User-friendly tools to find disease-related molecules for cancer and other conditions
Official title: Metabolomics Technologies to Advance Biomedical Research
Funded at Scripps Research Institute, the · NIH-11312629 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project builds free, easy-to-use online tools that help researchers spot small molecules linked to cancer and other diseases so tests and treatments can improve.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scripps Research Institute, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2019 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $460,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM130385-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11312629 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with cancer or other conditions such as neurological disorders, diabetes, infectious diseases, or concerns about environmental exposures who can donate samples or join studies using metabolomics are the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without relevant medical conditions or who are unwilling to provide biological samples are unlikely to directly benefit from this work.
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, this team creates and improves online metabolomics software that converts raw chemical data from blood, tissue, or other samples into clear results. They expand large reference libraries (METLIN) and tools like XCMS Online, adding retention time and ion mobility information and automating metabolite identification. They also work to combine different types of biological data so researchers without specialist metabolomics training can use the tools. The goal is to make these resources freely available so more studies can find biomarkers and drug targets faster.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from quicker discovery of biomarkers, improved diagnostics, and new targets for therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Tools like XCMS and the METLIN databases already have a strong track record identifying important metabolites, and this project builds on and expands those successful resources.
Where this research is happening
-
Scripps Research Institute, the
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Siuzdak, Gary E — Scripps Research Institute, the
- Study coordinator: Siuzdak, Gary E
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.