About Metabolomics

Metabolomics is the study of the metabolome, the repertoire of metabolites, or small molecules present in cells, tissue, and body fluids. These molecules are the final products of interactions between gene expression, protein expression, and the cellular environment. The metabolome is thus a close representation of a physiological state and biochemical pathways. It forms the integral part of systems biology in which the data from various omic technologies complement each other to provide a holistic picture of how various biological systems respond to external stimuli and in various pathophysiological conditions. It offers great promise for understanding the underlying principles of biological processes including various pathophysiological conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and other diseases.

Since 2012, the National Institutes of Health Common Fund has invested over $111 million through the Metabolomics Program to increase the national capacity in metabolomics. The goal of this funding program is to advance several core areas, including comprehensive metabolomics resource cores, metabolomics technology development, metabolomics reference standards synthesis, and training and educational activities in metabolomics.