MetaboNews -- January 2017
MetaboNews Masthead
Published in partnership between
TMIC and the Metabolomics Society
Issue 65 - January 2017

CONTENTS:


Online version of this newsletter:
 http://www.metabonews.ca/Jan2017/MetaboNews_Jan2017.htm
TMIC Services
TMIC Services

Welcome to the sixty-fifth issue of MetaboNews, a monthly newsletter published in partnership between The Metabolomics Innovation Centre (TMIC, http://www.metabolomicscentre.ca/) and the international Metabolomics Society (http://www.metabolomicssociety.org/), to keep metabolomics researchers and other professionals informed about new technologies, software, databases, events, job postings, conferences, training opportunities, interviews, publications, awards, and other newsworthy items concerning metabolomics. MetaboNews represents the one-stop-shop for the very latest and most critical news about the science of metabolomics. In this issue, we feature a Metabolomics Spotlight article by Leah Shriver titled "Tracking isotope fates by untargeted metabolomics reveals lactate utilization in cancer", and a metabolomics interview with Malcolm McConville of the University of Melbourne (Australia).
This issue of MetaboNews is supported by:

Chenomx -- Metabolite Discovery & Measurement
Chenomx Inc.

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Metabolomics Society Logo

Metabolomics Society News

CONFERENCE CORNER
Author: Darren Creek

13th Annual Conference of the International Metabolomics Society
25th – 29th June, 2017, Brisbane, Australia
We are excited to announce that the brand-new website for Metabolomics 2017 has been launched at http://metabolomics2017.org and that registration for the conference is now open!
 
The main conference runs from Monday 26th to Thursday 29th June 2017 and continues the successful tradition of satellite workshops in the afternoon of Sunday 25th and morning of Monday 26th June.
 
The conference has the theme of Building Bridges and under this banner extends the field of metabolomics by building bridges to
 In addition the program features the following thematic streams:
 Planning for the scientific program for Metabolomics 2017 is well under way.  Many excellent proposals were received for scientific sessions and workshops, which are now being incorporated into an exciting program. We are also thrilled to announce the first three confirmed plenary speakers for the conference:
Hanne Bertram (University Aarhus, Denmark) on food metabolomics
Debra Meyer (University of Johannesburg, South Africa) on medical metabolomics
Roy Goodacre (University of Manchester, UK) on advancing the field
So visit the website for the latest information about the 2017 conference, accommodation and social activities for the Brisbane 2017 meeting, and start registering—we are looking forward to welcoming you in Brisbane!
 
Prof Melissa Fitzgerald & Dr Horst Joachim Schirra

***
Caution: Conference goers beware!

Following a number of recent email inquiries, I would like to point out that the advertised Metabolomics Congress 2017 is in no way linked or affiliated to the Metabolomics Society. As you will know from Conference Corner the official conference is Metabolomics 2017: 13th Annual Conference of the Metabolomics Society which is in Brisbane, Australia, June 26-29, 2017 (http://metabolomics2017.org/). Please register for the official conference and I look forward to seeing you there!

Jules Griffin, President, Metabolomics Society

Support for local and regional conferences or workshops
Financial and promotional support is available from the Metabolomics Society for local conferences and workshops (http://metabolomicssociety.org/events/event-funding). Travel awards for student members of the Metabolomics Society are available to attend the following sponsored conferences:
MEMBERS CORNER
Early-career Members Network (EMN)
Author: Baljit Ubhi
The EMN is dedicated to and run by early-career scientists who are members of the Metabolomics Society and are from academia, government, or industry. The network aims to provide a forum for metabolomics researchers at the start of their professional career.

Below is an article on how the EMN is using the Metabolomics Forum to guide future training needs.

The Metabolomics Forum – Discuss, Share, and Collaborate on All Things Metabolomics
The Metabolomics Forum (metabolomics-forum.com) was launched in 2011 primarily as a support site for the various types of software which were available to metabolomics researchers. The site started to be popular and pick up pace, therefore in June 2016 the forum was re-launched under the Metabolomics Society with a broader scope to allow researchers to discuss, share and collaborate on items which were related to metabolomics. The forum allows open discussion on many topics such as databases, hardware, software and courses including training, among many other topics.

Since the launch, the forum has grown by 117 members from 473 to 590 and continues to expand. Currently the forum is gaining momentum with around 2 posts a day and 35 users on average visiting every day.

