Surgical Metabonomics

Within the Faculty of Medicine, researchers in Biomolecular Medicine are looking to apply metabonomics in a clinical setting to provide real-time diagnostics, and to inform clinicians on metabolic status where microbial interactions with human metabolism may significantly influence surgical outcomes (e.g. sepsis, bariatric surgery).

As part of these wider strategies to integrate metabonomics directly with surgical support, Biomolecular Medicine have been involved in the installation of a NMR spectrometer facility in a clinical setting within Imperial College Healthcare Trust. The platform will rapidly provide surgeons with profile data to augment other real-time measurements to improve surgical outcomes. Metabolites in this context will provide strong indicators on numerous conditions – from tissue perfusion to microbial influence - with the aim of improving surgical success, patient recovery, and reducing resources requirements for operations.

The news of this collaborative venture was recently reported in Nature.

Key Recent Publications

Kinross J, von Roon AC, Penney N, Holmes E, Silk D, Nicholson JK, Darzi A. 2009. The gut microbiota as a target for improved surgical outcome and improved patient care. Curr Pharm Des 15(13):1537-45.

Kinross J, Warren O, Basson S, Holmes E, Silk D, Darzi A, Nicholson JK. 2009. Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury: defining the role of the gut microbiome. Biomark Med 3(2):175-92.

Wilson ID, Nicholson JK. 2009. The role of gut microbiota in drug response. Curr Pharm Des 15(13):1519-23.

Kinross JM, von Roon AC, Holmes E, Darzi A, Nicholson JK. 2008. The human gut microbiome: implications for future health care. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 10(4):396-403.

Wang Y, Cloarec O, Tang H, Lindon JC, Holmes E, Kochhar S, Nicholson JK. 2008. Magic angle spinning NMR and 1H-31P heteronuclear statistical total correlation spectroscopy of intact human gut biopsies. Anal Chem 80(4):1058-66.