Education
- Ph.D., Human Nutrition – University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- B.A. Chemistry – Hanover College, Hanover, IN
Experience
- 2006-present, Director of the Metabolism and Nutrition Research Center, Sanford Research/USD
- 2006-present, Professor of Medicine, Sanford School of Medicine, University of SD;
- 1996-2006, Daniel J. Lauer/Missouri Professor of Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, KS
- 1995-96, Res Associate Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center
- 1985-95, Res Assistant Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center
- 1984-85, Res Dir/Instructor, Cleveland College, KC, MO
- 1981-83, Fellow in Lipid Metabolism, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR
- 1978-80, Fellow in Clinical Nutrition, Oregon Health Sciences University
Distinction
- Pioneer in field of omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease
- Elected Fellow of the American Heart Association
- Number of publications (7/2006): 120
Research Focus
- Dr. Harris’s research has focused primarily on fish oils (omega-3 fatty acids), lipid metabolism and cardiovascular disease. He has been the Principal Investigator on three NIH R01 projects focusing on omega-3 fatty acids and human lipoprotein metabolism. He has recently been examining the effects of these oils on cardiac function in healthy subjects and patients with cardiovascular disease. In 2004, Dr. Harris proposed that blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids may be a new risk factor for cardiovascular disease and has been testing that hypothesis in epidemiological investigations. Future studies will focus on the role of omega-3 fatty acids and other lipid-lowering drugs in the treatment of metabolic syndrome, and on the cellular mechanisms by which omega-3 fatty acids impact myocardial function.
Professional Societies
- American Society for Clinical Nutrition
- American Heart Association
Council on Arteriosclerosis/Thrombosis
Council on Epidemiology and Prevention
Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism)
- International Atherosclerosis Society
- American Oil Chemists' Society
- International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids
- American Association of Clinical Chemistry
- American Diabetes Association
Professional Appointments, Journal Reviewer, Editorial Boards
- Member of AHA Nutrition Committee
- Member of Technical 11 Expert Panels for Evidence-based reviews on the Health Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids (2003-04) sponsored by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements and Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research.
- Editorial Board, British Journal of Nutrition
- Journal reviewer for 24 publications in medicine, nutrition and cardiovascular disease
Consultant and Scientific Advisory Boards
- Reliant Pharmaceuticals, Ther-Rx Corporation, Bayer Nutritional Products, CardioTabs, Monsanto Company, and OmegaMetrix.
Current Grants
- Niacin, n-3 fatty acids and insulin resistance. NIDDK (2003-2007)
- Effects of Stearidonic Acid from Modified Soybean Oil on the Omega-3 Index in Healthy Volunteers, Monsanto Co. (2006-2007)
- Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) NHLBI (2006-2007). Subcontract for analysis of RBC fatty acid composition
- South Dakota Health Research Foundation Startup Funding for Nutrition and Metabolic Disease Research Center (2006-2009)
Publications (selected)
- Harris, WS, Connor WE. The effects of salmon oil upon plasma lipids, lipoproteins and triglyceride clearance. Trans Assoc Am Physicians 43:148-155, 1980.
Harris WS, Connor WE, McMurry MP. The comparative reductions of the plasma lipids and lipoproteins by dietary polyunsaturated fats: salmon oil versus vegetable oils. Metabolism 32:179-184, 1983.
Harris WS, Connor WE, Lindsey S. Will dietary w-3 fatty acids change the composition of human milk? Am J Clin Nutr 40:780-785, 1984.
Illingworth DR, Harris WS, Connor WE. Inhibition of low density lipoprotein synthesis by dietary omega-3 fatty acids in humans. Arteriosclerosis 4:270-275, 1984.
Harris WS, Connor WE, Inkeles SB, Illingworth DR. Omega-3 fatty acids prevent carbohydrate-induced hypertriglyceridemia. Metabolism 33:1016-1019, 1984.
Phillipson BE, Rothrock DR, Connor WE, Harris WS, Illingworth DR. Reduction of plasma lipids, lipoproteins and apoproteins by dietary fish oils in patients with hypertriglyceridemia. N Eng J Med 312:1210-1216, 1985.
Zucker ML, Bilyeu DS, Helmkamp GM, Harris WS, Dujovne CA. Effects of dietary fish oil on platelet function and plasma lipids in hyperlipoproteinemic and normal subjects. Atherosclerosis 73:13-22, 1988.
