On this episode of the omg OMx podcast, Bruker’s Kate Stumpo talks to Pelle Simpson, Senior Scientist at Enveda Biosciences. Join them as they discuss how Enveda Biosciences is using natural products to shape drug discovery and the opportunities of natural products in the sphere of multiomics. Read chosen extracts or watch the total podcast below.
Pelle Simpson | omg OMx Podcast | Ep. 6Play
Your profession has followed a various trajectory, intensifying your fascination with the realm of science. could you elaborate in your journey and the trail that has led you to your present position?
I began my journey on this field by studying analytical chemistry at an undergraduate level, where I had the privilege of interning at several really cool, distinguished labs. Inside these labs, I encountered progressive techniques, including reprograms and Gilson autosamplers, enabling precise temperature-regulated fractionation of snake venoms while also acquiring mass spectrometry data.
Fast-forward to my master’s program and my tenure at CU Boulder, I began stepping into some 3D printing, electrical engineering and I used to be constructing slightly devices to assist myself automate and speed up my work.
In early 2021, I had an encounter with one among the founding members of Enveda Biosciences He was asking across the Mass Spec Facility at CU to see if he could run some samples there. While he was there, he saw one among my little creations and desired to confer with me about it further, so we organized a Zoom meeting, and next thing I knew I used to be working part-time at Enveda.
After I began at Enveda, the lab was essentially only a vacant space with a few pallet racks along the partitions. Fast forward two and a half years, and we have now two fully built-out labs, and we are only two months away from moving right into a brand-new facility.
From the beginning, I used to be really focused on the issue of pinpointing bioactive compounds in complex mixtures of natural products. Now, I’m leading the team that’s doing just that; I’m a senior scientist leading a project on finding bioactive features along with an exquisite team of chemists, biologists, and data scientists.
Image credit: Adobe
Are you able to recall any OMG moments out of your training or early experiences at Enveda that stand out?
One particular moment that stands out as an “OMG” moment for me and significantly contributed to my initiation into the mass spectrometry field was during my undergraduate years once I had the chance to intern at VU University in Amsterdam.
The core of my project revolved around isolating an anti-microbial compound from a bacterial supernatant, notable for its potent activity against tuberculosis. Initially, I started by employing methodologies already established inside the lab. My approach involved manually collecting fractions and applying them to agar plates, where I observed inhibition of growth.
Nevertheless, inside the same laboratory, I could see intricate three to four-well plate assays being conducted on snake venoms. These assays delved into the inhibition of blood coagulation, muscle contraction, and similar complex processes. I soon decided that I desired to mess around with these advanced methods inside my work. Thus, with a resolute determination, I got down to upscale my anti-microbial assay to align with these sophisticated methods.
As my experimentation progressed, I achieved a major breakthrough. The end result manifested as a definite and impactful bioactive trace, which I subsequently correlated with the mass spectrometry signal.
This was when it clicked for me that these really sophisticated analytical techniques might be used to seek out the bioactive needle within the haystack. I feel that was my OMG moment. That is where I fell in love with solving these puzzles by combining biological assays with mass spec.
Could you elaborate on the origins of the samples for mass spectrometry? how do you pinpoint where to direct your search inside this domain?
Within the early stages of Enveda’s journey, we meticulously scoured the literature for cues indicating the potential efficacy of specific plants against certain ailments.
So, really, that’s where it began. We had this concerted effort to source very specific plants, but over time, we have now actually expanded our reach to cover as many plants as we are able to get our hands on. We are only expanding our library to solid as wide a net as possible because we at the moment are really investing within the platform that may discover those bioactive molecules no matter their origin.
Image credit: Shutterstock/Sisacorn
Do you may have any interesting historical facts regarding your journey? Have you ever encountered any additional intriguing features?
One anecdote that our CEO shared with me early on revolves around his upbringing in India. During his time there, he faced a liver ailment that resulted in jaundice. Despite consulting quite a few doctors, his condition persevered. Eventually, a member of the family suggested a herbal treatment, which he initially approached with skepticism. Nevertheless, upon trying the treatment, the jaundice regularly vanished.
Despite sounding almost like a miracle cure, there are such a lot of bioactive compounds within the plants that we observe; we just don’t yet understand what these compounds are. Thus, the enigma lies in understanding these compounds — our familiarity with their existence contrasts with our limited understanding of their nature. That is what really got Enveda began.
Concerning the speaker
Pelle Simpson is a Senior Scientist at Enveda Biosciences, where he uses his expertise in analytical chemistry, mass spectrometry, and natural products to find recent drugs. He has previously developed methods for the evaluation of small-molecule natural products on the VU University in Amsterdam, and has worked on the invention of cancer resistance mechanisms at CU Boulder. He can be an authority in 3D printing, CAD/CAM, CNC, and lab automation, which he uses to develop recent tools and techniques for drug discovery. Pelle is captivated with using his skills to make a difference on the planet and is committed to finding recent treatments for diseases.
omg OMx host: Kate Stumpo, Senior Market Manager at Bruker
About Bruker Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry
Discover recent ways to use mass spectrometry to today’s most pressing analytical challenges. Innovations reminiscent of Trapped Ion Mobility (TIMS), smartbeam and scanning lasers for MALDI-MS Imaging that deliver true pixel fidelity, and eXtreme Resolution FTMS (XR) technology capable to disclose Isotopic Nice Structure (IFS) signatures are pushing scientific exploration to recent heights. Bruker’s mass spectrometry solutions enable scientists to make breakthrough discoveries and gain deeper insights.