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A strategy for advancing for population-based scientific discovery using the metabolome: the establishment of the Metabolomics Society Metabolomic Epidemiology Task Group

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Abstract

Metabolomic Epidemiology is a growing area of research within the metabolomics research community. In response to this, we describe the establishment of the Metabolomics Society Metabolomic Epidemiology Task Group. The overall mission of this group is to promote the growth and understanding of metabolomic epidemiology as an independent research discipline and to drive collaborative efforts that can shape the field. In this article we define metabolomic epidemiology and identify the key challenges that need to be addressed in order to advance population-based scientific discovery in metabolomics.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge that the Metabolomic Epidemiology Task Group was formally established by the Metabolomics Society in September 2019. The task group was founded by the authors of this manuscript and Krista A. Zanetti (National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA), who is representing the National Institutes of Health’s efforts in the field of metabolomic epidemiology on the Task Group. The task group has met once a month since inception and will continue to operate until the group feels that the tasks described in this document are progressed to a satisfactory endpoint.

Funding

JLS and RK are funded by R01HL123915, R01HL141826, R01 DK125273, and a foundation grant from SFARI. RK is additionally funded by K01HL146980. JLS is additionally funded by 5P01HL132825. CEW is supported by the Swedish Heart Lung Foundation (Grant No. HLF 20180290, HLF 20200693).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Jessica Lasky-Su & Rachel S. Kelly

  2. Division of Physiological Chemistry 2, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    Craig E. Wheelock

  3. Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    Craig E. Wheelock

  4. Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan

    Craig E. Wheelock

  5. Centre for Integrative Metabolomics and Computational Biology, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, 6027, Australia

    David Broadhurst

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  1. Jessica Lasky-Su
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  2. Rachel S. Kelly
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  3. Craig E. Wheelock
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  4. David Broadhurst
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All authors made substantial contributions to the conception, intellectual content and writing of this manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of this work.

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Correspondence to Jessica Lasky-Su.

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Lasky-Su, J., Kelly, R.S., Wheelock, C.E. et al. A strategy for advancing for population-based scientific discovery using the metabolome: the establishment of the Metabolomics Society Metabolomic Epidemiology Task Group. Metabolomics 17, 45 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-021-01789-0

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