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In addition to his research interests in chemical biology and microbiology of secondary metabolism in various organisms, Dr. Beld is deploying mass spectrometry in collaboration with several colleagues inside and outside 91制片厂.

Current Students

• Eilidh Sidaway (PhD, Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics)
• Allie Bradley (MS, Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics)
• Jack Andolsen (STAR scholar undergraduate)

Former Students

PhD students:

• Amanda Platt (PhD, Microbiology & Immunology)
• Haley Majer (PhD, Microbiology & Immunology)

Master's students:

• Shelby Pernell (MS, Biochemistry of Health and Disease)
• Eugene Hu (MS, Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics)
• Dhara Patel (MS, Biotechnology with Amy T. Ma)
• Lilly McQueen (MS, Microbiology & Immunology)
• Kammy Ukamushu (MS, Microbiology & Immunology with Sandhya Kortagere)
• Daniel Kantner (MS, Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics with Amy T. Ma)
• Anh Nguyen Quach (undergraduate volunteer/COOP student with Amy T. Ma)
• Kristen Buenconsejo (MS, Microbiology & Immunology)
• Tucker Collins (MS, Neuroscience, with Sandhya Kortagere)
• Brianna Trankle/Jarboe (MS, MCBG)
• Tyra Davis (MS, Infectious Disease)
• Courtney Fesko (MS, Biochemistry)
• Skarleth Moran (MS, Infectious Disease)
• Tuan Vo (MS, Forensics)

Undergraduate students:

• Gabbrielle Pascual (undergraduate volunteer/COOP student with Amy T. Ma)
• Neil Gade (undergraduate, with Sandhya Kortagere)
• Grace Rabago (undergraduate, with Amy T. Ma)
• Zhuo Kang (Ivy) (undergraduate volunteer)
• Gabrielle Rose Beam (SURF student)
• Nga Ying Eng (undergraduate volunteer and MS student)
• Kaiwei Wang (KINSC student)
• Sidney Hwang (KINSC student)
• Rachael Wilson (undergraduate volunteer)

In every project we integrate mass spectrometry.

Of all the drugs used in a hospital to treat patients, about 75% are secondary metabolite or secondary metabolite-derived molecules. My lab is interested in all aspects of these metabolites, ranging from their biosynthesis and their microbiological role in nature to applications in the clinic.

Secondary Metabolism in Escherichia coli

E. coli is a Gram-negative bacterium most well known for diarrheal diseases, but some strains have been used as probiotic or even as therapy against other bacteria. One such strain is E. coli Nissle 1917. The biosynthesis of secondary metabolites is crucial in its ability to outcompete pathogenic bacteria in the gut environment. We identified an aryl polyene biosynthetic gene cluster in the genome of E. coli Nissle 1917 and characterized its biosynthesis []. A different secondary metabolite, colibactin, appeared to be crucial in competition with Vibrio cholerae, as shown in a collaborative project with the at UPenn [].

Biosynthetic gene cluster of an aryl polyene (APE) produced by E. coli Nissle 1917.

Mass Spectrometry

Our lab uses liquid chromatography mass spectrometry on a Waters Synapt G2Si HDMS QTOF equipped with an Acquity i-class UPLC to do targeted and untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics. We also do basic proteomics (intact protein, digested protein), and our system is equipped with a DESI imaging mass spectrometry unit for 2D mass spectrometry.

Vitamin Biosynthesis

Dr. Amy T. Ma spearheaded a project centered around the biosynthesis of cobamides, including vitamin B12. Cobamides are essential co-factors produced by prokaryotes, that need to be crossed between bacterial species since only some produce them, but most need them. We are deciphering crosstalk, enzymatic activities and presence of diverse cobamides in complex microbiomes (gut, soil, water, fecal samples, etc.).

鈥淒rexel Team Identifies Drug-like Molecules That Show Early Success in Targeting Breast Cancer Brain Metastases鈥�
Drexel News Blog (July 12, 2024)

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Announces Recent CURE Grant Recipients
(August 14, 2023)

2017 CURE Grant Awardees
(March 20, 2017)

Selected Publications
Full list can be found on

AJ Platt, S Padrick, AT Ma, J Beld
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Proteins and Proteomics 1872 (1), 140972, 2024

M Todorinova, J Beld, KL Jaremko
Biochemistry and biophysics reports 35, 101549, 2023

J Chen, H Byun, R Liu, IJ Jung, Q Pu, CY Zhu, E Tanchoco, S Alavi, PH Degnan, AT Ma, M Roggiani, J Beld, M Goulian, A Hsiao, J Zhu
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119 (11), e2121180119, 2022

MA AT*, Beld J
Journal of Bacteriology DOI: 10.1128/JB.00172-21, 2021
*corresponding author

Majer HM, Ehrlich RL, Ahmed A, Earl JP, Ehrlich GD, and Beld J
Biotechnology Reports, 29:e00596, 2021

Ma AT*, Tyrell B, Beld J
Mol Microbiol, 113(1):89-102, 2020
*corresponding author