Dr. Harris is an internationally recognized expert on omega-3 fatty acids and how they can benefit patients with heart disease. He has been the recipient of five NIH grants for studies on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) on human health. He has over 150 publications relating to omega-3 fatty acids in medical literature and was an author on two American Heart Association scientific statements on fatty acids: “Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease” (2002), and “Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Risk for Cardiovascular Disease” (2009) both published in the journal Circulation. In 2004, Dr. Harris and his colleague Dr. Clemens von Schacky, a cardiology researcher in Munich, Germany, proposed that the Omega-3 Index be considered a new risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and in 2009 Dr. Harris founded OmegaQuant, LLC, to offer the test to researchers, clinicians and the public. In 2011, the HS-Omega-3 Index® technology was acquired by Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc., Richmond, VA where the test is now performed for medical clients. OmegaQuant continues to perform fatty acid analysis in Sioux Falls, SD for commercial and academic researcher collaborators. Dr. Harris is a Senior Scientist at Health Diagnostic Laboratory; a Professor in the Department of Medicine, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota; and the President and CEO of OmegaQuant.
By clicking on the titles, further information (usually abstracts) from each paper may be viewed. In some cases, the full paper will be available for download from the PubMed site, sometimes at no cost and sometimes for a fee paid to the publisher.
1. Harris WS. The omega-3 index as a risk factor for coronary heart disease. The omega-3 index as a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;87(suppl):1997S-2002S.
2. Farzaneh-Far1 R, Lin J, Epel ES, Harris WS, Blackburn EH, Whooley MA. Association of marine omega-3 fatty acid levels with telomeric aging in patients with coronary heart disease. JAMA 2010;303(3):250-257.
3. Harris WS. The Omega-3 Index: Clinical Utility for Therapeutic Intervention. Curr Cardiol Rep. 2010 (Sept). 12:503–508.
All of Dr. Harris’s pubications can be accessed by going to PubMed and typing “harris ws omega-3 fish oil” in the “Search for” field.
1. Including the HS-Omega-3 Index test (and the full fatty acid profile) in clinical research projects
2. The accuracy and precision of the HS-Omega-3 Index
