NIEHS Division of Intramural Research has established an initiative to conduct a comparative study of biomarkers of oxidative stress (BOSS) in order to find out whether a fingerprint for measurement of oxidative stress exists.
Many techniques now exist that potentially allow the measurement of oxidative stress status in animal models and humans; the techniques are as diverse as blood tests for oxidized lipids, volatile hydrocarbons in breath and oxidized DNA bases in urine. To evaluate the available methodology for measuring oxidative stress with potential application to human studies, NIEHS has taken the lead in organizing the first international multi-laboratory comprehensive comparative study for determining which of the available biomarkers of oxidative stress are the most specific, sensitive and selective.
The ultimate goal of the BOSS project is to determine measurable, sensitive, and specific biomarkers for oxidative damage in rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans resulting from multiple types of oxidative insults and to understand the relationships among markers, which will be useful for choosing an appropriate marker in a given study.
NIEHS responsibilities for BOSS:
Leader, organizer and sponsor of the study
Prepare and distribute samples to investigators
Collect data, coordinate the experimental and statistical work