Research team
Forensic thanatometabolomics of the vitreous humour: characterizing an alternative matrix in forensic science to investigate the cause of death (FORTHAVIT).
Abstract
Forensic science and medicine currently rely on forensic autopsies and traditional chemical/toxicological analyses to establish the cause of death of unnatural, suspicious, and unexpected deaths. However, identifying a cause of death still comes with substantial challenges due to non-specific findings during autopsies and large interindividual variability in the results of performed chemical/toxicological analyses. Therefore, there is a clear need for innovative methods that enable a more objective determination of the cause of death in forensic medicine. FORTHAVIT aims to investigate the potential of applying metabolomics approaches to post-mortem vitreous humour to gather complementary and more detailed information on the cause of death in a forensic context. Initially, an untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic multi-analytical platform will be optimized, developed, and tailored for vitreous humour using cutting-edge instrumentation. Subsequently, the global endogenous composition of the human post-mortem vitreous humour metabolome will be characterized in its entirety, resulting in a "vitreous humour metabolome atlas". Finally, alterations in the metabolome of post-mortem vitreous humour samples from selected causes of death (CO-intoxication, drowning and alcohol intoxication) will be investigated to evaluate, for the first time, the diagnostic value of post-mortem vitreous humour metabolomics for more accurate cause of death determination in forensic investigations.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: van Nuijs Alexander
- Co-promoter: Gys Celine
- Fellow: Jacobs Leen
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project
Vitreous humour thanatometabolomics: in-depth metabolome profiling of an alternative matrix in post-mortem forensic medicine to aid in establishing the cause of death (VITHAMET)
Abstract
Forensic science and medicine currently rely on forensic autopsies and traditional chemical/toxicological analyses to establish the cause of death of unnatural, suspicious, and unexpected deaths. However, identifying a cause of death still comes with substantial challenges because of non-specific findings during autopsies and large interindividual variability in the results of performed chemical/toxicological analyses. Therefore, there is a clear need for innovative methods that allow a more objective determination of the cause of death in forensic medicine. The VITHAMET project strives to investigate the potential of applying metabolomics approaches to post-mortem vitreous humour to gather complementary and more detailed information on the cause of death in a forensic context. Initially, we will optimize and develop state-of-the-art metabolomics and lipidomics workflows tailored for vitreous humour, based on cutting-edge instrumentation. Subsequently, the global endogenous composition of the human post-mortem vitreous humour metabolome will be characterized in its entirety, resulting in a "human vitreous humour metabolome atlas". Finally, we will investigate alterations in the metabolome of post-mortem vitreous humour samples from selected causes of death (CO-intoxication, drowning and alcohol intoxication) to evaluate the diagnostic value of post-mortem vitreous humour metabolomics for more accurate cause of death determination in forensic investigations.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: van Nuijs Alexander
- Co-promoter: Gys Celine
- Fellow: Jacobs Leen
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project