Metabolomics

Metabolomics is a field of research that focuses on the chemical processes undergone by metabolites. It involves the use of sophisticated analytical technologies to identify and quantify cellular metabolites, in addition to the extraction of relevant information so that the data can be interpreted and applied in a practical setting.

Applications of Metabolomics

The field of metabolomics has the potential to be applied in a number of settings to offer practical use. It remains a relatively young field of research and, therefore many of its applications of metabolomics are still only becoming evident. Nonetheless, this article covers some of the present and future ways in which metabolomics could be applied.

Metabolomics in Organ Transplantation

Metabolomic Profiling of an Ancient Herbal Medicine using UHPLC

Metabolomics in Clinical Chemistry

Techniques Used in Targeted Metabolomic Profiling

History of Metabolomics

Metabolic Changes in Aging Cells

Metabolomics in Plants

Lipid Metabolism and the Gut Microbiota

Targeted Metabolomics

Metabolomic Profiling for Disease Diagnosis

Metabolomic Profiling of Ricin

See more featured articles »

Metabolomics in Pharmacology

Challenges in Targeted Metabolomics

Analyzing Metabolomics Data

What are Metabolites?

The Metabolome: An Overview

Latest Metabolomics News and Research

Prebiotic microcapsules deliver pterostilbene to the colon to alleviate ulcerative colitis

A team led by clinicians and engineers has wrapped the plant-derived polyphenol pterostilbene (PSB) into prebiotic alginate/resistant-starch microcapsules coated with chitosan and shown that oral administration dampens dextran-sulfate-sodium (DSS) colitis in mice.

23 Dec 2025

Blood metabolite profiling outperforms BMI in predicting pregnancy complications

This study shows that a blood-based metabolomic signature linked to maternal BMI predicts gestational diabetes and preeclampsia more strongly than BMI alone, particularly in late pregnancy. A subset of 16 metabolites statistically mediates the BMI–gestational diabetes association, highlighting metabolic pathways that may improve prenatal risk stratification.

21 Dec 2025

Autophagy steers T cell fate during immune division

Researchers at the Max Delbrück Center have found that a cellular housekeeping mechanism called autophagy plays a major role in ensuring that T stem cells undergo normal cell division.

19 Dec 2025

Lysophosphatidylcholines show gene-dependent effects in early Alzheimer’s disease

A new study presents robust evidence on the role of lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) in the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers discovered that LPCs-compounds that transport a variety of healthy fatty acids to the brain-either promote Alzheimer's or protect against it, depending on a person's genetics.

17 Dec 2025

Gut bacteria patterns differ in autism and siblings and link to social symptoms

This sibling-controlled East Asian study found that autistic individuals, their unaffected siblings, and typically developing controls differ in gut microbiota diversity and composition, with the clearest separation between autism and typical development. Specific taxa, particularly the butyrate-producing genus Anaerostipes, were modestly associated with social communication and internalising symptoms, supporting a gut–behaviour link without implying causality.

15 Dec 2025

Australian scientists uncover key genetic drivers behind long COVID

Australian scientists have identified the key genetic drivers behind long COVID, revealing why some people continue to experience debilitating symptoms long after their initial infection.

15 Dec 2025

Study offers a unified biological model to explain the causes of autism

A new University of California San Diego School of Medicine study offers a unified biological model to explain how genetic predispositions and environmental exposures converge to cause autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

10 Dec 2025

Online reference library provides a more accurate picture of drug exposure

Doctors and researchers try to understand what medications a person has taken by asking patients directly or by looking at medical records. But this information is often incomplete.

9 Dec 2025

Supportive marriages may shape appetite control through oxytocin and the brain–gut axis

Supportive marital relationships are associated with lower BMI, fewer food addiction symptoms, higher oxytocin, stronger frontal brain responses to food cues, and favorable gut tryptophan metabolites. These coordinated social, neural, hormonal, and gut pathways suggest a plausible biological link between emotional support and healthier eating regulation.

8 Dec 2025

Lubiprostone shows signs of slowing kidney function decline in chronic kidney disease

In adults with stage IIIb–IV chronic kidney disease, the constipation drug lubiprostone did not reduce gut-derived uremic toxins but preserved creatinine-based kidney function over 24 weeks. The benefit was linked to microbiome remodeling, increased polyamine production, and improved mitochondrial function rather than toxin lowering.

8 Dec 2025

Higher PFAS levels reduce blood sugar improvements after teen bariatric surgery

A new USC study shows teens with higher blood levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) measured before bariatric surgery had smaller improvements in blood sugar over five years, including fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), which measures average blood sugar levels over the past 60-90 days.

4 Dec 2025

Sweat testing could transform drug monitoring and diabetes care

Innovative sweat sampling techniques could revolutionize diagnostics, offering insights into glucose levels and environmental toxins with minimal discomfort.

4 Dec 2025

AI-assisted liquid biopsies show promise for early cancer detection

The prospect of diagnosing cancer through painless methods—such as a simple AI-assisted blood or urine test that detects tiny particles known as exosomes—is becoming increasingly realistic.

2 Dec 2025

Fanconi anemia patients show striking metabolic differences

Experts at Cincinnati Children's have uncovered striking metabolic differences in people with Fanconi anemia (FA), a rare genetic disorder that causes bone marrow failure and dramatically increases cancer risk.

29 Nov 2025

How the gut microbiome links obesity to colorectal cancer

The gut microbiome serves as both a biomarker and therapeutic target in diseases like obesity, metabolic syndrome, and colorectal cancer.

28 Nov 2025

Chronic drinking weakens the blood-brain barrier through the gut

Chronic alcohol consumption disrupts the blood-brain barrier, but Faecalibacterium prausnitzii shows promise in repairing this damage and improving cognition.

27 Nov 2025

Study finds GLP-1 drugs improve strength and reverse aging biology in mice

Researchers showed that GLP-1 receptor agonism counteracts aging across multiple organs in mice, improving strength and reversing molecular aging signatures without meaningful effects on body weight. These benefits depended largely on hypothalamic GLP-1R signaling and closely mirrored the anti-aging patterns produced by rapamycin.

23 Nov 2025

UK Biobank releases the world’s largest metabolomic dataset for disease research

UK Biobank has today [Thursday 20 November] released the final set of data on nearly 250 metabolites – the molecules in our blood produced by our bodies as we go about our lives – in half a million volunteers.

20 Nov 2025

Gut microbes may fuel allergic rhinitis symptoms

The study identifies gut microbiome alterations in allergic rhinitis, suggesting a gut-nose axis that could inform new treatment approaches for this condition.

17 Nov 2025

New review illuminates the intricate connections between gut microbiota and sleep regulation

A comprehensive review published today in Brain Medicine illuminates the intricate connections between gut microbiota and sleep regulation, establishing the microbiota-gut-brain axis as a critical pathway in understanding and potentially treating sleep disorders.

4 Nov 2025