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MEtabolomics standaRds Initiative in Toxicology (MERIT)
Citation:
Beger, R., M. Viant, T. Ebbels, J. Dorne, D. Ekman, A. Goetz, H. Kamp, P. Leonards, G. Loizou, J. McRae, B. van Ravenzwaay, R. Salek, R. Weber, AND A. White. MEtabolomics standaRds Initiative in Toxicology (MERIT). Metabolomics 2018, Seattle, WA, June 24 - 28, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
To define standards and best practices in metabolomics studies to advance its use in regulatory toxicology.
Description:
The MEtabolomics standaRds Initiative in Toxicology (MERIT) is a European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC) supported project to provide guidance on best practice, quality standards and the reporting of analytical and computational metabolomics methods used in regulatory toxicology. ECETOC relies on world-wide expert collaboration “to develop an agreed understanding on how the state of the science can be used to improve [chemical] risk assessment by developing novel tools”. Although there is strong interest in using metabolomics from industry and regulatory scientists, the lack of best practice guidelines is a concern that has hindered its use in regulation. Fourteen metabolomics scientists from academia, industry, regulatory and government agencies were recruited as the MERIT core team, with a much larger number acting as a wider consultative group. The primary objective of MERIT is to develop best practice guidelines and minimal reporting standards in the context of metabolomics in regulatory toxicology. Several case studies representing near-future applications of metabolomics - including for the discovery of molecular key events and biological read-across - are being used to ensure the relevance of the guidelines to regulatory toxicology. MERIT will publish its recommendations for best practice and reporting standards and is liaising with other groups, such as the NCI Metabolomics Quality Assurance and quality Control Consortium (mQACC) and the Metabolomics Society, to ensure harmonization of the recommendations.