In terms of demographics and where our users come from globally, the map below highlights that most users are from North America (NA), Canada and Europe. We also have smaller representations from India and Australia, but we would be interested in growing the user base across the globe.

Where our users are globally


The plot below highlights some other statistics we can pull from the forum about our users over a specific time period. This enables the EMN committee to help drive engagement and encourage new members to join and start new discussions. The highest discussed topic is on XCMS Online and the METLIN database. The most viewed discussion is regarding data reproducibility.

This plot highlights some other statistics

Finally, July seems to be the busiest month for new posts, new topics, new members and most people online. We wonder if this has anything to do with the fact researchers would have attended the Metabolomics Society Annual Meeting in Dublin, which encouraged them to use the forum for discussion of fresh perspectives and ideas.

More statistics from the forum can be accessed here: http://www.metabolomics-forum.com/index.php?action=stats

However, the ambitions from the EMN Committee and Metabolomics Society are far from fulfilled. We invite you to participate and represent your country and to have a voice in the many topics, boards and post responses. Often you will find vendors and experts are willing to offer advice if you have nowhere to turn to. So please reach out, discuss, share, and collaborate with the metabolomics community!
TASK GROUPS CORNER
 
International Affiliations Task Group
Author: Merlijn van Rijswijk
NMC 2017 meeting: Gut Microbiome - January 27, 2017 in Leiden

The Netherlands Metabolomics Centre is organizing their annual meeting to bring together the Metabolomics community in the Netherlands and Belgium. The meeting will focus on the Gut Microbiome.

Confirmed speakers include:
You can register via the Eventbrite registration page


INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATES CORNER
Australian & New Zealand Metabolomics Network (ANZMN)
Author: Oliver Jones
Visit http://www.anzmn.org
There is a new book out on Microbial Metabolomics with many editorials and written contributions from ANZMN members. It is published by Springer and edited by Dr. David Beale of the CSIRO, Dr. Con Kouremenos, of Metabolomics Australia, and Prof. Enzo Palombo, (Swinburne University, Australia). The book brings together contributions from numerous international experts who have helped to facilitate exciting and rapid advances in microbial metabolomics, which is a real growth area at present. The main applications of this field are in clinical and veterinary microbiology, environmental (e.g., water, soil), food (e.g., microbial spoilage, food pathogens), and agricultural and industrial applications. These areas and more are all covered in the book. You can see full details at http://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783319463247 if you are keen to find out more. The ANZMN is sure this will be a very useful book for metabolomics researchers.
 
 Software Spotlight

Metabolomics Spotlight

Tracking isotope fates by untargeted metabolomics reveals lactate utilization in cancer

 Feature article contributed by Leah Shriver, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biology at the University of Akron, USA
 
Summary

Traditionally, untargeted metabolomics has been used to discover metabolites whose concentrations change in disease. More recently the technologies have been extended to discover unknown metabolic transformations occurring in a cell. To accomplish the latter, a cell is fed a metabolite containing stable isotope labels. The incorporation of these stable isotope labels into other metabolites is then tracked comprehensively by LC/MS.

A new study by Chen et al. demonstrates the type of insight that untargeted tracking of metabolite fates can provide.1 The authors show that proliferating mammalian cells readily utilize isotope labels in lactate, which is often thought of as a metabolic “waste product”. The lactate labels are reported to be metabolized to hundreds of metabolic products. To quantify each fate, the authors combined LC/MS with solid-state NMR and determined that a major destination of lactate carbon in proliferating cells is lipids. Interestingly, by using Fourier transform mass spectrometry and deuterium labels, Chen et al. show that lactate can be imported into mammalian mitochondria and metabolized by LDHB. This indicates that lactate can be oxidized in the mitochondria of fermenting cells.

Glucose is metabolized to lactate in most cancer cells

Figure 1. Glucose is metabolized to lactate in most cancer cells. By tracking isotopic labels unbiasedly with metabolomics, Chen et al. show that lactate can be metabolized by mitochondrial enzymes to generate energy and carbon building blocks.

LDHB was found to localize to mammalian mitochondria

Figure 2. LDHB, an enzyme that metabolizes lactate to pyruvate, was found to localize to mammalian mitochondria.


