September 18
@
4:00 PM
–
5:00 PM
Seminar 9-10am at Union South Landmark Room
Pramod Wangikar
Chair Professor for Green Chemistry and Industrial Biotechnology
Department of Chemical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Mumbai, India
Harnessing Metabolomics for Precision Medicine and Fermentation
Metabolomics is an emerging tool in bioengineering research, based on profiling hundreds of metabolites in biological systems to provide a detailed view of cellular metabolism. In this evolving field, success hinges on advanced data acquisition methods, particularly mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography (LC–MS) or gas chromatography (GC–MS). We present specific use cases from our research that demonstrate the transformative potential of metabolomics in understanding and manipulating biological systems for healthcare and industrial applications:
- Biomarker Discovery in Metabolic Disorders: We used untargeted metabolomics to discover novel biomarkers for chronic metabolic disorders. In patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), we identified distinct panels of metabolites associated with the risk of kidney and cardiovascular complications. These biomarkers hold potential for diagnostic tools offering greater predictive power and clinical efficacy than the standard glucose test.
- Fermentation Optimization via Spent Media Analysis: Metabolomic analysis of spent culture media reveals critical insights into cellular metabolism in fermentation processes. By integrating these data with genome-scale metabolic models through constraint-based modeling, we optimized nutrient supplementation strategies, achieving substantial improvements in product yield with minimal experimental trials.
Handling large, complex datasets from untargeted metabolomics presents a significant challenge due to data complexity and noise. To streamline the analysis of such large metabolomics datasets, we developed MSOne, an AI-based platform that automates and accelerates data processing. Additionally, we leverage MetaMine, a repository derived from thousands of public-domain metabolomics studies that supports comparative analysis and meta-level insights. Together, these tools serve as essential resources for addressing challenges in large-scale metabolomics data handling and interpretation, reinforcing the promise of metabolomics in precision medicine and industrial biotechnology