Untargetedmetabolomiikki

Untargeted metabolomics, known in Finnish as untargetedmetabolomiikki, is a powerful analytical approach used to simultaneously detect and quantify a wide range of small molecules, known as metabolites, within a biological sample. Unlike targeted metabolomics, which focuses on specific, pre-selected metabolites, untargeted metabolomics aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the entire metabolic profile. This global approach allows researchers to discover novel biomarkers, understand complex biological pathways, and identify metabolic perturbations associated with disease or environmental changes.

The process typically involves sample preparation, followed by separation and detection using techniques such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). After data acquisition, sophisticated bioinformatics tools are employed for data processing, feature identification, and statistical analysis. This often includes matching detected masses against spectral databases to tentatively identify metabolites. The ultimate goal is to compare metabolic profiles between different sample groups to identify statistically significant differences that can reveal insights into biological processes. Untargeted metabolomics is widely applied in various fields, including drug discovery, toxicology, environmental monitoring, and fundamental biological research. Its strength lies in its unbiased nature, enabling the exploration of unknown metabolic landscapes and the discovery of unexpected biological relationships.