Adam Metherel, University of Toronto

Research

Alpha-Linolenic Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid Eicosapentaenoic Acid Metabolism Sex Atherosclerosis Heart Liver

Latest papers

Omega-3 supplementation increases 13C-EPA but not 13C-DHA kinetics in healthy older adults after 13C-DHA single dose intake: A secondary analysis.
Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) · 2025
High Choline Intake during Pregnancy Reduces Characteristics of the Metabolic Syndrome in Male Wistar Rat Offspring Fed a High Fat But Not a Normal Fat Post-Weaning Diet.
Nutrients · 2021

All 2 publications

Latest funding

The effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on DHA synthesis rates and metabolism of high-fat diet induced obese and atherosclerotic mouse models
CIHR · 2025 · Nominated PI
$726,750
Can humans synthesize enough docosahexaenoic acid from alpha-linolenic acid?
CIHR · 2025 · Co-investigator
$699,975
Dietary Intervention on Weight Regain After Cessation of Incretin-based Therapies for the Treatment of Diabetes and Obesity
CIHR · 2024 · Co-investigator
$634,950

All 10 grants and awards

2 publications.

01

Omega-3 supplementation increases 13C-EPA but not 13C-DHA kinetics in healthy older adults after 13C-DHA single dose intake: A secondary analysis.

Loukil I, Ku D, Vachon A, Metherel A, Plourde M

Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.)2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2025.112803 PMID: 40378464

02

High Choline Intake during Pregnancy Reduces Characteristics of the Metabolic Syndrome in Male Wistar Rat Offspring Fed a High Fat But Not a Normal Fat Post-Weaning Diet.

Hammoud R, Pannia E, Kubant R, Metherel A, Simonian R, Pausova Z, Anderson GH

Nutrients2021

DOI: 10.3390/nu13051438 PMID: 33923230

The effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on DHA synthesis rates and metabolism of high-fat diet induced obese and atherosclerotic mouse models

Nominated PICIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Metherel, Adam

Keywords: Alpha-Linolenic Acid; Atherosclerosis; Docosahexaenoic Acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid; Heart; Liver; Metabolism; Obesity; Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid; Sex

$726,750

Can humans synthesize enough docosahexaenoic acid from alpha-linolenic acid?

Co-investigatorCIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Bazinet, Richard P

Keywords: Alpha-Linolenic Acid; Docosahexaenoic Acid; Fish; Requirements; Synthesis; Vegetarian

$699,975

Dietary Intervention on Weight Regain After Cessation of Incretin-based Therapies for the Treatment of Diabetes and Obesity

Co-investigatorCIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Beaudry, Jacqueline

Keywords: Brown Adipose Tissue; Glp-1r Based Agonists; Glucose Homeostasis; Insulin Resistance; Lipid Homeostasis; Obesity; Plant Based Diets; Weight Regain; White Adipose Tissue

$634,950

The effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on DHA synthesis rates and metabolism of high-fat diet induced obese and atherosclerotic mouse models

Nominated PICIHR2024Project Grant - PA: Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes

Principal investigators: Metherel, Adam

Keywords: Alpha-Linolenic Acid; Atherosclerosis; Docosahexaenoic Acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid; Heart; Liver; Metabolism; Obesity; Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid; Sex

$100,000

Magnetic resonance Imaging System for measuring lean, fat and water mass and rodent incubator for temperature-controlled environments in mice

Co-investigatorNSERC2024Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Beaudry, Jacqueline

Keywords: body mass; cold temperature; fat mass; free water weight; lean mass; mice; nutrition; obesity; thermalneutrality; total water weight

$117,371

The effects of sex and genetics on omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Discovery Launch Supplement

Principal investigators: Metherel, Adam

$12,500

A novel method for elucidating sex-specific differences in docosahexaenoic acid synthesis rates of young women and men

Nominated PICIHR2022Project Grant

Principal investigators: Metherel, Adam

Keywords: Alpha-Linolenic Acid; Docosahexaenoic Acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid; Genetics; Metabolism; Sex; Synthesis

$699,976

Effects of psilocybin microdoses on serotonergic pathways and lipid signaling

Co-investigatorNSERC2022Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Bazinet, Richard RP

$237,339

The effects of sex and genetics on omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Metherel, Adam

$87,000

A novel isotope ratio mass spectrometry method for the characterization of the effects of linoleic acid intake on DHA synthesis and turnover rates

Co-investigatorNSERC2021Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Bazinet, Richard

$76,059

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Zdenka Pausova

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2025

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Alpha-Linolenic Acid Dear Professor Metherel, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Omega-3 supplementation increases 13C-EPA but not 13C-DHA kinetics in healthy older adults after 13C-DHA single dose intake: A secondary analysis." (2025), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "The effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on DHA synthesis rates and metabolism of high-fat diet induced obese and atherosclerotic mouse models" (2025), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]