Molecular Phenotyping Core

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Abstract/Summary - MPC The Molecular Phenotyping Core will provide analytical tools to the MNORC investigators to elucidate molecular mechanisms of disease relevant to obesity and nutritional disorders including structural identification and quantification of metabolites, perform functional metabolic studies and integrate multi-omic datasets to provide biological context. These include identifying unknown metabolites, developing new methods for targeted metabolomics in a range of biological matrices, validating new biological response indicators and providing biological context to diverse metabolomic measurements by providing bioinformatics analysis and developing new bioinformatics tools. In addition to providing instrumental infrastructure, the Core staff will provide consultation and collaboration to apply metabolomics and data analytical platforms in nutrition and obesity research. The Molecular Phenotyping Core will optimize the efficiency and cost-effectiveness by providing these services to MNORC investigators through a centralized laboratory. In the past five years the core has provided standardized analytical techniques for the analysis of small molecule metabolites such as amino acid, lipid and nucleic acid metabolites in samples from murine, rodent and human tissues, plasma, and urine, and cultured cells. New offerings have included novel untargeted metabolomics platforms, metabolic flux analysis and data interrogation and bioinformatics tools which will enhance the infrastructure available for the MNORC investigators. Emphasis will also be placed on fulfilling the needs of Investigators of the MNORC who will gain maximum benefit from the power of molecular analysis. We are particularly interested in addressing three areas of need: first, applying the unique sensitivity and specificity of molecular Phenotyping techniques to broaden understanding of nutritional disorders ; second, the development of innovative techniques for the detection and structural elucidation of nutrition-related biomolecules; third, provide data integration and bioinformatic tools relevant to metabolomics studies; and fourt, providing training for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with an interest in nutrition research. By centralizing and standardizing procedures, the Core provides a common set of analytical tools that will lead to a unified understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in physiologic and pathophysiologic processes underlying obesity and other nutrition related disorders.