NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE - CANCER.GOV

Contact Information

Primary Contact

Alan K. Jarmusch, Ph.D.
Director

Location

111 Tw Alexander Dr
David P Rall Building
Research Training Park, NC 27709

Additional Contacts

Michael B. Fessler, M.D.
Chief

Overview

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)

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.

User Guidelines

  • Submit a project request form (information below) or email general inquiry.
  • All projects require a form to be submitted prior to consideration.
  • The NIH-MC team will review the request and discuss feasibility.
  • The NIH-MC team will send an introductory email to all persons, including the NIH-MC participating laboratory that is deemed best suited to handle the project request.
  • The NIH-MC participating laboratory will determine all further steps, which nearly always include a consultation via video conference, guidance on sample handling and/or preparation, etc.
  • Note: The participating laboratory may determine after consultation that they cannot provide the requested analysis. The NIH-MC will assist in finding alternative options within NIH-MC in this scenario.
  • At completion of the project, the NIH-MC participating laboratory will correspond with NIH-MC administrators for usage fees.
Project Request
Please complete the project request form (116KB) and email it to the NIH Metabolomics Consortium. Following a brief review and discussion among the NIH-MC participants, the NIH-MC Coordinator will contact you about the requested project.

Keywords

Mass SpectrometryMetabolomicsMetabolomics Data AnalysisUntargetedUntargeted Metabolomics