Gut Metaproteomics

As an undergraduate student, I was excited to explore emerging technologies for studying the gut microbiome and joined a project focused on gut metaproteomics—the large-scale study of microbial proteins in the gut.

• I surveyed and tested multiple sample preparation protocols and mass spectrometry workflows for fecal samples using LC-MS/MS.
• I successfully detected microbial proteins, validating the feasibility of the approach.
• However, the study highlighted technical limitations, especially the need for higher-resolution instruments (e.g., nano-LC MS/MS) to improve detection sensitivity in complex fecal samples.

This early exposure furthered my long-term interest in multi-omics approaches for studying microbial communities.