Metabolomics is the comprehensive study of the metabolome—the complete set of small-molecule chemicals (metabolites) found within a biological sample, such as a cell, tissue, or organism. While genomics tells us what *could* happen (the potential), and proteomics tells us what *is* happening (the machinery), metabolomics tells us what *has* happened (the chemical result). By analyzing metabolic profiles, scientists can gain a snapshot of the physiology of a cell at a specific moment, making it a powerful tool for understanding disease states, drug responses, and nutritional effects.
The term was coined in the late 1990s, following the 'omics' trend established by genomics and proteomics. The field grew rapidly with advancements in mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
It is increasingly used in personalized medicine ('precision nutrition'), toxicology, and plant biology. It provides the closest link to the phenotype (observable characteristics) of an organism.