Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Technology Selected by the Medical Research Council for Groundbreaking Metabolomics and Lipidomics Research

These systems leverage proprietary Thermo Scientific Orbitrap mass-analyzer technology, the recognized standard for accurate mass and high-resolution measurement, to provide precise and reliable information. The MRC is using Orbitrap™ technology for high-throughput and high-performance metabolomic and lipidomic profiling that has not been possible using traditional mass spectrometry instrumentation.

The Bioanalytical Sciences division at HNR, led by Professor Dietrich Volmer, is a center of excellence for developing innovative approaches to measure biomarkers for processes such as insulin resistance, energy expenditure and the availability of dietary nutrients within the body. The division uses modern biochemical and mass spectrometry techniques to conduct research aimed at identifying biomarkers for diagnosing and detecting the progress of nutrition-related human diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Professor Volmer’s goal is to build a unique population-based lipidomics platform allowing the application of studies of 10,000 or more samples. This platform will be used to establish biomarkers of nutritional intake, health and disease. For the MRC, a solution that offered high resolution and enhanced sensitivity was imperative to enable the development of its groundbreaking lipidomics platform.

Professor Volmer, head of Bioanalytical Sciences at MRC HNR and Dr. Albert Koulman, senior research scientist in the Bioanalytical Sciences division comment: “We are delighted that our unit will feature cutting-edge technology dedicated to lipidomic research. Our primary focus will be on the development of high-throughput lipidomic profiling methods, but we also have the facilities to analyze specific lipids in large sample sets. The Orbitrap instruments are very reliable and maintenance-free while providing the high resolution and sensitivity that is essential to our research.”