Biomolecular Medicine
This is an exciting time for metabolomics and lipidomics as we move approaches out of the lab into the clinic to better define patient groups, understand disease at the population level and even begin to understand how diseases arise at the single-cell level."
Professor Julian Griffin
Head of Section
Biomolecular Medicine combines expertise in -omic technology, particularly world-class expertise and resources in metabolic profiling, with computational systems approaches to understand how metabolic perturbations influence disease. The metabolome, the entire complement of metabolites in a biofluid, cell or tissue, is particularly sensitive to disease processes, as well as interactions with diet, host-microbiome, pharmacological intervention and the environment (also termed the exposome). We have developed and applied a wide range of analytical tools for profiling metabolites, lipids and peptides in biofluids and tissues both in healthy individuals and in patient populations, particularly using NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. These metabolic profiles have been associated with various human diseases, and we have modelled these changes in animal and cell systems to better define the mechanisms responsible for pathology, as well as using these approaches for precision medicine to target the right patient groups for treatment.
The section has particular interests in the use of metabolic profiling and systems medicine to understand the metabolic syndrome, drug toxicity and various forms of cancer, and has been instrumental in defining how diet and the gut microbiome interacts with many of these disease processes.
Biomolecular Medicine
Key studies and research groups
- National Phenome Centre
- Microbiome Network @ Imperial
- Imperial Flux Network
- STRATiGRAD
Short Courses
Section leadership
Head of Biomolecular Medicine - Professor Julian Griffin
Prof Griffin's research focus is on the use of high-resolution mass spectrometry to measure lipids in biofluids and tissue extracts in order to better understand the causes and consequences of type 2 diabetes and obesity (sometimes collectively referred to as the Metabolic Syndrome).
Research group leads
Dr Toby Athersuch

Dr Toby Athersuch
Senior Lecturer in Environmental Toxicology
Professor Josephine Bunch

Professor Josephine Bunch
Chair in Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry
Dr Jake Bundy

Dr Jake Bundy
Senior Lecturer
Professor Naomi Chayen

Professor Naomi Chayen
Professor of Biomedical Sciences
Dr Muireann Coen

Dr Muireann Coen
Senior Lecturer
Professor Marc-Emmanuel Dumas

Professor Marc-Emmanuel Dumas
Chair in Systems Medicine
Professor Nigel Gooderham

Professor Nigel Gooderham
Professor of Molecular Toxicology
Professor Julian Griffin

Professor Julian Griffin
Chair in Biological Chemistry
Professor Hector Keun

Professor Hector Keun
Professor of Biochemistry
Professor Zoltan Takats

Professor Zoltan Takats
Professor of Analytical Chemistry
Dr Elizabeth Want

Dr Elizabeth Want
Senior Lecturer