(81d) Metabolomics-Guided Discovery of Metabolic Design Principles and Engineering Strategies

Metabolism is a complex network of biochemical reactions. Metabolism fuels all living organisms and plays a major role in the global carbon cycle. The past decade has witnessed the emergence of metabolomics as an essential tool for determination of the metabolic states of widely divergent organisms. The advancement and wide adoption of analytical tools such as mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy enabled comprehensive and sensitive quantitation of metabolites. However, a gap remains between metabolite measurement and rational engineering of metabolism. My lab aims to bridge the gap. Using state-of-the-art mass spectrometry, isotope tracing, and quantitative flux modeling, we uncover metabolic design principles and apply fundamental understanding to address challenges in energy and medicine. In this talk, I will highlight our recent investigation into central carbon metabolism and demonstrate how it can be tamed for successful application in biotechnology.