Breath Metabolomics

Summary

Our exhaled breath is made up of thousands of organic molecules that can be analyzed by secondary electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (SESI-MS). The concentration of these molecules in the breath is proportional to their concentration in the blood and therefore reflects metabolism. This can be used, for example, to detect degradation products of drugs, which enables research into pharmacokinetics. But it can also be used to detect the metabolites of bacteria in the lungs, which enables more precise administration of antiobiotics for pneumonia. I worked on this topic as part of Pablo Sinues’ group at the University Children’s Hospital in Basel. The aim was to further standardize the diagnostic method. I carried out experiments, collected metabolomics data, and analyzed them using MATLAB. In addition, I was also responsible for laboratory management, external communication, and interaction with patients (as I was the only German speaker in the group).