Is there a role for small molecule metabolite biomarkers in the development of a diagnostic test for endometriosis?

Endometriosis currently requires surgery and biopsy to obtain a diagnosis which is highly invasive and not without risk. Dr Holdsworth-Carson recently published a review summarising progress to date with regard to a non-invasive biomarker for endometriosis. "The identification of a non-invasive endometriosis biomarker – a measurable factor correlating with disease presence or activity – has therefore become a priority in endometriosis research, although no biomarker has yet been validated. As small molecule metabolites and lipids have emerged as a potential focus, this review with systematic approach, aims to summarize studies examining metabolomic biomarkers of endometriosis in order to guide future research."

Our project 4 continues this important work and hopefully lead to better diagnostic tests for people in the future.