NMR SPECTROSCOPY

HR-MAS NMR based metabonomic studies of food stuff and tissue samples

(M. Vermathen)

By means of High Resolution-Magic Angle Spinning (HR-MAS) NMR spectroscopy the chemical profile of complex mixtures from semi-solid materials like food stuff or tissue samples can be directly measured. In combination with multivariate statistical analysis (“metabonomics” or “metabolomics”) differentiation between groups may be obtained based on their molecular fingerprint. The feasibility of HR-MAS application to apples was shown and the impact of different production systems and storage conditions are being studied. Further projects in collaboration with the Inselspital and Vetsuisse focus on the metabolic profiles of human muscle biopsies and sheep brain samples for identifying biomarkers and metabolic alterations induced by drug intervention or disease.