Metabolomics and Lipidomics applications in the context of immune and cancer cells metabolism

Abstract

This thesis exemplifies the application of metabolomics as a tool for the scientific exploration of molecules aimed at unravelling molecular mechanisms involved in cellular processes shaping biological phenotypes. Such approaches are already enabling us to identify molecular targets tailored to clinical applications serving as diagnostic markers as well as the identification of novel patho-physiologies and disease relevant mechanisms. The thesis is divided into five research chapters (chapters 2-6) in which different analytical technologies were used to explore metabolic alterations, i.e., liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS), differential mobility spectroscopy (DMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). To explore the applicability of metabolomics analysis as an important tool in patho-physiological research, I applied these different technologies in diverse experimental frameworks, as for example different in vitro and in vivo models, intervention studies, and the combination of multi-omics data.