The aims of the Metabolomics Research Group are a) to educate research scientists and resource facilities in the analytical approaches and management of data resulting from comprehensive metabolite studies and b) to promote the science and standardization of metabolomic analyses for a variety of applications. Group efforts will also include conducting surveys and organizing sessions at the annual ABRF meeting to explore the current state of the art in the field and the organization of research studies.  

Questions or interest in joining an ABRF research group? Contact us! 

Metabolomics is the comprehensive profiling of metabolites and other small molecules. The large structural diversity of these compounds makes both comprehensive profiling and identification challenging. The major platforms are NMR and mass spectrometry, particularly LC/MS and GC/MS. There is currently a great variety of approaches, including untargeted profiling, targeted approaches, and fluxomics. Both semi-quantitative and quantitative approaches can be used. Challenges include identification of metabolites and how they change in relation to a biological perturbation (e.g. drug, diet, disease) and determining the biological significance of these changes. The Metabolomics Research Group consists of members from academic core and research laboratories, industrial analytical laboratories and providers of metabolomic services, analytical standards and instrumentation.

Ryan Sheldon (Chair) - Van Andel Institute
Amrita K. Cheema -  Georgetown University
Caroline Chidley - University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Daniel Cuthbertson - Agilent Technologies
Maryam Goudarzi - Sciex
Tytus Mak - NIST
Magnus Palmblad - Leiden University Medical Center
Reza Salek - International Agency for Research on Cancer
Chris W. Turck  - Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry 
Sue Weintraub  (Executive Board Liaison) - University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

 1.  The Metabolomics Research Group has conducted another survey study to collect data on the current use of metabolomics technologies in core and research laboratories. Questions are designed to elicit responses concerning the current level of interest in the field of metabolomics. For those already offering/practicing metabolomics technologies we wanted to find out what instrumentation is used, types of application, etc.

A similar survey was conducted by the Metabolomics Research Group 10 years ago. Of particular interest was how the practice of metabolomics in core and research laboratories has changed over a decade. What technologies are used and what are the bottlenecks in the field?

- MRG2020 Survey Study Results 

 2.  The Metabolomics Research Group has organized and finished its second study with a focus on strategies for the analysis of metabolomics data collected with high resolution mass spectrometry. Results of the study were presented at the ABRF 2017 conference in San Diego, CA. A manuscript summarizing the study has been accepted for publication in a Metabolites Special Issue.

- MRG2016 Study Results
- MRG2016 Study Announcement

3.  The Metabolomics Research Group's second study focused on strategies for the analysis of metabolomics data collected with high resolution mass spectrometry. For study details and materials please consult the Instructions and Bioshare Data    
      repository.

4.  The Metabolomics Research Group has organized and finished its first Research Study. Results of the study were presented at the ABRF 2014 conference in Albuquerque, NM. A manuscript summarizing the MRG study results has been accepted for publication in JBT.

    - MRG2013 Study Announcement 
    - MRG2013 Amrita Cheema Presentation 
    - MRG2013 Study Results (18K)

5.  The MRG has conducted a survey to collect data on the current use of metabolomics technologies in core facilities. Questions were designed to elicit responses concerning the current level of interest in the field of metabolomics, and for those already offering a metabolomics service to find out what instrumentation is used, types of application, etc. The results of the survey were presented at the ABRF2010 meeting during the MRG session.

    - MRG2010 Survey 

1) MRG member Amrita Cheema's presentation at ABRF 2021

     - ABRF Metabolomics Research Group Survey Study  

2) MRG member Amrita Cheema's presentation at ABRF 2017

     - ABRF Metabolomics Research Group Data Analysis Study

 3) MRG member Amrita Cheema's presentations at ABRF2016

    - Metabolomics: Challenges and Opportunities

    - MRG Session 2016

4) The NIH ‘Common Funds Metabolomics Program’ held its first annual meeting in Ann Arbor, Michigan September 27-29, 2013 at Michigan Regional Comprehensive Metabolomics Research Core (MRC2). The program currently supports a variety of initiatives for increasing national capacity in metabolomics including three ‘Regional Comprehensive Metabolomics Research Cores’ (RCMRC), a ‘Data Repository and Coordination Center’ (DRCC), technology development, education and training grants and several administrative supplements. More information on initiatives can be obtained at http://commonfund.nih.gov/Metabolomics. 

    - Metabolomics Annual Program Meeting 

5) MRG member Amrita Cheema's presentation at ABRF2013
          - Applications of Metabolomics to Bio-medical research

6) MRG members Bill Wikoff, Vladimir Tolstikov and John Asara presented details on ongoing MRG Study, metabolomics core laboratories and research projects at ABRF2011.
          - Bill Wikoff Presentation 
          - Vladimir Tolstikov Presentation 

7) William Wikoff of the MRG organized a Satellite Workshop entitled 'An Introduction to Metabolomics' at ABRF2011. The workshop was intended for the scientist who wants an introduction to metabolomics, with an emphasis on practical, mass spectrometry-based approaches. The entire process of metabolomics, from study design to data processing and analysis was presented. Topics included: types of detectors and their relative merits for specific metabolomics applications(including standard and specialized instruments), methods for sample extraction peak integration, data alignment, software, and data analysis with an emphasis on selecting straightforward approaches appropriate for a given problem. Approaches to biomarker discovery and metabolomics in drug discovery were discussed and a review of selected case studies from the literaturewereincluded.
         - ABRF2011 Satellite Workshop

8) The newly formed 'Metabolomics Research Group' held its first session at ABRF2010. Presentation topics included survey results and metabolomics core facilities.
         - Chris Turck Presentation 
         - Tom O'Connell Presentation (3,731K)
         - Pavel Aronov Presentation (628K)
         - Vladimir Tolstikov Presentation (2,608K)

9) Bill Wikoff (MRG chair) organized the ‘Metabolomics Scientific Session’ at ABRF2010. Three prominent scientists in the field spoke about technologies and applications.
         - Bill Wikoff Presentation 
         - Oliver Fiehn Presentation 
         - David Wishart Presentation 
         - Chris Beecher Presentation