From the Director

About What We Do & Our Goals

Within the next two decades, more than one in three US citizens will suffer from an inflammatory disease such as asthma, arthritis, diabetes, lupus, hay fever, Crohn's disease, eczema and heart disease. For example, more than 20 million Americans have asthma today -- twice as many as in 1980. These disturbing trends have created a new generation of sufferers who are seeking new ways to manage their debilitating diseases. The use of complementary/alternative medicine has dramatically increased in the developed world and especially in Western countries such as the United States. It is estimated that as much as 60% of the U.S. population has used or currently uses complementary/alternative medicine, spending in excess of $50 billion annually. Soy proteins, oat, bran, and psyllium have continued to be the largest-selling compounds, and there are increasing uses in fortified foods and beverages. However, polyunsaturated fatty acids have emerged as the leading group of functional additives expanding 30% annually through 2004.

The Center for Botanical Lipids brings together a group of outstanding investigators in three internationally recognized lipid groups to study the effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids on human diseases that are driven by inflammation. Specifically, the lipid research groups in atherosclerosis and inflammation represent two well-established areas of research focus at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Similarly, the lipid group at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School has been at the forefront in the area of lipid mediators of inflammation.

It is the Center's goal to carry out state of the art research in the area of botanical dietary fatty acids and human disease as well as to be an important resource for those who are interested in learning more about dietary fatty acids and those who are involved in research in this important area. We are very grateful to the National Institutes of Health and in particular the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the Office of Dietary Supplements, for their generous support of our Center. We hope you will enjoy our site.