A scalable approach to absolute quantitation in metabolomics

To unravel the functions of the vast universe of small molecules in human biology it is essential to first detect and quantify these molecules—a task carried out by the field of metabolomics. In traditional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics, quantitative analysis is divided across two categories: relative or absolute.   

In this webinar we will explore the importance of metabolomics in disease research, and the challenges associated with LC-MS based metabolomics studies. We will also introduce Pyxis, a scalable, machine learning-based approach to absolute quantitation of metabolites across various matrices, and potential applications in research and the clinic. 

Learning Objectives

• The application of quantitation in understanding metabolite functions in biological systems.
• The experimental requirements of absolute and relative quantitation of metabolites along with their benefits and limitations.
• Introduction of Pyxis, a method that enables scalable absolute quantitation of metabolites without relying on isotopically labeled standards.

Presenter: Naama Kanarek, PhD (Assistant Professor, Pathology Department at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School)

A native of Jerusalem, Israel, Dr. Naama Kanarek trained at the Hebrew University, where she earned a BSc in medical science, an MSc in proteomics and microbiology, and a PhD in immunology and cancer research (including one year at Columbia University Medical Center, NY). Dr. Kanarek’s postdoctoral research was performed under the supervision of Prof. David M. Sabatini at MIT’s Whitehead Institute.

Dr. Kanarek is the recipient of a number of awards and honors, including the Margaret and Herman Sokol Postdoctoral Award, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society New Idea Award, the Hebrew University Women in Science Postdoctoral Award, the Weizmann Institute Postdoctoral Award for Advancing Women in Science and a Revson Fellow of that program, and the James Sivarsten Prize in Pediatric Cancer Research. Her postdoctoral work was supported by fellowships from the American Association for Cancer Research and the European Molecular Biology Organization.

Dr. Kanarek’s laboratory is interested in folate metabolism, and the metabolic adaptations of cells as they move around and migrate to new sites. They apply genetic perturbations, biochemical assays, molecular biology, functional genomic screens, and metabolite profiling by mass spectrometry in cell-culture systems and in vivo. They study basic folate biology including folate metabolism, folate-related signal transduction, the oncogenic role of folate and folate homeostasis in normal physiology and pathological conditions.

Presenter: Jennifer M. Campbell, PhD (Chief Scientific Officer, Matterworks, Inc.)

Jennifer M. Campbell, PhD is currently Chief Scientific Officer at Matterworks, a multidisciplinary startup focused on using the power of deep learning on raw mass spectrometric data. Their first product, Pyxis, enables scalable quantitative metabolomics through the use of AI. Prior to Matterworks, Dr. Campbell worked at Novartis Institutes of Biomedical Research, heading up MS and separations within the Cambridge (MA) chemistry department. Dr. Campbell served as technical lead of NeoBase2, an FDA 510K approved assay for newborn screening at Perkin Elmer and Director of Proteomics at BG Medicine. Her career started in instrument development - she obtained her PhD, which focused on the development of a linear ion trap-TOFMS at the University of British Columbia under Don Douglas and she worked for eight years at Applied Biosystems, aiding in the development of all aspects of the MALDI TOF/TOF product line (4700, 4800, and 5800). She has authored numerous papers, patents, and book chapters.