Highlights
Reference
  1. Chen YJ, Mahieu NG, Huang X, Singh M, Crawford PA, Johnson SL, Gross RW, Schaefer J, Patti GJ. Lactate metabolism is associated with mammalian mitochondria. Nat Chem Biol. 2016 Nov;12(11):937-943. doi: 10.1038/nchembio.2172. Epub 2016 Sep 12. [PMID: 27618187]

Please note: If you know of any metabolomics research programs, software, databases, statistical methods, meetings, workshops, or training sessions that we should feature in future issues of this newsletter, please email Ian Forsythe at metabolomics.innovation@gmail.com.
 MetaboInterview Icon

MetaboInterview
This section features interviews with prominent researchers in the field of metabolomics. The aim of these interviews is to shed light on metabolomics researchers around the world and give them an opportunity to share their metabolomics story. In this issue, we feature an interview with Malcolm McConville.
Malcolm McConville

 Professor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Melbourne, Australia
Malcolm McConville
Biography

Malcolm J. McConville, PhD, is Professor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He completed his PhD studies at the University of Melbourne in 1986 and subsequently held post-doctoral positions at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne and the University of Dundee, Scotland, before returning to Melbourne in 1996. He is currently Director of the multidisciplinary Bio21 Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology at the University of Melbourne and head of the Metabolomics Australia node in the Institute.

Malcolm's group is interested in understanding how different bacterial and protozoan pathogens survive within host cells/tissues with the view of developing more effective anti-microbial drugs. His group uses mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and stable isotope labelling approaches to dissect and model the metabolism of intracellular pathogens and host cells, and to understand the mode of action of antimicrobial drugs and pathogen resistance mechanisms.

Metabolomics Interview (MN, MetaboNews; MM, Malcolm McConville)

 MN: How did you get involved in metabolomics?

MM: During my post-doctoral years I was involved in characterizing the complex and highly distinctive glycoconjugates that make up the surface coats of parasitic protozoa that cause diseases such as malaria (Plasmodium spp), human Leishmaniasis (Leishmania spp) and African Sleeping Sickness (Trypanosoma brucei). I developed expertise in a range of glycan and lipid analytical approaches (GC/MS, LC/MS and NMR) as well as an interest in the metabolic pathways that underpinned the assembly of these surface coats. My interest in utilizing global metabolomics approaches to study the metabolism of these parasites was sparked by the serendipitous finding of a completely new family of intracellular glycans in Leishmania parasites [1] highlighting the potential for novel pathways in these pathogens that had not been anticipated from genome-wide annotations. It was also apparent that some of these eukaryotic parasites lacked conventional gene-specific transcriptional regulation—Leishmania parasites completely lack transcriptional factors—suggesting that their metabolism was primarily regulated by post-transcriptional/post-translational mechanisms and that direct measurement of metabolic changes was needed to understand adaptive response to the host niche or drug treatments.

 MN: What are some of the most exciting aspects of your work in metabolomics?

MM: My group utilizes a range of mass spectrometry-based metabolite profiling and stable isotope labelling approaches, coupled with genetic knock-out studies, to investigate the metabolic potential of protozoan parasites that cause a range of important and/or neglected life-threatening diseases in humans, including malaria, toxoplasmosis and leishmaniasis. While considerable progress has been made in understanding how these pathogens invade and colonize their respective target cells in the mammalian host, until recently, comparatively little was known about the metabolism of the obligate intracellular parasite stages and the requirement for specific pathways for virulence. Our studies have led to a substantial reappraisal of parasite central carbon metabolism and revealed new drug targets. For example, we have shown that intracellular stages of the apicomplexan parasites, Plasmodium spp and Toxoplasma gondii, exhibit a surprisingly degree of metabolic flexibility, including an active mitochondrial metabolism, not predicted from genome annotations, which has been achieved by functionally repurposing enzymes in central carbon metabolism [2-4]. Our studies also demonstrated that pathogenic stages of Leishmania parasites enter into an unanticipated quiescent state and are highly dependent on specific carbon sources [5]. More recently we have developed methods for measuring parasite metabolism in infected animal tissues using 2H2O labelling [6] as well as imaging pathogen metabolism in vivo using high resolution MALDI-FTICR-MS. We are also using metabolomic profiling to investigate the mode of action of thousands of new drug-like compounds with anti-malaria activity identified in high through-put screens [7-9] and are applying these approaches to other intracellular protozoa, bacterial and fungal pathogens.

 MN: What key metabolomics initiatives are you pursuing at your research centre or institute?

