Project objectives

The field of Metabolomics, and Lipidomics in particular, is on the verge of a precipitous development due to the fact that techniques from Genomics and Proteomics can now be applied to these fields as well. The consortium will set up a virtual European Interest Group. The primary aim is to mobilize and organize key stakeholders, researchers and end-users in the area of Metabolomics, especially Lipidomics research and to further define this field of research in terms of participants, scientific contents and strengths. Five objectives have been set to reach this larger goal:

Objective 1:

To network the field of Metabolomics and to seek alliances with relevant stakeholders

The consortium will network and position the field of Lipidomics. Other areas of Metabolomics research like Glycomics and Signallomics (signalling lipids, lipid hormones) will be involved in all activities. Researchers, stakeholders from the health care profession and from industry with special emphasis on SMEs will be invited to join ELIfe activities at the earliest possible stage, the kick-off meeting after 2 months and the technology workshop after 5 months. Three meetings will be used to advertise the ELIfe issues to relevant parties. (1)Young scientists will be activated through a Lipidomics symposium at the annual meeting of ELSO (European Life Scientist Organization; Partner 3) in September 2005 and September 2006. (2) A similar symposium at the 26th meeting of the International Society for Fat Research in Prague, September 2005, co-organized by the European Federation for the Science and Technology of Lipids (Euro Fed Lipid; Partner 12), will be directed especially at potential industrial stakeholders, and (3) at the ICBL (International Conference on the Bioscience of Lipids) in September 2006 (Pécs, Hungary) Partners 2 and 12 will organize a Lipidomics session for the European lipid biochemists. Work Package 1 (Networking).

Objective 2:

To link the field of Metabolomics to the genomics and proteomics initiatives.

One special challenge is to adapt bio-informatics as devised for Genomics and Proteomics to the field of Metabolomics. From the choice of the technology to be used, we will define the type of bio-informatics approaches that are necessary to deal with the large body of data  expected from Lipidomics and in a wider sense Metabolomics. Representatives of Genomics and Proteomics will join ELIfe policy meetings. Work Package 1.

Objective 3:

To define a strategy for Metabolomics research, using Lipidomics as an example.

The field of Lipidomics has been subdivided into three areas of development: Lipidomics and

i) Technology, ii) Cell Biology, and iii) Health. Experts on these areas are joined in this proposal and workshops will be organised to define where these areas stand to gain most from a European collaboration and what direction of research is most likely to bring breakthroughs. The topic of lipid rafts will be taken as a theoretical testcase to define the kinds of experimental data that can be generated by high-throughput approaches in this field, and to determine how these data sets could be most useful for medical application. Work Package 1 and 2 (2: Lipidomics Expertise Platform).

Objective 4:

To initiate an Expertise Platform on Lipidomics

As a first step to fully mobilize the field, an awareness of the strength and expertise will be created. Via a survey of expertise, which will be published on the web and via a specific workshop on Lipidomics and technology, a virtual Expertise Platform will be initiated and linked to the Euro Fed Lipids organization. It will a test centre for bench marking of new Lipidomics technology. Work Package 2.

Objective 5:

To hold both science-related as well as policy meetings

A series of scientific and strategic meetings will be organised. Three workshops will discuss technology and terminology, science and medical applicability of Metabolomics and Lipidomics. A networking meeting and an applications meeting will join academic scientists across the Life Sciences, clinical laboratory scientists, industrial representatives and clinicians. A final conference will be open to policy makers as well as the above mentioned representatives, and specific round tables will be organized for this purpose. This final conference will explore the border areas of Lipidomics and identify areas with the potential of being developed by combined approaches from the fields of Genomics, Proteomics, and Metabolomics. Work Package 1 and 3 (3:Applications of Lipidomics).