Metabolism Expertise Centre
We use state-of-the-art mass spectrometry to identify and quantify small-molecule metabolites in biological systems.
The Utrecht Metabolism Expertise Center (MEC) specialises in cellular metabolomics. We use state-of-the-art mass spectrometry to identify and quantify small-molecule metabolites in biological systems. These metabolites are part of a complex network of biochemical reactions and are highly affected by genetic or environmental changes (e.g. disease, drug treatment). At MEC, it is our mission to translate metabolite measurements into meaningful insights into the biological system at hand.
MEC鈥檚 expertise is in targeted and untargeted metabolomics and in fluxomics. Fluxomics experiments use stable-isotope labeled substrates and allow for measuring pathway activities, thereby providing a highly dynamic understanding of cellular metabolism.
Being affiliated to the Metabolomics group at Utrecht University, MEC has significant experience in the fields of onco-metabolomics, immuno-metabolomics, and drug resistance and mode of action. In addition, MEC has built experience in a broad range of model systems, organisms, and sample types, also outside these fields. Because metabolites are involved in many cellular processes, metabolomics can also help to verify data from other -omics platforms (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics).
Services
MEC offers full metabolomics support, from experimental design to data interpretation. Our service involves the high-quality measurements of metabolites in different sample types (e.g. cells, tissues, body fluids). With our extensive experience in metabolomics, we also provide advice on experimental setup, perform data analysis and visualisation and support with data interpretation. Our close collaboration with the lipidomics facility makes it possible to combine metabolomics with lipidomics, to maximise the coverage of metabolites.
Contact
dr. Esther A. Zaal
e.a.zaal@uu.nl