Metabolomics is an emerging technology that comprehensively analyzes metabolites and low molecular weight molecules present in biological specimens. The deep insights provided by metabolic profiling could prove valuable in developing diagnostics and therapeutics.
However, unlike genomics or proteomics, metabolic studies are challenging as diagnosable analytes exhibit varying physical properties. A metabolome is constructed from a combination of different analytical measurements using processes that continue to evolve. Therefore, finding consistency between two metabolomic investigations of the same sample from independent providers is a chief hurdle.