Statistical Analysis of Proteomics, Metabolomics, and Lipidomics Data Using Mass Spectrometry

Omics research fields are expected to revolutionize biomolecular research by the ability to simultaneously profile many compounds within either patient blood, urine, tissue, or other biological samples. Mass spectrometry is one of the key analytical techniques used in these new omic sciences. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, time-of-flight data, and Fourier transform mass spectrometry are but a selection of the measurement platforms available to the modern analyst. Thus in practical proteomics or metabolomics, researchers will not only be confronted with new high dimensional data types—as opposed to the familiar data structures in more classical genomics—but also with great variation between distinct types of mass spectral measurements derived from different platforms, which may complicate analyses, comparison, and interpretation of results.