Research Interests
My main research involves developing cutting-edge analytical methods to measure specific metabolites and nutrients using methods to facilitate the further understanding of our metabolism and of the role of metabolism in disease. Through a range of projects the lab tries to tackle the technical challenges in the comprehensive analysis of all metabolites and lipids (aka metabolomics and lipidomics). This demands developments in experimental design, sample preparation, analysis, data processing and bioinformatics. I have been responsible for the development and application of novel analytical pipelines. These methods enables us to measure metabolites (fatty acids, lipids, etc.) in very large population studies, some of which are still the largest in the world, as well as to measure lipids in single cells (single cell lipidomics). We are currently using these results to understand how genetics and diet are associated with disease risk through metabolism. This has resulted, for example, in new understanding of the metabolism of odd chain fatty acids and their relation to diabetes risk. I was the first to adapt lipid-profiling methodology to use dried blood spots to measure lipid metabolism in healthy infants, leading to the development of biomarkers for infant nutrition and malnutrition. My research is divided into three key areas.
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Metabolism in pregnancy and early life. Early life exposure is associated with lifelong changes in disease risk. In collaboration with the group of Sue Ozanne we study lipid metabolism during pregnancy and early life. This has led to development of biomarkers of gestational diabetes, infant nutrition and candidate markers of future childhood obesity. Furthermore, there are collaborations with different teams worldwide to study lipid metabolism of severely malnourished children and the long term effects of malnutrition.
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Technological developments in metabolomics and lipidomics. Our lab forms a technology ‘hub’, working on technological advances in metabolomics and lipidomics measurement, such as single cell lipidomics and organelle lipidomics. My lab works collaboratively to identify and validate metabolic markers that can be used in diagnosis and prognosis of disease and treatment, providing the complete pipeline from experimental design, sample preparation, analysis, data processing and bioinformatics.
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Developing, validating, applying and disseminating methods for blood sample collection and nutritional biomarker analysis (supported by the MRC Epidemiology Unit) We will facilitate the application of nutritional biomarker analysis in (clinical) research, surveillance and experimental medicine, allowing objective measurement of dietary and nutritional status and identification of new nutritional biomarkers.
The combination of these research areas makes it possible to maintain the critical mass required to develop analytical methods and approaches with a high level of quality control and assurance. This provides the IMS with a centralised knowledge hub for analytical chemistry to drive forward our understanding of the role of metabolism in disease.
I also work as a consultant for start-ups and the World Health Organisation.
Group members
Ms Paulina Guevara Dominguez, Research Assistant - pg535 at medschl.cam.ac.uk
Dr Ben Jenkins, Analytical Chemist - bjj25 at medschl.cam.ac.uk
Nina van der Velde, MPhil Student - ncv26 at cam.ac.uk
Funding
JPI