Harris WS, Dujovne CA, Zucker ML, Johnson BE. Effects of a low saturated fat, low cholesterol fish oil supplement in hypertriglyceridemic patients - A placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 109:465-470, 1988.
Harris WS, Connor WE, Alam N, Illingworth DR. Reduction of postprandial triglyceridemia in humans by dietary omega-3 fatty acids. J Lipid Res 29:1451-1460, 1988.
Harris WS. Fish oils and plasma lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in humans: A critical review. J Lipid Res 30:785-807, 1989
Harris WS, Connor WE, Illingworth DR, Rothrock DW, Foster DM. Effects of fish oil on VLDL triglyceride kinetics in humans. J Lipid Res 31:1549-1558, 1990.
Harris WS, Muzio F. Fish oil reduces postprandial triglyceride concentrations without accelerating lipid-emulsion removal rates. Am J Clin Nutr 58:68-74, 1993.
Hunninghake DB, Stein EA, Dujovne CA, Harris WS, Feldman EB, Miller VT, Tobert JA, Laskarzewski PM, et al. The efficacy of intensive dietary therapy alone or combined with lovastatin in outpatients with hypercholesterolemia. N Engl J Med 328:1213-1219, 1993.
Harris WS, Hustvedt BE, Hagen B, Green MH, Drevon CA. Omega-3 fatty acids enhance chylomicron clearance in the rat. J Lipid Res 38:503-515, 1997.
Harris WS, Lu GP, Rambjør GS, Wålen AI, Ontko JA, Cheng Q, Windsor SL. Influence of w3 fatty acid supplementation on the endogenous activities of plasma lipases. Am J Clin Nutr 66:254-260, 1997.
Harris WS, Ginsberg H, Arunakul N, Shachter NS, Windsor SL, Adams M, Berglund L, Osmundsen K. Safety and efficacy of Omacor in severe hypertriglyceridemia. J Cardiovasc Risk 4:385-391, 1997.
Lu GP, Windsor SL, Harris WS. Omega-3 fatty acids alter lipoprotein subfraction distributions and the in vitro conversion of very low density lipoproteins to low density lipoproteins. J Nutr Biochem, 10:151-158, 1999.
Harris WS, Gowda M, Kolb JW, Strychacz CP, Vacek JL, Jones PG, Forker A, O’Keefe JH, McCallister BM. A randomized, controlled trial of the effects of remote, intercessory prayer on outcomes in patients admitted to the coronary care unit. Arch Intern Med 159:2273-2278, 1999.
Bybee KA, O’Keefe JH, Harris WS, Garg S, George SJ, Bateman TM. Lipid risk factor correlates of ischemic heart disease as diagnosed by myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. Prev Cardiol 3:154-159, 2000.
Kris-Etherton PM, Harris WS, Appel LJ. Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease. A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation 106:2747-57, 2002.
Park Y, Harris WS. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation accelerates chylomicron triglyceride clearance. J Lipid Res 44:455-463, 2003.
Park Y, Jones PG, Harris WS. Triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein margination: A potential surrogate for whole body lipoprotein lipase activity and effects of EPA and DHA. Am J Clin Nutr 80:45-50, 2004.
Harris WS and von Schacky C. The Omega-3 Index: A New Risk Factor for Death from CHD? Preventive Medicine 39:212-220, 2004.
Harris WS, Sands SA, Windsor SL, Ali HA, Stevens TL, Magalski A, Porter CB, Borkon AM. Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels in Transplanted Human Hearts: Effect of Supplementation and Comparison with Erythrocytes. Circulation 110;1645-49, 2004.
JH O’Keefe, H Abuissa, A Sastre, DM Steinhaus, WS Harris. Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Resting Heart Rate, Heart Rate Recovery After Exercise, and Heart Rate Variability in Men With Healed Myocardial Infarctions and Depressed Ejection Fractions. Am J Cardiol 97:1127-1130, 2006.
Wang C, Harris WS, Chung M, Lichtenstein AH, Balk EM, Kupelnick B, Jordan HS, Lau J. n-3 Fatty Acids from Fish or Fish Oil Supplements, but not Alpha-Linolenic Acid, Benefit Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes in Primary and Secondary Prevention Studies: A Systematic Review. Am J Clin Nutr 84:5-17, 2006.
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