 MM: The University of Melbourne houses the largest metabolomics facility in Australia with broad capability in mass spectrometry (GC/MS, LC/MS, MALDI-FTICR imaging MS) and NMR (600/700/800 MHz). This facility is funded in part by the University—as part of a broader philosophy to support major technology platforms under academic leadership—as well as by a major Federal Government initiative (see below) and covers both instrument purchases as well as support for 15 analytical/informatics staff. Part of the metabolomics facility is physically co-located with other technology platforms around proteomics and computational biology, a strategy that has been very successful in generating new synergies and tackling challenges with data handling, informatics and integration of omics datasets.

MN: What is happening in your country in terms of metabolomics?

MM: In 2004, the Australian Government established a new funding scheme for major research infrastructure called the National Collaborative Research Initiative Strategy (NCRIS; https://www.education.gov.au/national-collaborative-research-infrastructure-strategy-ncris). This farsighted and highly successful initiative included funding for four distributed 'omics' networks covering metabolomics (Metabolomics Australia; http://www.metabolomics.net.au/), as well as genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics. These networks comprise 4-5 centres around Australia (a hub-and-spokes model) providing cutting edge capability and services to researchers in academia, industry and Government research agencies. Importantly, NCRIS provides funds for personnel, as well as instruments, ensuring the long-term development of centres of excellence and innovation in metabolomics. Recently, the different NCRIS 'omics' networks have been funded to develop integrated, multi-omics reference data sets on biological systems of relevance to Australia, including wheat pathogens, wine yeast, melanomas, antibiotic resistant bacteria, stem cells, soils and corals of the Great Barrier Reef. These initiatives have been successful in engaging biologists from very different backgrounds and introducing them to the potential of metabolomics. 

MN: How do you see your work in metabolomics being applied today or in the future?

 MM: We are using metabolomics to build new understanding of the metabolism of microbial pathogens, drug resistance mechanisms and host cell (metabolic) responses with the view of developing new anti-microbial and/or host directed therapies. There is broad acknowledgement that the development of antibiotic/drug resistant bacterial, fungal and protozoan pathogens represents a dire and growing public health risk. Metabolomics, particularly when coupled with flux analysis and modelling approaches will be indispensable for identifying novel drug targets in microbial pathogens, understanding the mode of action of new antimicrobials (identified in HTS) and developing the most effective combination drug therapies needed to forestall the emergence of drug resistance.

 MN: As you see it, what are metabolomics' greatest strengths?

MM: Metabolomic analyses provide a unique read-out of the physiological state of biological systems (integrating the myriad of intracellular and extracellular signals), and, when coupled with stable isotope labelling studies, unique information on metabolic fluxes. Our studies on parasitic protozoa, which have limited or no conventional transcriptional regulation, has highlighted the extent to which major changes in metabolism can occur independent of changes in mRNA or protein levels. While many aspects of metabolic regulation may be unusual in these eukaryotic pathogens, there is abundant evidence now that many changes in cellular metabolism of other eukaryotes, including metazoans, are poorly reflected in mRNA/protein levels, indicating the universal importance of using metabolomics in all biological systems.

 MN: What do you see as the greatest barriers for metabolomics? 

MM: Metabolomic analyses are hampered by a number of factors. These include (to mention just three): (1) the incomplete coverage of the metabolome, even when multiple analytical platforms are used, and the large number of unknown metabolites detected; (2) the complexity of data interpretation (what does it mean when the steady-state levels of metabolites change?) and consequent need for metabolomics approaches that allow measurement of metabolic dynamics (time course/stable isotope labelling) and mathematical modelling approaches; and (3) the limited exposure undergraduate students have to modern metabolic studies and consequent difficulty in recruiting students into Masters/PhD projects with a strong metabolomics focus, as well as the limited pool of post-doctoral researchers with expertise in the underlying analytical and mathematical/informatics skill sets.
 
MN: What improvements, technological or otherwise, need to take place for metabolomics to really take off? 

MM: There needs to be a focus on making metabolism sexy again at the undergraduate level. Many undergraduate Science and Medical courses in Australia have discontinued units in metabolism and/or merged the content with other topics, while standard textbooks still provide a rather conventional view of metabolic regulation. The modernization of undergraduate courses to highlight the importance of metabolism in all areas of biology would go a long way to attracting high performing students to the field.

Advances in our capacity to interpret metabolomics data is also needed. This will require the further development (and democratization) of methods for modelling metabolomics data, derived from both steady-state and labelling data and greater collaboration between biologists and mathematicians/bioengineers.

Finally, the development of methods for analyzing metabolism in vivo, through imaging mass spectrometry, single cell capture, etc., will be required to understand the spatial compartmentalization and heterogeneity that occurs in complex tissue environments.

