The metabolomics program at NIST involves measurement research efforts in numerous biological systems, including cells, microbes, various aquatic organisms, and mammals, and is supported by analytical facilities that include a high-field nuclear magnetic (NMR) facility and a high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) laboratory. By applying NMR, an unbiased discovery tool, and MS, a more sensitive tool, to investigate cellular and non-model systems, the program aims to bring new understanding to the biochemistry and molecular actions of each complex network and provide the foundational measurement science for the discovery of new commercial processes and products.
The application of metabolomics techniques to systems biology reveals insights into model and non-model organism biology. The natural world contains undiscovered chemicals and mechanisms that can be harnessed by industry to create new biomanufacturing processes and products. Each biological system presents distinctive challenges that uncover critical requirements for rigorous study design and method development. Research in these systems will yield the introduction of new techniques, protocols, data tools and best practices for application to diverse measurement challenges in all arenas of metabolomics.