untargeted

Untargeted describes approaches, analyses, or strategies that do not focus on a predefined target or specific outcome. It is often used in science, medicine, technology, and communications to distinguish broad, exploratory methods from targeted ones that are designed to address a known subject, biomarker, or objective.

In science and analytical chemistry, untargeted methods aim to observe as wide a range of phenomena as possible. Untargeted metabolomics, for example, seeks to detect and quantify as many metabolites as possible in a sample without preconceived notions about which compounds will be present. This contrasts with targeted metabolomics, which measures a predefined set of metabolites. Untargeted approaches rely on high-throughput instruments and complex data analysis to identify signals, annotate peaks, and infer biological significance, often enabling biomarker discovery or hypothesis generation but requiring substantial data processing and validation.

In genomics and sequencing, untargeted sequencing (such as shotgun sequencing) surveys all genetic material in a sample rather than focusing on a specific gene or locus. This enables de novo genome assembly, discovery of novel organisms in environmental or clinical samples, and broad microbial profiling, but it can produce vast amounts of data that demand considerable computational resources and careful interpretation.

In medicine, untargeted or non-targeted therapies refer to treatments that are not directed at a specific molecular target. Such approaches include traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy, which acts on rapidly dividing cells with less selectivity, in contrast to targeted therapies that inhibit defined molecular pathways. The term is used less formally in some contexts, where “non-targeted” is preferred.

In cybersecurity and marketing, untargeted strategies involve broad, non-specific actions such as mass phishing campaigns or general advertising, respectively, rather than highly individualized or segment-focused efforts.

Overall, untargeted methods emphasize breadth and discovery at the expense of predefined precision, while targeted methods emphasize specificity and prior knowledge.