Molecular networking and multi-omics integration of lipidomics, metabolomics and metallomics data in COVID-19-associated acute kidney injury

• Grant number: 24/17170-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Alessandra Sussulini
• Grantee: Patrick Cesar Ferreira
• Supervisor: Pieter C Dorrestein
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 21/14599-8 - Lipidomics evaluation of the plasma of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and its relationship with the development of kidney damage, BP.DR

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has led to severe health crises beyond respiratory issues, with acute kidney injury (AKI) being a prominent complication affecting over 20% of hospitalized patients. This condition is especially severe in intensive care units, increasing the risk of chronic kidney disease and mortality. Despite the significant impact, the mechanisms behind COVID-19-associated AKI remain poorly understood and are likely multifactorial, including direct viral damage, cytokine storm, and immune dysregulation. This project, supervised by Prof. Dr. Pieter C. Dorrestein, aims to address these knowledge gaps through a multi-omics approach integrating lipidomics, metabolomics, and metallomics. By applying advanced molecular networking techniques provided by the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) platform, we will improve the annotation of metabolites and lipids, which is a critical challenge in untargeted mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and lipidomics. The integration of these diverse data types will offer a comprehensive view of the biochemical changes associated with COVID-19 and AKI, revealing detailed biochemical signatures and mechanisms. This approach promises to enhance our understanding of the disrupted pathways, identify novel biomarkers, and uncover potential therapeutic targets, ultimately improving diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for these severe conditions.