SBIR-STTR Award

This Phase I proposal for evaluation of combat personnel for optimum fitness and performance will be based on measuring lipid and amino acid biomarkers prior to and during the performance of ultra-marathon participants. Plasma or serum samples will be collected before individuals participate in the marathon and at various times during the race. The specific aims are to analyze and profile structural changes in plasma metabolites that may indicate tissue or metabolic changes and to seek evidence of physiological stress during strenuous physical activity by measurement of eicosanoids, which are produced by macrophages and that can indicate possible compromise to the immune system. This study will be related to the research topic by developing analytical tools to identify biomarkers of physical readiness, and markers that will be predictive of potential stress damage and damage that occurs in individual soldiers during times of physical stress. Based on plasma metabolite profiles, Phase II research would seek nutritional means to optimize soldier physiological performance under stress in the field.

This Phase II STTR award for evaluation of combat and civilian personnel for optimum performance will establish metabolic biomarkers that assess the health and predict the performance success of individual personnel. Seventy subjects reflecting the spectrum of normal human physiological boundaries will be sampled before and after a defined set of physical tests and their serum analyzed using a metabolite analysis platform. The metabolites measured have been demonstrated to respond to physical performance include the comprehensive distribution of energetic lipids, eicosanoids, acylcarnitines, and amino acids. The database of metabolites measured from these subjects will be analyzed by a bioinformatic toolset to identify metabolic pathways distinguishing the performance and exhaustion outcomes. This study will identify a set of metabolic pathway intermediates whose measured abundance before an event are predictive of future performance and a set of metabolites taken after an event that serve as biomarkers of extent of physical exertion, metabolic damage and stress. The resulting knowledge of specific biochemical pathways relating to performance and metabolic damage and the identities of molecules whose abundances are diagnostically predictive of performance will provide the military objective, measurable criteria for recruitment training, mission selection, dietary management and improvement of individual soldier health and performance.

Keywords:
Metabolomics, Lipids, Eicosanoids, Performance, Combat Personnel, Mission Readiness