MN: How does the future look in terms of funding for metabolomics?

MM: In Australia, funding for metabolomics occurs at the level of major infrastructure/equipment schemes, competitive research grant schemes, individual institutions, and industry. Considerable investment in metabolomics infrastructure and people through each of these mechanisms has occurred over the last 5-10 years. Some challenges (which are not restricted to metabolomics) include the need for the whole scientific community to actively encourage Government investment in major equipment purchase/renewal, and an appreciation by grant review panels of the cost of doing metabolomic studies.

MN: What role can metabolomics standards play?

MM: Discipline initiatives, such as the Metabolomics Standards Initiative have a critical role to play in ensuring consistency in data reporting, exchange and peer review. This will be particularly important in developing the discipline as metabolomics are increasingly adopted by researchers from outside the 'specialist' metabolomics community.

MN: Do you have any other comments that you wish to share about metabolomics?

MM: Metabolism is again taking central stage in biology and the potential to utilize metabolomics for both discovery science and translation to the field/clinic is enormous. I think it is a terrific time for students and post-docs to get into this field.


References
  1. Ralton JE, McConville MJ (1998) Delineation of three pathways of glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis in Leishmania mexicana. Precursors from different pathways are assembled on distinct pools of phosphatidylinositol and undergo fatty acid remodeling. J Biol Chem 273: 4245-4257.
  2. Macrae JI, Sheiner L, Nahid A, Tonkin C, Striepen B, McConville MJ (2012) Mitochondrial Metabolism of Glucose and Glutamine Is Required for Intracellular Growth of Toxoplasma gondii. Cell Host Microbe 12: 682-692.
  3. Macrae JI, Dixon MW, Dearnley MK, Chua HH, Chambers JM, et al. (2013) Mitochondrial metabolism of sexual and asexual blood stages of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. BMC Biol 11: 67.
  4. Oppenheim RD, Creek DJ, Macrae JI, Modrzynska KK, Pino P, et al. (2014) BCKDH: The Missing Link in Apicomplexan Mitochondrial Metabolism Is Required for Full Virulence of Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium berghei. PLoS Pathog 10: e1004263.
  5. Saunders EC, Ng WW, Kloehn J, Chambers JM, Ng M, McConville MJ (2014) Induction of a Stringent Metabolic Response in Intracellular Stages of Leishmania mexicana Leads to Increased Dependence on Mitochondrial Metabolism. PLoS Pathog 10: e1003888.
  6. Kloehn J, Saunders EC, O'Callaghan S, Dagley MJ, McConville MJ (2015) Characterization of metabolically quiescent Leishmania parasites in murine lesions using heavy water labeling. PLoS Pathog 11: e1004683.
  7. Cobbold SA, Chua HH, Nijagal B, Creek DJ, Ralph SA, McConville MJ (2015) Metabolic Dysregulation Induced in Plasmodium falciparum by Dihydroartemisinin and Other Front-Line Antimalarial Drugs. J Infect Dis.
  8. Dickerman BK, Elsworth B, Cobbold SA, Nie CQ, McConville MJ, et al. (2016) Identification of inhibitors that dually target the new permeability pathway and dihydroorotate dehydrogenase in the blood stage of Plasmodium falciparum. Sci Rep 6: 37502.
  9. Creek DJ, Chua HH, Cobbold SA, Nijagal B, Macrae JI, et al. (2016) Metabolomics-based screening of the Malaria Box reveals both novel and established mechanisms of action. Antimicrob Agents Chemother.
  
Please note: We are open to suggestions for our MetaboInterviews section. Please send suggestions for future interview candidates to Ian Forsythe at metabolomics.innovation@gmail.com.
Metabolomics Current Contents

Metabolomics Current Contents

Recently published papers in metabolomics:


Metabolomics Events

Metabolomics Events
23-27 Jan 2017
Hands-on NMR for Metabolic Phenotyping
Venue: Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, UK

This week long course aims to cover how to perform a metabolic profiling experiment, from start to finish. It will cover study design, sample preparation, NMR spectrometer set up for global profiling, 2-dimensional NMR experiments and spectral data analysis.

