The Centre for Omic Sciences (COS), a joint unit of the Rovira i Virgili University and the Eurecat technology centre, is building on its cutting-edge research in metabolomics and proteomics applied to life sciences, biomedicine, agri-food and the environment with the installation of two new high-resolution and high-sensitivity mass spectrometers.
Metabolomics and proteomics are sciences which make it possible to study biology from a holistic perspective. Metabolomics analyses metabolites, small molecules which reflect the metabolic state of an organism, while proteomics addresses the global study of proteins including their structure, function and interactions. They have key applications in health such as discovering biomarkers, monitoring them and developing targeted therapies; in biotechnology, where they help to optimise industrial processes and the production of useful compounds; and in environmental studies, where they can be used to monitor ecosystems and study the biodegradation of pollutants, all of which means they are essential tools in tackling challenges across a wide range of fields.
To enhance research in these areas, the Centre for Omic Sciences has added two new mass spectrometers. One is a Waters Corp. Xevo TQ Absolute instrument, a liquid chromatography unit coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, which has the highest sensitivity currently available on the market. This device features several modes of molecule ionisation and data acquisition, including the new “RADAR” mode which with a single injection provides simultaneous full-scan data and multiple reaction monitoring.
It has also installed a Thermo Scientific Orbitrap IQ-X Tribid, a high-resolution, precise mass system designed for metabolomics analysis which can examine a wide array of small molecules in both targeted and untargeted studies.
They are “groundbreaking units in metabolomics studies due to their high sensitivity, resolution and comprehensive analysis capability,” says Núria Canela, the COS’s technical director.
“In biomedicine, Xevo TQ Absolute makes it possible to detect biomarkers in minute concentrations (femtograms) which is crucial for the early diagnosis of diseases such as cancer, while the Orbitrap IQ-X Tribrid with its superior isotopic fidelity enables in-depth study of complex metabolic pathways which support the development of new drugs,” she adds. “Furthermore, in the environment Xevo excels in accurate quantification of pollutants in water and soil while Orbitrap addresses advanced studies such as interactions between pollutants and environmental microbiota.” These features mean “these devices are leaders in metabolomics and essential to maintain and grow our capabilities to tackle challenges across numerous fields.”
“In nutrition and food, both instruments help to characterise metabolites and bioactive peptides in food, analyse contaminants and verify the authenticity of products, making them pivotal equipment for innovation in these areas of research,” points out COS academic director Manuel Suárez.
The units have been 90 percent funded with public aid for Unique Scientific and Technical Infrastructures by the Ministry of Science and Innovation with European Union Next Generation Funds under Spain’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, and 10 percent co-funded by the Eurecat technology centre.
Omics technologies and their potential in personalised medicine and nutrition
“Omics technologies such as genomics, proteomics and metabolomics make it possible to analyse large amounts of biological data on individuals and thus their characterisation at the molecular level,” argues Antoni Caimari, director of Eurecat’s Biotechnology Division. “This is crucial for improving the diagnosis and characterisation of diseases, developing personalised therapies and interpreting the therapeutic response.”
Moreover, in terms of prevention “studying the genome and metabolism and their precise characterisation by harnessing omics sciences enables us to make headway in achieving precision nutrition which means we can learn which foods or nutrients are most beneficial for an individual or for groups of people with a comparable metabolism.”
The new devices join the cutting-edge technologies at the Centre for Omic Sciences (COS) which is part of ICTS OmicsTech alongside the National Centre for Genomic Analysis (CNAG) and the CRG and UPF Proteomics Unit.
The Centre for Omic Sciences delivers a full range of biomarker research services in health, food and the environment from project design support to analysing and integrating data gathered from various omics technologies.
These technologies have huge potential in personalised medicine and nutrition which draw on genetic information, molecular biomarkers and information about a person’s lifestyle.