Metabolomics in Experimental Neonatology

Metabolomics is a new ‘omics’ discipline, based on the detailed analysis of the host’s metabolic phenotype and the complex metabolic pathways with multiple network interactions. This metabolic fingerprint is considered as the gold standard for the profound understanding of the normal metabolic processes and of the alterations of the normal pathways. This ‘snapshot’ of the metabolic status may be a reliable tool for the prediction, early detection and monitoring the disease progression and may allow the identification of innovative interventions for delaying or reversing abnormal molecular changes. Non-human models have been used for the analysis of the metabolic status of the fetus or neonate in certain clinical conditions and existing data allow a more open-minded approach of studying and interpreting the fetal or neonatal metabolome. Therefore, metabolomics in experimental neonatology have gained a large impact in life sciences over the last decade.