It combines lectures and tutorial sessions to ensure a thorough understanding of the theory and practical applications. Topics covered include:
  • NMR-based metabonomics and NMR theory
  • Experimental design, Topspin software and plotting, and pulse sequences
  • Statistics and data pre-processing
  • Metabolite ID and 2D NMR
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/imperial-international-phenome-training-centre/courses/hands-on-nmr-spectroscopy-for-metabolic-profiling

or contact Rebecca Smith (rebecca.smith2@imperial.ac.uk) for further information.
8-9 Feb 2017
Computational Environmental Metabolomics Course
Venue: Birmingham Metabolomics Training Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

This 2-day NERC funded Advanced Training Short Course will provide a theoretical overview and hands-on training in the processing and analysis of metabolomics data. You will study specific case studies from the environmental sciences, learning the step-by-step processes that are applied in the data analysis pipeline. The course will be delivered using a combination of lectures and computer workshops, and time will be dedicated to answering questions and discussing your projects.
Topics include:
  • An overview of the data processing pipeline
  • Principal component analysis, discriminant analysis and model validation
  • Univariate statistical analysis
  • Common misunderstandings in chemometrics and model interpretation
  • Computational metabolite annotation and identification
Registration fee: £570 for non-NERC funded scientists, bursaries available for NERC-funded scientists, visit our website for further information and registration details http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/facilities/metabolomics-training-centre/courses/Computational-Environmental-Metabolomics.aspx or contact bmtc@contacts.bham.ac.uk.
10-14 Feb 2017
Phenome 2017
Venue: Hilton El Conquistador Resort, Tucson, Arizona, USA

The Phenome 2017 conference is an important step in the development of a path toward training and collaboration among disciplines that are poised to address critical social issues and to generate greater understanding about plants and climate change. This first conference will bring together a multidisciplinary community comprising plant biologists, ecologists, engineers, agronomists, and computer scientists.

Please share this flyer with your members of your department and encourage your students to register to attend the meeting. Highly relevant abstracts submitted by November 1 may be considered to give a talk during one of the sessions.

Please visit www.phenome2017.org to register and learn more about the meeting.
13-17 Feb 2017
EMBO Practical Course on Metabolomics Bioinformatics for Life Scientists
Venue: European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) - Training Room 2 - Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge,  CB10 1SD, UK

Application opens: Monday August 08 2016
Application deadline: Friday November 11 2016
Participation: Open application with selection
Contact: Maria Bacadare Goitia
Registration fee: £350

Overview
This course will provide an overview of key issues that affect metabolomics studies, handling datasets and procedures for the analysis of metabolomics data using bioinformatics tools. It will be delivered using a mixture of lectures, computer-based practical sessions and interactive discussions. The course will provide a platform for discussion of the key questions and challenges in the field of metabolomics, from study design to metabolite identification.

Audience
This course is aimed at PhD students, post-docs and researchers with at least one year’s experience in the field of metabolomics who are seeking to improve their skills in metabolomics data analysis. Participants ideally must have working experience using R (including a basic understanding of the syntax and ability to manipulate objects).

For more information, please visit https://www.ebi.ac.uk/training/events/2017/embo-practical-course-metabolomics-bioinformatics-life-scientists-3.

20 Feb to 17 Mar 2017
Metabolomics Data Processing and Data Analysis Online Course
An online course by the Birmingham Metabolomics Training Center, University of Birmingham, UK hosted by Futurelearn
Venue: Birmingham Metabolomics Training Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

This four-week online course will explore the tools and approaches that are used to process and analyse metabolomics data, we will investigate the challenges that are typically encountered in the analysis of metabolomics data and provide solutions to overcome these problems. The course will be delivered using a combination of short videos, articles, discussions, and online workshops with step-by-step instructions and test data sets. We will provide quizzes, polls and peer review exercises each week, so that you can review your learning throughout the course. The material will be delivered over a four week period, with an estimated learning time of four hours per week. If you do not have time to complete the course during the 4-week period you will retain access to the course material to revisit, as you are able.

Registration fee: Early-bird £200, Standard £220

For further information and registration details, please visit http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/facilities/metabolomics-training-centre/courses/Metabolomics-Data-Processing-and-Data-Analysis.aspx or contact bmtc@contacts.bham.ac.uk.
13-15 Mar 2017
CPSA Metabolomics 2017
Venue: The University of Florida Clinical & Translational Science Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA

Make plans to attend the 3rd Annual Metabolomics Symposium on Clinical & Pharmaceutical Solutions through Analysis (CPSA Metabolomics 2017). This unique event is highly interactive and dedicated to the needs of the clinic. The program features updated perspectives and experiences on clinical and pharmaceutical analysis. Imagination and stimulating discussion are central to each CPSA Metabolomics session and event.

