Grant: Project Grant

Metabolism is closely tied to diseases and important biological processes. Cancer, for example, has been recognized since the 1920s as a disease linked to metabolic changes. Metabolites, such as glucose and phenylalanine, are arguably the most screened biomarkers worldwide. These screens help diagnose diabetes and phenylketonuria (neonatal heel prick) in millions of people every day. Furthermore, metabolites actively regulate body functions such as the immune response during infections and temperature regulation. However, despite their importance, we lack the knowledge and understanding of their levels and function in our own cells and organs compared to genes and proteins. Using a combination of state-of-the- art analytical instrumentation and computational tools, we will determine and catalogue the composition of the different metabolites in human cells. These efforts will allow the scientific community to better understand the body function of each metabolite and identify novel strategies to treat diseases such as cancer.