NIH Metabolomics Consortium (NIH-MC)

The NIH Metabolomics Consortium (NIH-MC) is a shared research resource that performs metabolomics analysis (and related small molecule research) for investigators at all Institutes and Centers across the NIH Intramural Research Program. The NIH-MC is administered at NIEHS with participating laboratories at NIEHS, NIA, and NIAID. The NIH-MC was established in 2023 and continues to grow in the offerings provided, expertise, and participatory labs.

Established Technologies

Metabolomics measures the small molecules – endogenous and exogenous – that underpin biological changes in response to diet, behavior, exposure, disease, and more.

Currently, the NIH-MC offers two general types of metabolomics approaches – targeted and untargeted – covering different aspects of metabolism and to varying degrees of analytical measurement. Each offering has unique requirements, deliverables, and costs – please review the information for each offering carefully. The specific metabolomics assays offered, by site, are:

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

• Targeted Metabolomics – Biocrates Assay – Quantitative measurement of small molecule metabolites and lipids using assay kits supplied by biocrates.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID)

• Bile Acids – Quantification of primary and secondary bile acids, including conjugated and free forms.
• Short Chain Fatty Acids – Quantification of short-chain fatty acids (consult prior to sample collection).
• Targeted Lipidomics – Relative quantitation of a broad panel of >1700 individual glycerolipid, sphingolipid, and sterol lipids.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

• Untargeted Metabolomics – Measurement of the relative changes of all detectable chemicals/metabolites in a specimen as part of a global metabolic profile.

Pricing

Cost varies across assays but is highly competitive with academic laboratories and commercial services. For example, the untargeted metabolomics assay from NIEHS costs $120 per sample. Cost will be discussed and agreed upon prior to starting the project. Different NIH Institutes/Centers handle Investigator costs for Trans-NIH core facilities using different mechanisms, so we recommend that you inquire with your Lab/Branch Chief or Scientific Director.