoing research by two Marshall University scientists has been published in the latest program book for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs’ Breast Cancer Research Program (CDMRP).
 
Dr. Elaine Hardman, professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, and Dr. Philippe Georgel, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, are specifically looking at whether maternal consumption of omega-3 fatty acid, found in some plants and fatty fish, can reduce the risk of breast cancer in the offspring. 

Their project, funded by a grant from the Department of Defense in 2010,will determine if there are any specific gene expression changes induced by omega-3 consumption in the offspring by feeding pregnant mice a diet containing canola oil (a source of omega-3) or a diet containing corn oil (not an omega-3 source).
 
“I think the things that made our research especially interesting were the high quality preliminary data that we had to get the grant funding and relevance for a very practical way, a simple dietary change, to prevent breast cancer,” Dr. Hardman said.  “We expect to have our complete results published in the fall.”
 
CDMRP was developed in 1992 through a grass-roots effort generated by breast cancer advocacy groups.  Since then, CDMRP has received more than $6.5 billion in appropriations from its inception through fiscal year 2011. Funds for the CDMRP are added to the U.S. Department of Defense budget, and are allocated for support of individual research programs.
 
For more information, contact Hardman at 304-696-7339  or Leah Clark Payne at 304-691-1713.