Goal
The goal of CPSA Metabolomics is to provide in-depth review of innovative technology and industry practices through open discussion of industry-related issues and needs. This annual event is specifically geared to the needs of professionals attempting to keep pace with faster development times and technology marketing managers attempting to benchmark emerging trends.

Program
The CPSA Metabolomics symposia and roundtables are highly interactive events where scientists share their experiences and visions in a collegial setting. The program will highlight speakers and sessions that provide real-world experiences with new technologies and critical insights into current issues and future needs. Education and specialized training are the foundation of all CPSA events.

Each session at CPSA Metabolomics will address the current industrial landscape and the global need to bring products to market faster. The program chairs will promote discussion and exchange of experiences, ideas, and visions so that current processes that involve analytical measurement can be benchmarked and future strategies may be developed.

Format
The CPSA Metabolomics symposia and roundtables feature a unique format to allow scientists to openly share comprehensive perspectives on industry-related issues and needs. First-hand experiences with specific applications and technologies are openly discussed. Lively discussions in a collegial setting are a hallmark of the meeting.

For more information, visit http://www.cpsa-metabolomics.com/2017/index.shtml.

11-13 May 2017
Metabolism in Time and Space: Emerging Links to Cellular and Developmental Programs
Venue: EMBL Heidelberg, Germany

T. Alexandrov, A. Aulehla, P. Dorrestein, O. Leyser, S. McKnight, N. Perrimon

Deadlines
  • Registration - 30 Mar 2017
  • Abstract - 16 Feb 2017

Download Poster

Topics

  • Metabolism in time and space
  • Mechanistic insights - crosstalk metabolism/cellular functions
  • Metabolic control of development
  • Metabolism in growth control
  • Beyond the canonical roles of metabolism

Latest News

  • Registration is now open. Please visit the registration page for more information.
  • Got something to tweet? Say it #EESMetabolism

Stay up to date! Add this event easily to your calendar by downloading the iCal>>     Add to calendar

Why attend?
This symposium focuses on the role of metabolism in controlling cellular and developmental programs in its spatial and temporal complexity. There is a fundamental interest in deciphering the intricate link between metabolism and regulatory cellular programs during cell differentiation and the development of multicellular organisms. Recent technological progress has enabled us to analyse metabolism and metabolic activities with spatio-temporal resolution. This creates unprecedented potential to address how metabolic state impacts on cellular and developmental programs.

Aims
It is the overarching goal of this meeting to enable interdisciplinary discussion on the role of metabolism in controlling cellular and developmental programs in its spatial and temporal complexity. Special focus will be given to discuss emerging imaging or biosensor technologies and bioinformatics and how they can enable addressing fundamental biological questions.

For more information, visit http://www.embo-embl-symposia.org/symposia/2017/EES17-01/index.html

17-18 May 2017
Conference on Food and Nutritional Metabolomics for Health
Venue: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

The purpose of this two-day event is to disseminate state-of-the-art knowledge in the field of food and nutritional metabolomics and foster networking and collaboration among colleagues and industry partners.

For more information please visit: https://discovery.osu.edu/focus-areas/foods-for-health/events/conference-2017.html.
29 May to 2 June 2017
Workflow4Experimenters International Course (W4E2017)
Venue: Paris, France

Analyze your own data with Galaxy and the Workflow4metabolomics e-infrastructure! The next Workflow4Experimenters international course (W4E2017) will take place in Paris (May 29 to June 2, 2017). During this one-week course (entirely in English), you will learn how to use Galaxy and the W4M infrastructure to analyze your own LC-MS, GC-MS, or NMR data set. Morning sessions will be dedicated to methodology and tools. Afternoon sessions will be devoted to tutoring.

Invited speakers: Tim Ebbels (Imperial College), Steffen Neumann (IPB Halle), and Ralf Weber (Birmingham University).

Registrations: http://workflow4metabolomics.org
Contact: contact@workflow4metabolomics.org
26-29 June 2017
Metabolomics 2017
Venue: Brisbane, Australia
It is our pleasure to invite you to the 13th International Conference of the Metabolomics Society from 25-29th June, 2017 at the Brisbane Conference and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) in Brisbane, Australia.

Brisbane is a vibrant, friendly, lifestyle city—home to leading medical research and a thriving industry hub, located in the heart of Australia’s premier tourist region. The BCEC is rated among the top three convention centres in the world, and was the venue of the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit. It is ideally located in the unique riverside cultural and lifestyle precinct at South Bank, which is an inner city oasis with riverfront parkland, rainforest pockets and Australia’s only city-based sand and swimming beach as well as Australia’s newest and largest Gallery of Modern Art, cafes, restaurants and stylish shops.

