Highlighting a member of HUPO, we invite a diverse group of researchers from different career stages, disciplines, geographical locations, and ethnicities to submit a profile for our monthly spotlight. This initiative aims to improve visibility of HUPO members, advertise research, and enhance the HUPO community. This month we are featuring:
Mariette Matondo, Paris, France
What is your current position and location?
I am the head of the Proteomics Core Facility at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, in the Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry (DBSC) (https://research.pasteur.fr/en/team/proteomics/ )
How did you get started in the field of proteomics?
I began my journey in proteomics in 2005 as a Master's student with Anne Gonzalez de Peredo in the Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Laboratory led by Dr. B. Monsarrat at IPBS-CNRS in Toulouse. This was the only research and proteomics facility in Toulouse at the time. I continued in this lab as a Ph.D. student under the supervision of Dr. B. Monsarrat and Dr. O. Burlet-Schiltz. I was fortunate to work with one of the first Orbitrap mass spectrometers. My Ph.D. project focused on determining differentially regulated proteins upon proteasome inhibition in AML cell lines through a combination of large-scale and targeted quantitative proteomics. After earning my Ph.D., I joined Dr. Ruedi Aebersold’s lab at ETH Zurich as a postdoc, where I further specialized in targeted proteomics using SRM and continued my research in the field of MS-based proteomics. Since September 2013, I have been leading the Proteomics Core Facility at the Institut Pasteur.
What does being a member of HUPO mean to you?
Being a member of HUPO holds deep significance for me. My first HUPO conference was in Geneva in 2011, and HUPO Boston 2012 was a pivotal event for my career, where I met people who helped me discuss my current position. Over the past years, I have attended most HUPO congresses. Being part of the HUPO community, where I can share my research, gain insights from others, and collaborate with fellow scientists who share a passion for proteomics, truly makes me feel fortunate and valued.
What makes your research program exciting and unique?
In my lab, we use MS-based proteomics to identify and quantify proteins and their modifications, particularly in the context of infectious diseases. To achieve this, we combine multiple proteomics approaches, from bottom-up to top-down proteomics, and from label-free to label-based methods, utilizing both data-dependent acquisition (DDA) and data-independent acquisition (DIA) techniques. As a core facility, our main mission is to develop and implement robust methods to achieve our goals and provide the best results to our collaborators. We actively collaborate with many scientists at the Institut Pasteur and with national and international collaborators, supporting their research endeavors. We recently join the world of single cell proteomics, and I am really looking forward to seeing how this will boost the science and discovery of potential novel candidates’ markers and vaccine.
What are your interests outside the lab?
Outside of the lab, I enjoy every moment spent with my family. I am a mom of two marvelous kids, aged 6 and 9. My kids are full of energy and inspiration, which makes my life very exciting. Besides family time, I read a lot of books and enjoy good movies. From time to time, I also love to indulge in the pleasures of French life: good wine, good meals, and spending time with friends.
Where do you envision the field of proteomics in the next 10 years?
Over the next decade, I anticipate significant transformations and expansions in the field of proteomics, embracing a wider array of non-MS technologies. Innovations such as Olink and nanopore methodologies for single-molecule analysis will become instrumental in the detection and quantification of thousands of proteins within extensive patient cohorts. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that MS-based proteomics will encounter numerous challenges while continuously evolving to unveil myriad new possibilities. Challenges persist, particularly in areas such as post-translational modifications (PTMs), protein complexes, and dynamics.
The transition from the bulk proteomics to single-cell proteomics marks a substantial advancement, ushering in fresh perspectives and opportunities. Advancements in single-cell analysis will empower us to intricately characterize the cellular contents of individual cells, elucidating the complexities of cell heterogeneity and addressing pivotal biological inquiries, notably within the realms of cancer and infectious diseases.
Furthermore, the advent of AI will catalyze the analysis of the vast and complex datasets generated by mass spectrometry instruments, which are more and more faster, higher in resolution, and more sensitive. The ongoing development of innovative data analysis and bioinformatics tools will therefore remain a focal point and a pivotal element in shaping the future of proteomics research.
Would you agree to share your Humans of HUPO profile on HUPO social media/ social media tags?
Yes.
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