The Biotech Council for Establishment of Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology organised two days hands on training in “LC-MS approaches for Exploration of Nutraceuticals from Edible Plants” on November 07th &8th , 2024 at Centre for Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, TNAU, Coimbatore.

The participants includes faculty from TNAU, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Bharathiyar University, and research scholars from Vellore Institute of Technology and Rathinam college of Arts and Science research institutes across Tamil Nadu.

Dr. S. Mohankumar, Project Director (CoEB) and Professor, Biotechnology at CPMB&B, TNAU, welcomed the gathering. Dr. Senthil Natesan, Director of CoEB & CPMB&B, TNAU in his inaugural address highlighted the importance of metabolomics screening, quantification and analysis for compounds such as serotonin, curcumin, and para-coumaric acid. He discussed the sophisticated methodologies developed at CoEB, emphasizing their precision in quantification and sensitivity.

CPMB&B has a well-equipped bioinformatics platform for comprehensive data analysis, which students, industry professionals, and start-ups can effectively utilize he added. Dr. R. Umarani, Director of the Seed Centre at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, in her presidential address, discussed the variation in metabolite profiles between cultivated green and micro green.

She emphasized the significance of these metabolites in determining nutraceutical value and the role of LC-MS analysis in their precise quantification. Dr. K. Gurusamy, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, proposed the vote of thanks and expressed sincere gratitude to all the participants and organizers for this event.

The LCMS training covered explaining its core principles, components, and applications in nutraceuticals. Participants exposed sample preparation (extraction, filtration, concentration) and learned to operate LCMS instruments, perform calibrations, and inject samples. They gained skills in data acquisition and analysis using post-run software for compound profiling and peak identification.

Bioinformatics tools were used for structural and functional data interpretation. This comprehensive session equipped trainees with the necessary skills to handle LCMS instruments, prepare samples, and analyze data effectively in both nutraceutical and agricultural.