SciLifeLab Exposome-Metabolome Interaction Pilot Study Grants
The SciLifeLab Metabolomics Platform has opened a national call to support pilot research projects in the area of exposome-metabolome interactions. They envision supporting up to two laboratory or observational studies that are aimed at understanding associations between environmental chemical exposures and the metabolome. This molecular interface can be explored experimentally using high-resolution mass spectrometry-based exposomics at SciLifeLab, and is an emerging approach for discovering the non-genetic drivers of health and disease.
Supported projects will receive credit to analyze samples at the National Facility for Exposomics in collaboration with the Swedish Metabolomics Centre, thereby enabling comprehensive molecular annotation or quantification for a broad range of small molecule environmental chemicals (e.g. dietary substances or environmental contaminants) and endogenous metabolites in tissues, cells or biofluid. The approaches may involve targeted and/or untargeted mass-spectrometry methods.
Researchers from Swedish universities or public research institutions are invited to apply by submitting a short application describing the project background and scope (see Application Form). Projects will be evaluated on the basis of scientific quality and feasibility. The application should detail the study size, including experimental design and cohort, total number of samples, and sample type (e.g. biofluids and/or tissues, whether raw or pre-extracted, etc.). The main applicant should also include their full CV with the application. The selected project will be provided funding to support the analysis of 50-100 samples at no cost. Larger projects may also be supported if additional funding sources are already available or imminent. Larger projects may also qualify for bioinformatics modelling and deeper omics-level data integration. Selection of successful proposals will be based on scientific quality, project feasibility, and a project scope matching the aims of the call.
Use the link below to apply no later than May 15, 2022 at 17:00
Application form
For questions, please contact Stefano Papazian (Head of Unit) National Facility for Exposomics, stefano.papazian@scilifelab.se
Image: Stefano Papazian. Sources: https://bioicons.com/
Further reading about the science behind Exposomics and Metabolomics:
The exposome and health: Where chemistry meets biology. Vermeulen et al. (2020), Science, 367(6476): 392-396
High-resolution metabolomics of occupational exposure to trichloroethylene. Walker et al. (2016), Int J Epidemiol 45, 1517–1527.
From cohorts to molecules: Adverse impacts of endocrine disrupting mixtures. Caporale et al. (2022), Science, 375(6582):eabe8244.
Molecular Gatekeeper Discovery: Workflow for Linking Multiple Exposure Biomarkers to Metabolomics. Yu et al. (2022), Env Sci & Tech
