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Supporting revolutionary discoveries
Metabolomics, the study of small molecules, is poised to revolutionise fields like personalised medicine, nutrition, and environmental monitoring. This rapidly growing field will be central to future scientific breakthroughs. Fusing metabolomics with other advanced research methodologies will help uncover the intricate regulatory networks that govern metabolic processes, with implications for the discovery of new therapeutic targets, biomarkers, and health.
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Group Leader: Gwenaelle Le Gall
View my online research profileI am a lecturer specialising in Nutritional Metabolomics and Lipidomics, with expertise in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based techniques, as well as gut microbiome metabolite identification. I earned my MSc in Organic Chemistry from the University of Nantes in France and completed my PhD in 2001 at the University of East Anglia, focusing on food authentication using proton NMR and multivariate statistics. Following my PhD, I held postdoctoral positions at the Quadram Institute (formerly the Institute of Food Research) on food authentication, spent a sabbatical year in 2009 exploring nutritional imprinting, and subsequently managed a Metabolomics-focused laboratory for 8 years. I joined UEA in 2018.
Postgraduate Opportunities
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss potential PhD opportunities.
The DeSignA study
The DESIGNA study, led by Prof. McGregor and funded by Versus Arthritis, explores how diet can prevent arthritis and influence its progression. This research is of great interest to both patients and the public, as dietary changes are seen as a practical way to manage the condition. The Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR) has tracked individuals for over 30 years, monitoring the development of arthritis. Blood samples collected over time are being analysed for metabolic patterns that may predict rheumatoid arthritis (RA) progression. Over 200 metabolites are being analysed in more than 300 samples. By including dietary data before disease onset, the study aims to identify how diet could reduce the risk of RA onset and progression.
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Gut microbe metabolutes and cognitive health
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is used to measure metabolites in serum from three groups of individuals to assess the gut microbiome’s influence on levels of tryptophan, its derivatives, bile acids, and two choline-related metabolites (trimethylamine and trimethylamine oxide). Remarkably, We recently found that some metabolites are significantly linked to preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease factors. Neuroprotective metabolites like choline, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, and indole-3-propionic acid were found at lower levels in individuals with mild cognitive impairment compared to controls, while the cytotoxic metabolite indoxyl sulfate was elevated. Future research could explore the impact of chronic consumption of flavonoid- and fibre-rich foods on the gut microbiome and these metabolites.
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Feacal Microbiota Transplant and metabolites
This study examined changes in the microbiota composition and metabolic profiles of seven patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI) after faecal microbiota transplant (FMT). Post-FMT, patients’ microbiota shifted towards the donor’s profile, with increased levels of faecal short-chain fatty acids and other metabolic changes. Responses varied between patients, with significant differences observed in microbiota composition and metabolic profiles between donors and rCDI patients. These differences were largely resolved post-FMT, with metabolomics offering key insights into the microbiome’s function.
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Our recent publications
Connell, E., Sami, S., Khondoker, M., Minihane, A.M., Pontifex, M.G., Müller, M., McArthur, S., Gall, G.L. and Vauzour, D., 2024. Circulatory dietary and gut-derived metabolites predict preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. medRxiv, pp.2024-05.
Lopez-Tello, J., Schofield, Z., Kiu, R., Dalby, M.J., van Sinderen, D., Le Gall, G., Sferruzzi-Perri, A.N. and Hall, L.J., 2022. Maternal gut microbiota Bifidobacterium promotes placental morphogenesis, nutrient transport and fetal growth in mice. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 79(7), p.386.
Le Gall, G., Guttula, K., Kellingray, L., Tett, A.J., Ten Hoopen, R., Kemsley, K.E., Savva, G.M., Ibrahim, A. and Narbad, A., 2018. Metabolite quantification of faecal extracts from colorectal cancer patients and healthy controls. Oncotarget, 9(70), p.33278.
Kellingray, L., Le Gall, G., Defernez, M., Beales, I.L., Franslem-Elumogo, N. and Narbad, A., 2018. Microbial taxonomic and metabolic alterations during faecal microbiota transplantation to treat Clostridium difficile infection. Journal of Infection, 77(2), pp.107-118.
Ostertag, L.M., Philo, M., Colquhoun, I.J., Tapp, H.S., Saha, S., Duthie, G.G., Kemsley, E.K., de Roos, B., Kroon, P.A. and Le Gall, G.*, 2017. Acute consumption of flavan-3-ol-enriched dark chocolate affects human endogenous metabolism. Journal of proteome research, 16(7), pp.2516-2526.