Biomolecular Medicine
This is an exciting time for metabolomics and lipidomics as we move approaches out of the lab into the clinic to better define patient groups, understand disease at the population level and even begin to understand how diseases arise at the single-cell level."
Professor Marc-Emmanuel Dumas
Head of Section
Biomolecular Medicine combines world-class expertise and resources in metabolomics, pharmacology, crystallization science and computational systems medicine approaches to understand how metabolic perturbations influence disease. The metabolome, the entire complement of metabolites in a biofluid, cell or tissue, is particularly sensitive to disease processes, as well as interactions with diet, host-microbiome, pharmacological intervention and the environment (also termed the exposome). We have developed and applied a wide range of analytical tools for profiling metabolites, lipids and peptides in biofluids and tissues both in healthy individuals and in patient populations, particularly using NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. These metabolic profiles have been associated with various human diseases, and we have modelled these changes in animal and cell systems to better define the mechanisms responsible for pathology, as well as using these approaches for precision medicine to target the right patient groups for treatment.
The section has particular interests in the use of metabolic profiling and systems medicine to understand the metabolic diseases, drug toxicity and various cancers, and has been instrumental in defining how diet and the gut microbiome interacts with many of these disease processes.
The Section is exceptionally well equipped for metabolomic research with state-of-the-art 1H NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, tissue culture and crystallization labs.
Biomolecular Medicine
Key studies and research groups
Key studies and research groups
- National Phenome Centre
- Microbiome Network
- METACARDIS
Degree Programmes
- MRes in Biomedical Research
- MSc in Applied Genomics
- STRATiGRAD industrial doctoral training programme
Short Courses
Section leadership
Head of Biomolecular Medicine - Professor Marc-Emmanuel Dumas
Prof Dumas’ research focusses on metabolomics using primarily 1H NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry to study metabolite and lipid networks in metabolic and cardiorespiratory diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity or ischemic heart disease. He uses a systems medicine framework combining statistical and experimental causality, as well as pharmacological screens to unravel the underpinning biological mechanisms of metabolic diseases.
Research group leads
Professor Josephine Bunch
Professor Josephine Bunch
Chair in Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry
Dr Jake Bundy
Dr Jake Bundy
Senior Lecturer
Professor Naomi Chayen
Professor Naomi Chayen
Professor of Biomedical Sciences
Dr Muireann Coen
Dr Muireann Coen
Senior Lecturer
Professor Marc-Emmanuel Dumas
Professor Marc-Emmanuel Dumas
Chair in Systems Medicine
Professor Nigel Gooderham
Professor Nigel Gooderham
Emeritus Professor of Molecular Toxicology
Professor Julian Griffin
Professor Julian Griffin
Visiting Professor
Professor Ian Wilson
Professor Ian Wilson
Visiting Professor
Professor Hector Keun
Professor Hector Keun
Professor of Biochemistry
Dr Petros Andrikopoulos
Dr Petros Andrikopoulos
ISSF Fellow
Professor Zoltan Takats
Professor Zoltan Takats
Professor of Analytical Chemistry
Dr Burak Temelkuran
Dr Burak Temelkuran
Lecturer in Biomedical Photonics