Introduction

5^th Metabolomics Sardinian Scientific School

“Metabolomics in Cancer Biomarkers and Therapy: Promise and Future”

9^th – 13^th september 2019

Sardegna Ricerche, Building 2, Sardinia Technology Park,  Pula, Italy

Nowadays, metabolomics is a well-established -omics science. This systematic study of metabolites is approaching new challenges (e.g. multilevel analysis, batch correction, pathway analysis) plus the need of being integrated with other –omics. In spite of been all -omics part of a system biology approach,  the results are often treated in an individual contest.
While the genetic basis of cancer has dominated the study of tumors until recently, altered metabolism has recently been recognized as a hallmark of cancer and research focused on metabolism has received renewed attention. The emerging sector of metabolomics is now used to analyze cancer metabolism. While it is true that a large part of the metabolomics approach to cancer focuses on the discovery of diagnostic biomarkers, the same approach can also be used to obtain more information on the pathogenesis of cancer to identify new therapeutic targets. Applications of metabolomics are also emerging in areas such as tumor staging and evaluation of treatment efficacy.

The future frontiers of cancer metabolomics research offer great promise, albeit with significant challenges. The objective of the School will be to provide students with the tools to make the best use of metabolomics in the oncological area, and more. In particular, the most updated and appropriate analytical and statistical techniques in the metabolomics field will be presented, and the role of metabolism and metabolic reprogramming in the tumor cell as a possible therapeutic target will be discussed.

This 5th Scientific School on Metabolomics in Sardinia is targeted to researchers and graduates from Biological Sciences, Health Sciences and other different background (including Bioinformatics and Mathematics) who are interested in learning about both technical and cheminformatics tools to integrate metabolomics data. The duration of the Scientific School will be 5 days and will be held in English. During the Scientific School, teachers and students can reside in a single structure near the Science Park, in order to favor the interaction and future national and international collaborations.

The Scientific School will offer to the student theoretical sessions. The sessions will focus on topics such as analytical approaches in metabolomics, and presentations on the state of the art related to the role of metabolism in the neoplastic cell and to the possibility of using metabolic alterations as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in oncology. Furthermore, a component of practical laboratory activities related to the use of the most common metabolomics matrices (NMR and MS) and to statistical analysis with specific techniques will be included to give them the opportunity to try new technologies under the guidance of expert mentors. For the realization of these laboratory sessions specific software will be used to which the students will have access on their PCs. In addition, students will have the opportunity to learn some of the techniques and technologies available to record and share the procedures used and the results obtained and discuss the data generated by them.

The program will be structured to divide the days between lessons and practical sessions.

Below is a list of planned topics:

• Analytical approaches in metabolomics: MS and NMR
• Metabolite identification
• Data analysis and integration with omics
• Metabolic reprogramming and vulnerability of tumours
• Oncogenes, oncometabolites, and tumour metabolism
• Metabolomics for discovery of new cancer drugs