Chronic Metabolic Disorders
Research Cluster

The Chronic Metabolic Disorders Cluster aims to understand the molecular mechanisms in the progression of metabolic diseases, such as Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes mellitus. We blend genomic, metabolomic, and proteomic methodologies to identify biomarkers and molecular signatures of health and disease with clinical approaches from the disciplines of Psychology and Mental Health to support the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for metabolic disorders across the life course.

Our aims

The expertise within the cluster is largely focused in the areas of hepatology, Type 2 Diabetes mellitus, Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. We have extensive expertise in genomics, epigenetics, metabolomics, and proteomic through mass spectrometry approaches, encompassed within the Facility for Omics Research in Metabolism (FORM).  
 
FORM provides international research for targeted and untargeted sequencing and LC-MS metabolic profiling. We have expertise in tandem LC-MS using state-of-the-art Xevo G2-XS QTof LC/MS-MS coupled with Waters ACQUITY UHPLC I-Class system, and targeted metabolomics is performed on a Xevo TQ-XS Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry using the ‘’gold standard’’ stable isotopic dilution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS). Within the genomics facility, we undertake untargeted sequencing using the third-generation sequencer from Oxford nanopore technology, with targeted sequencing of micro-RNA profiling, candidate gene analysis and DNA methylation analysis being measured and analysed on iSeq 100, SeqStudio, and PyroMarkQ48.

Together, we are experts in genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic profiling, and their application in the fields of health and nutrigenomics.

Research Cluster Lead

Image of Elizabeth Marsh
Dr Elizabeth Marsh

Elizabeth is an Associate Professor. She leads the Metabolic Disorders and Cancer Research Centre, teaches across our Undergraduate and Postgraduate Biosciences programmes, and supervises students in ...

Research Cluster Team

Our research

Investigating the role of metabolomics as markers of disease

Dr Jinit Masania, Lecturer in Biomedical Science and OMICS, investigates the role of metabolomics in the pathogenesis of metabolic and vascular diseases to identify health markers using mass spectrometry. Predominately he examines protein glycation and detoxification by the glyoxalase system via protein damage makers and amino acids. Dr Masania's research is split into three areas:

Dr Masania is part of a large-scale (£10 million) integrating research project funded by the European Commission through its Seventh Framework Programme. The BIOCLAIMS project attempts to identify new "biomarkers" for the effects of food and food components on health, in particular those of nutrigenomics and metabolomics that would contribute scientific bases for the reshaping of the European Legislation on "Health claims made on food". Jinit is an executive member of the Midlands Mass Spectrometry Group (MMSG), Royal Society of Chemistry (AMRSC), and the Covid-19 Mass Spectrometry Coalition. He currently holds a signal patent in biomarkers of urinary health screening.

Join us

If you are interested in our research and would like to find out more, would like to join our research cluster or are applying for a PhD in this research area, please contact Dr Elizabeth Marsh for more information.

Publications

  • Masania, J., Wijten, P., Keipert, S., Ost, M., Klaus, S., Rabbani, N., & Thornalley, P. J. (2023). Decreased methylglyoxal-mediated protein glycation in the healthy aging mouse model of ectopic expression of UCP1 in skeletal muscle. Redox biology, 59, 102574. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2022.102574   
  • Masania, J., Faustmann, G., Anwar, A., Hafner-Giessauf, H., Rajpoot, N., Grabher, J., Rajpoot, K., Tiran, B., Obermayer-Pietsch, B., Winklhofer-Roob, B. M., Roob, J. M., Rabbani, N., & Thornalley, P. J. (2019). Urinary Metabolomic Markers of Protein Glycation, Oxidation, and Nitration in Early-Stage Decline in Metabolic, Vascular, and Renal Health. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2019, 4851323. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4851323  
  • Wigington CP, Roy J, Damle NP, Yadav VK, Blikstad C, Resch E, Wong CJ, Mackay DR, Wang JT, Krystkowiak I, Bradburn DA, Tsekitsidou E, Hong SH, Kaderali MA, Xu SL, Stearns T, Gingras AC, Ullman KS, Ivarsson Y, Davey NE, Cyert MS. Systematic Discovery of Short Linear Motifs Decodes Calcineurin Phosphatase Signaling. Mol Cell. 2020 Jul 16;79(2):342-358.e12. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.06.029.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32645368/  
  • Geiszler, P.C., Ugun-Klusek, A., Lawler, K. et al. Dynamic metabolic patterns tracking neurodegeneration and gliosis following 26S proteasome dysfunction in mouse forebrain neurons. Sci Rep 8, 4833 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-23155-2 
  • Hudson C, Kimura TE, Duggirala A, Sala-Newby GB, Newby AC, Bond M. Dual Role of CREB in The Regulation of VSMC Proliferation: Mode of Activation Determines Pro- or Anti-Mitogenic Function. Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 20;8(1):4904. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-23199-4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5861041/   
  • Kermanizadeh A, Valli J, Sanchez K, Hutter S, Pawlowska A, Whyte G, Moritz W, Stone V. 2022. Particulate and drug induced toxicity assessed in novel quadruple cell human primary hepatic disease models of steatosis and pre-fibrotic NASH. Archives of Toxicology 96: 287-303 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34668024/   
  • Kermanizadeh A, Jacobsen NR, Mroczko A, Brown D, Stone V. 2022. Acute hazard assessment of silver nanoparticles following intratracheal instillation, oral and intravenous injection exposures. Nanotoxicology 15: 1295-1311 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35015612/
  • Zummo, F.P., Krishnanda, S.I., Georgiou, M., O’Harte, F.P.M., Parthsarathy, V., Cullen, K.S., Honkanen-Scott, M., Shaw, J.A.M., Lovat, P.E., and Arden, C. (2022) Exendin-4 stimulates autophagy in pancreatic β-cells via the RAPGEF/EPAC-Ca2+-PPP3/calcineurin-TFEB axis, Autophagy, 18:4, 799-815, DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2021.1956123