Keynote: Drug Exposure & Microbial Metabolism via Untargeted Metabolomics

For the next installment of our collaborative seminar series with Center for Microbiome Innovation, we're excited to feature a Keynote Presentation from Dr. Nina Zhao, Post-Doctoral Scientist in the Pieter Dorrestein Lab at UC San Diego, as she presents her work on how untargeted metabolomics reveals the relationship between drug exposure and microbial metabolism.

This session will also include an introduction to the Center for Microbiome Innovation (CMI) and Complete Genomics partnership and service offerings.

📌 Key Details:

• 📅Date: Wednesday, October 22
• ⌚Time: 2:00pm-4:00pm
• 📍Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Hubbs Hall Rm. 4500
• 📋Detailed Agenda:
• > 2:00 PM: Introduction: Center for Microbiome Innovation
• > 2:05 PM PM: Keynote Lecture: Dr. Nina Zhao, UC San Diego
• > 3:00 PM: Sponsor Presentation: Drew Kebbel, Complete Genomics

🅿️A note on parking at Scripps Institution of Oceanography:

Parking at Scripps Institution of Oceanography is permit-based and limited on weekdays. The nearest visitor lot is P014 (Nierenberg/Spiess Hall), which offers paid parking via permit or ParkMobile. Limited street parking may be available in nearby residential areas, but availability is not guaranteed.

Additional travel options:

• Ridesharing or walking from nearby neighborhood parking are recommended alternatives.
• The SIO Shuttle connects Scripps with UC San Diego’s main campus on weekdays, running approximately every 30 minutes.
• Public transit is also available via MTS Bus Route 30, which stops along La Jolla Shores Drive within walking distance of the venue.

Please allow extra time for transportation, parking, and arrival to ensure a smooth check-in and on-time start.

🔬Scientific Program:

Keynote: Reading drug exposure and impact on microbial metabolism with untargeted metabolomics - Dr. Nina Zhao

Dr. Nina Zhao - Post-Doctoral Scholar, Pieter Dorrestein Lab, Skaggs School of Ph*rm*cy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, UC San Diego

Abstract: Can we tell what drugs someone has taken just by looking at their mass spectrometry data? This talk introduces how untargeted metabolomics can capture individualized chemical exposures and metabolic responses – essentially turning chemists into accidental pharmacists. We will showcase the GNPS Drug Library, a public computational resource that links MS/MS spectra of drugs and metabolites with rich contextual metadata. Using data-driven drug detection, we uncover how Medic*tion shapes microbial metabolism, which are missed when relying solely on reported Medic*tion use.

Bio: Nina Zhao is a postdoctoral scientist in the Dorrestein Lab at the Skaggs School of Ph*rm*cy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, UC San Diego. Her research bridges untargeted metabolomics and exposomics to uncover unknown lifestyle chemicals and their impacts on health. Nina earned her B.S. from Peking University and her Ph.D. from the University of Washington. She receives an NIH K99/R00 award in 2025 and will join Stanford University as an Assistant Professor in summer 2026.

Sponsor Presentation: Mapping life with spatial context: Stereo-seq spatial transcriptomics for developmental and comparative biology

Drew Kebbel - Technical Sales Specialist, Complete Genomics

Abstract: Stereo-seq from Complete Genomics is a high-resolution spatial transcriptomics technology that captures whole-transcriptome gene expression directly from tissue sections without preselected targets. It maps complex cellular interactions during development at the molecular level, advancing organismal studies with exceptional precision. Applications in zebrafish, axolotl, Drosophila, and mouse models reveal spatial gene expression patterns, signaling gradients, and lineage relationships that inform key questions in developmental, marine, and evolutionary biology.

Bio: Drew Kebbel is a biotechnology expert with over 18 years of experience in NGS, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomics technologies. Prior to joining Complete Genomics as a Technical Sales Specialist, he held commercial roles at 10x Genomics, Illumina, and Veranome Biosystems, specializing in technical sales and customer support. With a background in biomedical engineering and molecular biology, Drew enjoys partnering with researchers to implement innovative genomic solutions in cancer, microbiome, and spatial biology research.

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