Bioanalytical Chemistry
Our diverse team of scientists is committed to strengthening the foundations of metabolomics and lipidomics research with the aim of improving its accessibility and value to basic science researchers, clinicians, epidemiologists and the broader public. "
Dr Matthew Lewis
Head of Section
The Section of Bioanalytical Chemistry develops and applies technologies, methods, techniques and tools to enable high fidelity measurement and analysis of the chemical composition of biological systems. Situated within the Division of Systems Medicine and serving the broader Faculty of Medicine, the group advances capabilities for fostering a deeper understanding of the mechanisms and impact of endogenous, microbial, and exposure-related metabolism.
The section houses the National Phenome Centre which serves as Imperial College London’s core resource for human health-focused metabolomics and a hub of analytical and data science proficiency within the UK. Bioanalytical Chemistry also supports the Molecular Phenomics programme of the Imperial Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) which aims to derive clinically actionable insight including diagnostics, therapies, and health monitoring potential from metabolomics and lipidomics data within a systems medicine context.
Nutrition
Key focuses
- Biological sample handling and preparation methods for clinical matrices
- Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for metabolic profiling and quantification
- Chromatographic separations of complex sample matrices
- Mass spectrometry for metabolic profiling and targeted quantification
- Molecular imaging for spatially resolved characterisation of tissue metabolite composition
- Data extraction methods and tools for high fidelity representation of spectrometric data
- Statistical analysis methods tools for the exploration of metabolic data
- Metabolite identification and de novo structure elucidation
- Education in key metabolomics technologies, methods, and data analysis approaches
Facilities and major programmes
- National Phenome Centre
- BRC Molecular Phenomics programme of the Imperial Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)
- MAP/UK
Training courses
Section leadership
Head of Bioanalytical Chemistry - Dr Matthew Lewis
As the Chief Operations Officer for the MRC-NIHR Phenome Centre (NPC), Clinical Phenotyping Centre (CPC), and the Director of Metabolic Profiling for the Division of Systems Medicine, I am responsible for operational management and oversight of all research collaborations from design to delivery, as well as the development and execution of analytical research strategies.
Meet the team
Maria Gomez Romero
Maria Gomez Romero
LC-MS platform lead
Elena Chekmeneva
Elena Chekmeneva
Metabolite Identification programme lead
Gonçalo Correia
Gonçalo Correia
Bioinformatician and study design specialist
Verena Horneffer-van der Sluis
Verena Horneffer-van der Sluis
Clinical applications lead
Beatriz Jimenez
Beatriz Jimenez
NMR platform lead
Caroline Sands
Caroline Sands
Sr. Bioinformatician
Panteleimon Takis
Panteleimon Takis
Bioinformatician and NMR data specialist