Metabolomics analysis is undertaken with the aim of measuring as much as possible of the known and unknown metabolite complement (metabolome) of a cell, tissue or biofluid. In the context of cardiovascular disease, the goal of metabolomics analysis is to discover metabolite markers that can be used to indicate or predict the onset and progression of disease, and/or the biochemical mechanisms behind it.
Based at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute's new Innovation Centre, the Freedman Foundation Metabolomics Facility features:
The targeted instruments are used to measure several hundred known metabolites and to provide accurate concentrations, allowing changes in metabolite levels to be put into context of biochemical pathways and upstream proteome/genome perturbations.
The untargeted instruments are capable of measuring several thousand known and unknown metabolites in a single sample, with the aim of discovering new unknown compounds related to disease, or new disease-related associations of known metabolites for biomarker discovery.
Regarded as the final part of the biological jigsaw, metabolomics can provide insight and mechanistic understanding of the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease at the biochemical level, paving the way for predictive/diagnostic markers and ultimately, precision medicine.
Esther Kristianto
Research Scientist, Metabolomics Facility
e.kristianto@victorchang.edu.au
Dr XiaoSuo Wang
Research Scientist, Metabolomics Facility
x.wang2@victorchang.edu.au