The Laboratory of Analytical Biochemistry (BCLAB) mission is to study novel bioanalytical approaches and apply them into metabolite research of insects and other important living organims. Unique analytical platforms developed by the BCLAB team cover the analysis of a comprehensive set of metabolites, from small molecules derived from organic and amino acids, amines, over nucleosides, nucleotides, lipids, steroids, sugars or their conjugates to peptide sequencing. In addition to the own bioanalytical projects, the research group participates in interdisciplinary research of the Biology Centre, where numerous research teams and associates profit from the developed analytical methodologies and the unique know-how of the bioanalytical group. The Department has acquired an extended accreditation of the University of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, Prague, for the M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs in biochemistry and organic chemistry.
Multicomplex analysis of low molecular weight substances of diagnostic value has been a challenge in current metabolite research. This approach is promissing to getting an overview of the metabolic status and global biochemical events associated with a cellular or biological system. Our research aims are focused on high-end sample preparation and separaration procedures enabling comprehensive profiling of diagnostic compounds in complex biological, industrial and environmental matrices. Design and investigation of novel haloformates and their implementation in rapid, fast and reproducible analytical protocols have result in a comprehensive portfolio of unique analytical methods for a wide range of compound classes involving polyols, lipids, amines, organic acids, small peptides and steroids. The developed analytical protocols have been integrated with a house-made Metabolite Mapper tool enabling automated peak detection, metabolite library searching, component matrix formation and data exports for further data mining and statistical processing.
