Metabolomics
The Metabolomics capability is dedicated to supporting academic and industry research across a range of disciplines, particularly the life and molecular sciences. Our services provide expert training and technical support on sample extraction, derivatisation and separation techniques and metabolomics (small molecule) mass spectrometry, working with various materials ranging from plants, viruses, bacteria, fungi to animals.
Our focus is on optimising and accurately detecting, identifying, and quantifying small molecules in all systems, either via the non-targeted screening approach to understand the whole metabolome, and/or the targeted quantification of known specific metabolites. We aim to lead the development of new sample preparation methods and analytical techniques to extract and separate metabolites from biological, environmental and biomedical samples using our state-of-the-art Thermo Scientific LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS instruments and data analysis software packages. Our goal is to provide high quality research outcomes in assisting academics and industry in their vast research interests, that may include deciphering the possible novel biomolecules, understanding the changes in the metabolome, determining the roles of the newly discovered biomarkers, and/or evaluating the efficacy of their therapeutic drugs.
Instrumentation
Applications
We offer for each research project: initial and on-going project consultation; experimental design based on small molecule mass spectrometry; optimisation of biological sample extraction (derivatisation if applicable) and clean-up; LC-MS/MS and/or GC-MS/MS method development and validation; data acquisition; data analysis that includes metabolite elucidation, identification and quantification (relative or absolute); statistical analysis (if needed); results interpretation; and report.
There is a broad range of applications that this capability can assist you with including:
- Volatomics using SPME-GC/MS or headspace sampling coupled to the GC/MS to decipher the whole volatome in a plant, animal/human breathe or air quality in the environment.
- Discovery metabolomics using GC/MS and/or LC/MS for screening primary metabolites such as organic acids, sugar alcohols, lipophilic compounds, sugars, amino acids; and/or secondary metabolites such as lipids, terpenes, phenolics, alkaloids to understand the whole metabolome of an organism.
- Targeted and non-targeted lipidomics using GC-MS/MS and/or LC-MS/MS to understand how the lipids behave in the organisms, tissues or cells.
- Sensitive targeted quantification of plant metabolites such as flavonoids, auxins, jasmonates, salicylic acid, abscisic acid and other plant hormones using LC-MS/MS.
- Evaluating the effectiveness of therapeutic drugs in urine, blood, plasma and/or tumour samples from humans and/or mice by GC/MS or LC/MS.
Contact us to discuss your research applications.
Access
There are several ways that you can access the services provided by this capability:
- Fee-for-service
- Research contracts for bespoke projects
- Academic collaboration
- Training
Contact Us
For more information and to discuss your requirements please email or contact:
Dr Thy Truong, Mass Spectrometry (Metabolomics) Specialist
- T: +61 3 9479 7485
- E: t.truong@latrobe.edu.au