and Mass Spectrometry
    Directions
Research

Metabolomics is an emerging field focused on the profiling of small naturally occurring endogenous metabolites. Metabolites represent an extremely diverse range of molecules including amino acids, lipids, hormones, carbohydrates, etc. The compilation of endogenous metabolites within a biological system is comprehensively known as the "metabolome" and denotes all low molecular weight biochemicals serving as substrates and products in cellular reactions which closely correlate with an organism's biochemical characteristics or phenotype. Global-untargeted metabolomics therefore has the potential to elucidate novel metabolic processes associated with a unique pathology or phenotype and thereby provide significant insight into cellular mechanisms at the molecular level.

Representative Publications

Metabolomics and Imaging
 

Viral Analysis

Viral analysis with mass spectrometry is now a pervasive tool in virology and is being used for the routine characterization of viral capsid dynamics, structure, as well as the identification of new viral receptors. Our original work on the mass measurement and soft landing of intact viruses was especially exciting when we learned that the viruses were also still infectious. Our collaboration with Henry Benner was also intriguing as he designed a novel mass spectrometry detector capable of measuring the mass of intact (40 million Dalton) viruses.

Since these original experiments we have now focused on the small molecules involved in viral biochemistry and structure, viral metabolites.