PhD students participating in August Krogh seminars receive 0,2 ECTS per seminar
AKC Seminar: Metabolomics, functional metabolomics, fluxomics, what does it mean and what does it take?
August Krogh Club Seminar
Professor Gerrit Van Hall
Clinical Metabolism, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark and Clinical Metabolomics Core Facility (CMCF), Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Abstract
“Omics” technologies represent promising novel tools for studying disease mechanisms, individual patient risk assessment, diagnostics, prognostics, prevention and treatment guidelines. However, “proof of principle” of the concept of using genomics and proteomics to predict the phenotype and clinical outcome in a reliable manner is still lacking.
Metabolomics allows mapping of a significant number of intermediary metabolites of glucose, fat and protein metabolism in human blood, urine and tissue samples, and may become instrumental to bridge the gap between genotype and clinical outcome.
Besides using metabolomics as a screening tool to detect static concentration levels functional metabolomics also referred to as fluxomics is using metabolite tracers to determine the in vivo rate of production and utilization of metabolites.
The method for quantitative human metabolite profiling and in vivo metabolic flux measurements is with mass-spectrometry (MS) or MS in combination with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). In case of fluxomics the so-called tracer dilution and/or incorporation methodology will be used. In humans, the label (tracer) in the metabolite should be a stable isotope (i.e. 13C, 2H, 15N) that safely and repeatedly can be used. Unfortunately metabolomics, like the other omics, is expensive and analytically challenging.
In spite of the expensive analytical machinery the actual limitation is in the use of metabolomics such as sample processing, manual data management, quality control and simply that a detailed quantitative metabolic profile of 1 sample can take from several hours up to a day.
Therefore, in view of the required expertise and expenses dedicated analytical metabolomic core facilities are essential as well as training in the proper use of fluxomics in research.
Time
8 March 2013 14:30-16:00
Venue
Auditorium 1, August Krogh Building, Universitetsparken 13, DK-2100 Copenhagen
Registration
Participation is free, but please register here.
For PhD students
PhD students participating in August Krogh seminars receive 0,2 ECTS per seminar
Contact
Christian Frøsig, CFrosig@ifi.ku.dk, mobile +45 2875 1617