Research Interests:
The research focus of the Beecher Laboratory is centered on the continued development of the science of Metabolomics. As the newest of the “Omics” sciences, establishing methods for higher sensitivity, resolution and reproducibility, and algorithms for data handling, and data generation are areas of ongoing exploration. In collaboration with the Michigan Metabolomics and Obesity Center, the Lab actively collaborates with a variety of researchers to find novel experimental systems that may benefit from a metabolomic analytical approach, and will provide new avenues for metabolomic exploration.
The Beecher recipe for a metabolomic platform is 1) a mass spec based analytical that is 2) well integrated into a 3) fully automated sample prep operation. A full integration requires a sample flow through the platform that is fully directed by a custom built LIMS system, and a second fully automated informatics system for processing information generated within the platform. Due to the high level of integration and automation one can put in place a relentless program for error reduction and improvement.
Brief Biography:
Dr. Beecher holds a B.A. in Anthropology (New York University), M.S. Biology (New York University), and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences / Natural products Chemistry (University of Connecticut). He began his research into the high-throughput chemical characterization of complex mixtures while on the faculty of the University of Illinois, College of Pharmacy (1985) where he held the position of Associate Professor. He was the editor of the NAPRALERT database from 1990 to 1998, Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Pharmacognosy, and served as a founding member of the Functional Foods Program of the University of Illinois.
In 1997, he was invited to continue this research in the laboratories of Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Ancile Pharmaceuticals. His focus shifted from secondary metabolism to primary metabolism with the establishment of the first Metabolomics platform in America at Paradigm Genetics from 2000 to 2002, and in 2003 founded of two Metabolomics-based companies; Metabolon, Inc. (A company that has focused platform technologies on human healthcare.) and Metabolic Analyses, Inc. (A company that has focused on the informatics issues associated with Metabolomics.) Dr. Beecher compiled the first human metabolome in 2002 at Metabolic Analyses, and has been working toward the integration of metabolomic, proteomic, transcriptomic and genomic data.
In addition to his primary appointment at the University of Michigan, Dr. Beecher serves as an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University, and is an Affiliate of the National Institute of Statistical Sciences. He holds many patents and publications in the areas of Metabolomics and Natural Products chemistry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
