Clinical metabolomics: current state and prospects in Russia

Using analytical technologies it is possible now to measure the entire diversity of molecules even in a small amount of biological samples. Metabolomic technologies simultaneously analyze thousands of low-molecular substances in a single drop of blood. Such analytical performance opens new possibilities for clinical laboratory diagnostics, still relying on the measurement of only a limited number of clinically significant substances. However, there are objective difficulties hampering introduction of metabolomics into clinical practice. The Institute of Biomedical Chemistry (IBMC), consolidating the efforts of leading scientific and medical organizations, has achieved success in this area by developing a clinical blood metabogram (CBM). CBM opens opportunities to obtain overview on the state of the body with the detailed individual metabolic characteristics of the patient. A number of scientific studies have shown that the CBM is an effective tool for monitoring the state of the body, and based on the CBM patterns (signatures), it is possible to diagnose and monitor the treatment of many diseases. Today, the CBM creation determines the current state and prospects of clinical metabolomics in Russia. This article, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of IBMC, is a review of these achievements focused on a discussion of their implementation in clinical practice.