Investigating human metabolome in infectious disease, microbiota and cancer

My research activities focused on the use of metabolomics methods to study diseases. GCxGC-TOFMS was used to analyze plasma, serum, feces, and tissues to characterize their metabolome and biochemistry. The effect of SARS-CoV-2 on human metabolome was investigated. At first, a metabolomic studies was performed on plasma samples. The objective was to identify molecules and pathways associated with the host response to SARS-CoV-2. The analysis revealed a significant alteration in the metabolome composition in infected patients and some potential biomarker and pathways involved in the disease. Then a metabolomic study was carried out on EBC from COVID-19 patients. The study aims to develop new non-invasive diagnostic tools. The results underlined a metabolomic signature linked with COVID-19 infection and some potential diagnostic markers. The last study performed on this infection studied the metabolic phenotype that may protect or predispose individuals from SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim was to identify molecules associated with predisposition and protection against the virus. The results outlined a set of potentially protective metabolites. The development and validation of a new double extraction methods for feces, adenomatous polyp’s surfaces, and cancer tissues was performed. The first method concern fecal samples, and was used to investigate the impact of a Mediterranean Diet intervention on the gut microbiota of pediatric obese patients. The outcomes show an alteration of metabolites related to the consumption of healthier food. Then the second method aim to study microbiota-produced small molecules on adenomatous polyps surface. Metabolomics results showed that the aggressiveness grade of cancer was related to the abundances of some SCFA. Finally, a method to investigate the biochemistry of sarcoma cancer through the analysis of cancer and healthy tissues from patients was developed. The results showed different metabolic signature related with sarcoma.