University of Leicester - Finding Novel Biomarkers for Heart Failure
University of Leicester
-
INDUSTRY
Life Science, Clinical
-
KEYWORD
biomarkers, metabolomics
-
INTRODUCTION SERVICE&PRODUCTS
LCMS-9030, LCMS-8060
Helen Jordan, PhD candidate at the University of Leicester. Shimadzu UK is the industrial partner for her MRC IMPACT CASE Awards PhD studentship with Prof. Toru Suzuki.
Hi, my name is Helen Jordan and I’m a second-year PhD student at the University of Leicester, working with Professor Toru Suzuki. My PhD is funded by the MRC in partnership with Shimadzu and is titled “Investigating Novel Metabolomic Biomarkers of Heart Failure”. Prior to the disruptions caused by Covid-19, I have visited the Shimadzu office in Milton Keynes and learnt first-hand about their LC-MS equipment.
As a research group, we investigate metabolomic biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases, especially heart failure. My PhD project involves both untargeted and targeted metabolomic studies. Firstly, I hope to gather data from untargeted studies using Shimadzu’s QTOF-9030. This will help me to identify potential metabolites of interest. A metabolite of interest will be any that is found to differ between a heart failure cohort and healthy cohort. Recently, the research group has moved from Glenfield Hospital to a new building on campus where we have access to a Shimadzu LCMS-8060. On the LCMS-8060, I will be able to carry out my targeted metabolomic studies, validating potential biomarkers of heart failure from untargeted studies in a clinical cohort. The success of the biomarker will be established based on its ability to correctly separate the heart failure cohort from the healthy cohort.
QTOF LCMS-9030
Ultimately, the aim of this project is to improve knowledge of diagnostic biomarkers. This will hopefully contribute to more accurate diagnosis in a clinical setting. When I was asked to name my favourite Shimadzu feature, I decided to name their Technical Support team Chris Titman and Christine Hinz. Besides sharing their wealth of knowledge, they have both offered a lot of support in what has been a difficult year to be a PhD student. They have filled me with confidence that we will produce quality data and eventually an entire thesis! I cannot thank them enough.
