Dr Manfred Beckmann

PhD

Dr Manfred Beckmann

Lecturer

Department of Life Sciences

Contact Details

Profile

Dr Beckmann obtained his doctorate in analytical chemistry at the C.v.O. University Oldenburg, Germany, on the identification of pheromones in marine polychaetes. Since then he has contributed as a marine chemical ecologist to the understanding of chemical communication and antifouling (HKUST, Hongkong), to measure and estimate production of green house gases in wetlands (Cardiff University) and to the investigatigation of metabolic changes in GM-crops, during host-pathogen interactions and dietary effects on mammalian biofluids (Aberystwyth).

He is now a research lecturer and Metabolomics Champion in the High Resolution Metabolomics Laboratory at Aberystwyth University. His research interests are in high through-put ultra-high resolution Metabolomics of difficult matrices and 'real world samples'.

Research

Current research activities focus on Metabolomics: the non-targeted and comprehensive analysis of all metabolites in biological material detecting unforeseen metabolic changes.

Metabolomics is the sum of a well designed and performed experiment, sampling strategies, sample preparation, instrumental analysis, raw data conversion, signal processing, data analysis, and data interpretation.
The outcome of a Metabolomics experiment and interpretability of data very much depend on all members of a skilled team and their tools. In order to minimize sources of variability and bias, robust methods and protocols have been developed in a team effort orchestrated by Prof. John Draper at IBERS over the last 15 years, and are the subject of future activities.

As an analytical chemist I am interested in maximising the information content of Metabolomics data through signal processing and data mining, metabolite identification and characterisation of unknown signals. I am responsible for the functionality of the IBERS High Resolution Metabolomics Laboratory and concerned with method development and optimisation of the following Metabolomics techniques:

  • High through-put ultra-high resolution Flow Infusion Electrospray Mass Spectrometry (FIE-MS)
  • High through-put ultra-high resolution LC-MS
  • High through-put GC-tof-MS
  • Metabolite targeted analysis and quantification.

I am particularly interested in applying Metabolomics methodologies to study the effect of diet on urinary and plasma metabolome and resulting changes in physiology. In collaboration with clinical/veterinary institutions in academia and industry, we are currently determining dietary exposure and individual responses to diet constituents in humans and domesticated animals. A key mission is the search for biomarkers of 'health and wellbeing'.

Research Groups

  • Diet and Health

Publications

Castellano-Escuder, P, González-Domínguez, R, Vaillant, MF, Casas-Agustench, P, Hidalgo-Liberona, N, Estanyol-Torres, N, Wilson, T, Beckmann, M, Lloyd, AJ, Oberli, M, Moinard, C, Pison, C, Borel, JC, Joyeux-Faure, M, Sicard, M, Artemova, S, Terrisse, H, Dancer, P, Draper, J, Sánchez-Pla, A & Andres-Lacueva, C 2022, 'Assessing Adherence to Healthy Dietary Habits Through the Urinary Food Metabolome: Results From a European Two-Center Study', Frontiers in Nutrition, vol. 9, 880770. 10.3389/fnut.2022.880770
Taylor, EN, Han, J, Fan, C, Beckmann, M, Hewinson, G, Rooke, D, Koets, AP & Mur, LAJ 2022, 'Defining Fatty Acid Changes Linked to Rumen Development, Weaning and Growth in Holstein-Friesian Heifers', Metabolites, vol. 12, no. 5, 374. 10.3390/metabo12050374
Yadav, CB, Gangashetty, P, Beckmann, M, Mur, L & Yadav, R 2022, 'Genotype-by-Environment Interaction Analysis of Metabolites in Pearl Millet Genotypes with High Concentrations of Slowly Digestible and Resistant Starch in Their Grains', Cells, vol. 11, no. 19, 3109. 10.3390/cells11193109
Taylor, E, Beckmann, M, Markey, BK, Gordon, SV, Hewinson, G, Rooke, D & Mur, L 2022, 'Metabolomic changes in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) challenged Holstein–Friesian cattle highlight the role of serum amino acids as indicators of immune system activation', Metabolomics, vol. 18, no. 4, 21. 10.1007/s11306-022-01876-w
Taylor, EN, Beckmann, M, Hewinson, G, Rooke, D, Sinclair, LA & Mur, LAJ 2022, 'Metabolomic changes in lactating multiparous naturally MAP-infected Holstein-Friesian dairy cows suggest changes in mitochondrial energy pathways', Research in Veterinary Science, vol. 152, pp. 354-363. 10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.09.001
More publications on the Research Portal