Brandeis and Smart Balance team up to advance heart-health...( Waltham Mass.Brandeis University has...)

Waltham, Mass.Brandeis University has announced a multi-year $1 million sponsored research agreement with Smart Balance Inc. through its wholly owned subsidiary, the maker of Smart Balance buttery spread and other low-fat and fat-free foods that help lower cholesterol through a patented blend of natural vegetable oils. In addition, Brandeis and Smart Balance have entered into a collaboration and license to develop a second-generation heart-healthy fat for Smart Balance.

The funding will support continued research on diet factors that affect cholesterol metabolism and diabetes in the lab of nutritionist K.C. Hayes, who, along with research scientist Dan Perlman, invented and patented the Smart Balance blend of oils that improves the HDL/LDL cholesterol ratio, in part, by replacing dietary trans fat in food products.

Under the agreement, $1 million will be paid over ten years, with an option to increase funding. The bulk of support, $650,000, will be paid over the first three years, starting this fall. In addition to the $1 million, Smart Balance has committed $500,000 to support animal and human testing of new food technologies under the collaboration and license agreement.

The deal is one of the largest industry-sponsored research agreements in Brandeis' history, said Irene Abrams, executive director of the Office of Technology Licensing at Brandeis. "It's clear that the Smart Balance management believes, as we do, that the best future technology in this area will come from Brandeis," she said.

"We are very excited about extending our earlier research applications in order to generate additional better foods for healthier living," said Hayes, who has researched lipid metabolism for three decades. "It is a real vote of confidence to have Smart Balance step in with resources to support our research, and we look forward to deepening this partnership."

Hayes and Perlman developed and licensed the technology at the heart
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