What is our core mission?
Metabolomics Platform (MEP) was created back in 2016 with the aim to provide the advisory, analytical (experimental) and bioinformatics support to the research groups interested in performing the state-of-the-art, mass spectrometry-based, qualitative and quantitative analysis of metabolome, along with lipidome. Metabolome, along with lipidome, refers to a small molecule (< 1700 Da) complement of organelles, cells, organs and biofluids.
How do we measure polar and/or lipid metabolites?
We use both untargeted and targeted approaches to measure metabolite abundances and concentrations, respectively. In addition, by tracking the fate of labeled substrates through stable isotope-labeling assays, we can infer time-dependent pathway activity under various physiological conditions (e.g., genotype, treatment). Our unique methodologies and metabolite annotation libraries are developed in-house.
What is the added value of the information stored in metabolome/lipidome?
The metabolome represents a phenotype at the molecular level, and data on metabolite levels and pathway utilization facilitate the investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying the studied phenotype. Metabolic phenotyping, using metabolomic/lipidomic approaches, can be applied, as illustrated above, from model systems to large-scale human population studies.
Who are our users?
The Metabolomics Platform is intended for use by researchers at Faculty of Biology and Medicine, other UNIL faculties and outside entities, including other academic institutions, including university hospitals across Switzerland (UNIGE, UNIBE, UNIBAS, UNIFR, …) and beyond. We also provide the support to industrial partners, based on service agreements.
How do we support our users?
We provide step-by-step support with:
- Funding requests
- Experimental design
- Sample collection & handling
- Sample preparation
- Data acquisition
- Data processing & quality assessment
- Data visualization & statistics
- Data interpretation in the biochemically relevant context
How do we keep our services up-to-date ?
In addition to its primary service activity, Metabolomics & Lipdiomics team has its own research and development goals to:
- Develop & implement new analytical solutions for deep structural characterization and high-throughput quantification of polar and lipid metabolites (see Research section)
- Phenotype human cohorts in the context of epidemiological and clinical intervention studies (i.e., exercise, dietary regimens) to enhance the understanding of metabolic alterations with reproductive ageing (e.g., sex differences related to hormonal transitions) and onset of cardiometabolic diseases (see Research section and SNF project grant resumes)