Gary Impey

The authors discuss analytical methods for lipidomics.

For drug discovery workflows, the issue of metabolite detection and identification in in vivo systems is a critical challenge. The wide range of complex matrices (such as bile, plasma, urine, and fecal extracts), and the ion suppression effects of these biological fluids, can cause a severe decrease in the ability to detect metabolites. Greater instrument sensitivity is necessary to detect these compounds and, at the same time, helps to minimize sample preparation, simply diluting the negative effects of these complex matrices and avoiding the time- and labor-consuming sample cleanup or concentration steps that otherwise might be required.