The conference has the theme of Building Bridges and under this banner extends its reach to the systems biology / genome-scale modelling community, as well as to the analytical chemistry / natural products chemistry community. In addition, the program features thematic streams for advancing the field, for food and environmental metabolomics, and for health and wellness. In addition, a deeper engagement between researchers within the Asia Pacific region is a natural focus for a conference held in Brisbane to promote metabolomics research, build and strengthen networks in the region.

We invite you to attend an exciting scientific program comprising 27 oral sessions, 5 plenaries, 4 poster sessions, sponsored luncheons, as well as several keynote lectures and workshops. We will continue the successful tradition of satellite workshops to the conference in the afternoon of Sunday 25th June and the morning of Monday 26th June. Additionally, we have planned a range of social activities, including a welcome reception, an early-career researcher mixer and a conference dinner in the iconic BCEC Plaza Ballroom to give you a true Aussie-style experience.

Brisbane is the ideal opportunity for delegates to enjoy a microcosm of Australia’s iconic experiences. World heritage listed rainforests, amazing beaches, islands, wineries and the internationally famous Australia Zoo—home of the crocodile hunter—are all easily accessible within an hour of the city. You can even do day trips to the Barrier Reef from Brisbane.

On behalf of the Local Organising Committee and the Metabolomics Society Board we are excited to once again invite you to Metabolomics 2017—we are looking forward to welcoming you down under!

Prof. Melissa Fitzgerald, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences & Dr. Horst Joachim Schirra, Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

For more information, visit http://metabolomics2017.org/.

Please note: If you know of any metabolomics lectures, meetings, workshops, or training sessions that we should feature in future issues of this newsletter, please email Ian Forsythe (metabolomics.innovation@gmail.com).
Metabolomics Jobs

Metabolomics Jobs

This is a resource for advertising positions in metabolomics. If you have a job you would like posted in this newsletter, please email Ian Forsythe (metabolomics.innovation@gmail.com). Job postings will be carried for a maximum of four issues (eight weeks) unless the position is filled prior to that date.

Jobs Offered

Job Title Employer Location Posted Closes Source
Research Fellow in Mass Spectrometry Metabolomics - 55220
 University of Birmingham Birmingham, UK 26-Dec-2016 22-Jan-2017
 University of Birmingham
UCD Post-doctoral Research Fellow Level 2
 University College Dublin Dublin, Ireland
 22-Dec-2016 9-Jan-2017
 University College Dublin
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Metabolomics
 Lund University Diabetes Centre Malmö, Sweden 21-Dec-2016
Lund University Diabetes Centre
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (Bioinformatician/Biostatistician)
 Edith Cowan University Perth, Australia 3-Dec-2016 22-Jan-2017 Edith Cowan University
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (Biochemist/Analytical Chemist)
 Edith Cowan University Perth, Australia 3-Dec-2016 22-Jan-2017 Edith Cowan University
Field Application Specialist Metabolomics-Mass Spectrometry BIOCRATES Life Sciences AG East Coast, USA 25-Nov-2016
BIOCRATES Life Sciences AG
Postdoctoral Researcher in the functional metabolomics of immuno-metabolism
 Karolinska Institutet Stockholm, Sweden
 24-Nov-2016 31-Jan-2017 Karolinska Institutet
Postdoctoral Researcher in the functional metabolomics of lipid mediators in chronic respiratory disease
 Karolinska Institutet Stockholm, Sweden 14-Nov-2016 2-Jan-2017 Nature Jobs
PhD Project "Minimal invasive biomarkers for the personalized treatment of neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)"
 Health Research Institute of Hospital La Fe Valencia, Spain
 10-Nov-2016
La Caixa and the European Union; search for "Minimal invasive biomarkers for the personalized treatment of neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)"
Post-doctoral Fellow/Staff Scientist [Musculoskeletal Metabolomics]
 Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA 7-Nov-2016 Until filled Metabolomics Society


Jobs Wanted

This section is intended for very highly qualified individuals (e.g., lab managers, professors, directors, executives with extensive experience) who are seeking employment in metabolomics. We encourage these individuals to submit their position requests to Ian Forsythe (metabolomics.innovation@gmail.com). Upon review, a limited number of job submissions will be selected for publication in the Jobs Wanted section.
  • There are currently no positions being advertised.

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