The role of the metabolism in complex disorders such as diabetes, kidney disease and cardiovascular conditions was explored by a leading biomedical researcher in the latest installment of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar’s (WCMC-Q) Grand Rounds.
Dr Karsten Suhre, professor of physiology and biophysics at WCMC-Q, explained that the role of genetic variance in human metabolism, which influences the ways in which diseases develop and means that different patients will react to drugs and environmental factors in
different ways.
Dr Suhre said, “Metabolomics is an extremely exciting field because it can provide us with a holistic view of how the entire metabolism of a person functions on an individual basis. Just as genomics is the study of the whole human genome, metabolomics is the study of the whole human metabolism.”
Using state-of-the-art computer technology, Dr Suhre and his team at WCMC-Q have been able to analyse blood and urine samples from patients to create so-called “metabolic maps” of the many thousands of chemical reactions that collectively form the human metabolome. Through analysis of genetic material, the team has been able to match genetic variance to metabolic processes that are thought to be responsible for a variety of diseases, including diabetes, kidney disease and
cardiovascular disorders.
Last year, Dr Suhre’s team worked with partners in Europe to create a comprehensive metabolic atlas identifying the genes that influence how the body keeps our blood levels of sugars, fats and amino acids in balance. Based on a study of 7,824 participants, the research identified 145 genes that have a significant effect on the body’s metabolic capacities and was published in the prestigious journal ‘Nature Genetics’.
The Grand Rounds, developed by WCMC-Q’s Division of Continuing Professional Development, provides a platform from which expert speakers can engage with healthcare professionals in the community to disseminate knowledge of the latest developments in medical technology, research and best
practice.
Dr Karsten Suhre speaking at WCMC-Q’s Grand Rounds.
