Alexis Ripoche
Alexis received his MSc in Analytical Chemistry in 2013 from the University of Nantes (France). During his studies, he focused on analytical chemistry including sample preparation, chromatographic separation, chemometrics and spectroscopic methods. His master’s research was carried out at the LABERCA, an internationally recognized laboratory in Nantes (France), well known for the quality of their developments in mass spectrometry-based analyses applied to food producing animals. He collaborated with the metabolomics/lipidomics group working on the development of a targeted method for the analysis of fatty acids in a range of biological samples. More precisely, he developed the efficient and robust analytical methodology based on gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This method was applied to the fatty acids profiling in serum samples (bovine and canine). Following his internship, he was hired by the laboratory as the assistant engineer for eighteen months. After spending several months in another unit of the laboratory, he was further recruited by the research unit until June 2015 on the research project involving metabolomics analysis. During this period, he carried out sample preparation, LC-MS fingerprinting and data analysis.
He started his PhD studentship and joined the Met-A-For project on October 1st2015. He is focused on the application of metabolomics to profile biological matrix responses to Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). His project aims to apply MS-based metabolomics techniques for the examination of biological effects resulting from in vivoexposure of animals to SARM compounds. An in vivo study in a rodent model will be used to extrapolate biological effects in mammalian species. Furthermore, untargeted metabolic profiling by liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to HRMS will be developed in order to investigate metabolome from biological matrices including biofluids and tissues. As well as targeted methods using gas (GC) and/or liquid chromatography coupled to HRMS or tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for the purpose of screening biological markers will be developed. Particular focus will be placed on the sample preparation of tissue including bones and muscles. Moreover, bioinformatics tools will be employed to facilitate testing of a sample on a high-throughput basis.