About
Metabolomics can provide an overview of the metabolic status and global biochemical events associated with a cellular or biological system, and in medical research in particular, provide mechanistic understanding of the biochemical and metabolic changes that occur during the onset, progression, or as a consequence of disease.
Metabolites include the nutrients we obtain from food, the lipids found in cell walls, the bases that make up DNA/RNA, and the amino acids that are coded for by genes and are subsequently assembled to form proteins. Metabolites are the small molecule compounds that are the substrates, intermediates, and end products of the multitude of metabolic pathways required for life.
Services
The metabolomics facility uses liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to analyse samples from a variety of medical research projects and to measure the metabolome in both targeted and untargeted modalities. The liquid chromatography instrumentation enables the separation of the biochemical components of the sample prior to detection by the mass spectrometer, measuring the mass of these various components in order to quantify them and provide structural information. The end goal is to understand the biochemical and metabolomic changes that occur during the onset, progression, or as a consequence of the disease under investigation.
The facility has a number of established targeted and untargeted methods as well as others currently under development. The targeted methods aim to specifically and selectively measure and quantify known biochemical analytes in the samples. The untargeted methods aim to provide a broader overview of the biochemical composition of the sample, providing semi-quantitative and comparative information. The currently available methods include:
Targeted
- Lipidome: including >600 lipid species from the major lipid classes
- Central Metabolism: including intermediates of glycolysis, TCA cycle, amino and organic acids, co-factors, nucleotides, neurotransmitters and other metabolites
- Short Chain Fatty Acids
- Free Fatty Acids
- Prostaglandins
Untargeted
- Polar Metabolome (HILIC): open profiling of the polar metabolome in positive/negative ionisation
- Broad Metabolome (RP): open profiling of the broader/general metabolome in positive/negative ionisation
- Lipidome (RP): open profiling of the broad lipidome in positive/negative ionisation.
Under Development
- Vitamin B12-related pathways (targeted)
- Dopamine and related pathway intermediates (targeted)
- Microbial metabolite panel (targeted)
- Various drug/therapeutic assays for PK and localisation studies.
Our Team
Associate Professor Mark Hodson
Manuel Plan
Thomas Stoll
Equipment
Agilent 1290 Infinity II UHPLC-Agilent 6470 QQQ Mass Spectrometer
Agilent 1290 Infinity II UHPLC-Agilent 6545 Q-ToF Mass Spectrometer