Metabolomics services at CMSI include both standard untargeted
profiling using both UHPLC-QTOF and GC-MS instruments. In addition, we offer a
combined untargeted and targeted metabolomics method that both collects
untargeted scanning data as well as targeted data on a set of metabolites,
including potential biomarkers of food intake (see reference below). In
general, untargeted metabolomics is used for biomarker discovery and, thus,
results are expressed in relative responses rather than in absolute
concentrations. For identification metabolites, we use both in-house and
commercial libraries and continuously work to improve our libraries, but due to
the nature of the analysis, the majority of potential metabolites still remain
unknown. For work focusing on mechanisms rather than biomarker discovery, using
GC-MS or GC-MS/MS may be a good alternative, as many metabolites centred around
known biochemical pathways are detected and identified.
Instrument used for this service: Agilent QTOF 6550 with Infinity II
UHPLC and Shimadzu TQ8030 GC-MS/MS.