Like Us! 
Follow Us! 
Join Us
Investigating Associations of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Lung Function Decline, and Airway Obstruction
Authors: Bonnie K Patchen 1, Pallavi Balte 2, Traci M Bartz 3, R Graham Barr 2, Myriam Fornage 4, Mariaelisa Graff 5, David R Jacobs Jr 6, Ravi Kalhan 7, Rozenn N Lemaitre 3, George O'Connor 8, Bruce Psaty 3, Jungkyun Seo 5, Michael Y Tsai 9, Alexis C Wood 10, Hanfei Xu 11, Jingwen Zhang 11, Sina A Gharib 12, Ani Manichaikul 13, Kari North 4, Lyn M Steffen 5, Josée Dupuis 10 14, Elizabeth Oelsner 2, Dana B Hancock 15, Patricia A Cassano 1 16
Inflammation is associated with lung function decline as measured by spirometry and Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects. Whether higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids are protective of lung function decline was unknown. In this study, Patchen and colleagues examined the association of omega-3 fatty acid levels with FEV1 and FVC decline in the NHLBI pooled cohorts using linear mixed effects models and repeated spirometry measures. They then leveraged publically-available genome-wide association study (GWAS) data to perform a two-sample Mendelian randomization study using genetic variants to predict omega-3 fatty acid levels. Both analyses provide evidence of a protective effect of higher omega-3 fatty acid levels, especially docosahexaenoic acid, on lung function decline.
Rachel S. Kelly, MPH, PhD
Dawn DeMeo
Welcome to the ATS Section on Genetics and Genomics website! Our Section welcomes all members of the ATS interested in genetics, genomics, and other “omics” technologies (proteomics, metabolomics, metagenomics, etc.) as they relate to the many conditions encompassing the fields of respiratory, critical care, and sleep medicine. The Section on Genetics and Genomics resides within Allergy, Inflammation, and Immunology, but our current membership belong to numerous ATS assemblies reflecting the diverse application of omics approaches across our 1000 plus members.
As outlined in our mission statement, we aim to facilitate the exchange of ideas across the various fields of genetics, genomics, omics and integrative omics, while increasing the knowledge and appreciation of omic research across the broader ATS community. We have an active membership and scientific program including quarterly journal clubs and webinars, workshops, symposia, and the annual curation of the hundreds of abstracts submitted to the international conference by our membership every year.
In addition, members have led and contributed to published research statements and workshops through the ATS, ERS, and NHLBI on lung precision medicine research, high-throughput sequencing, respiratory disease-related healthcare disparities, and the management of severe asthma, demonstrating the national and international impact of our section.
We encourage all clinicians, scientists, post-doctoral fellows, and trainees interested in genetics and genomics research to learn more about our Section and to get involved. Please check out our website and social media for more details on how to do so. Together, we can increase the understanding of omics technologies and their applications to enhance the ability of our scientific community to address impactful research questions and ultimately improve patient care.
