New data released on Thursday from the world’s largest study of blood molecules from thousands of volunteers could lead to finger-prick tests to detect several diseases years in advance, scientists say.
Researchers working with the UK Biobank participants have released the final set of data on nearly 250 molecules in our blood produced as we go about our lives, studying samples from half a million volunteers.
The UK Biobank is a large prospective study of over 500,000 men and women aged 40 to 69 years from 2006 and 2010, providing data for understanding factors influencing a wide range of diseases of middle age and later life.
A subset of this largest-ever study analysing patient blood molecules could help researchers better predict who is at the highest risk of several conditions, including Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and cancer, nearly a decade in advance, and help drive treatment strategies.
Scientists in partnership with Nightingale Health assessed these metabolites in the blood, including sugars, fats and amino acids, and have made the final list of these molecules available for researchers across the world.
“Metabolites are small molecules made when the body breaks down the food we eat, air we breathe, and the medicines we take,” said Naomi Allen, chief scientist at the UK Biobank.
“Studying metabolites is a powerful way to unveil new warning signs of disease, understand how illnesses start and evolve, and track how well treatments are working,” Dr Allen explained.
Some of the data from the study has already been rolled out in batches since 2021, and has led to scientific breakthroughs, researchers say.
For instance, the metabolite data combined with other data from the UK Biobank has led to the development of a blood test used in practice in France and Singapore to evaluate people’s risk of developing common diseases like Type 2 diabetes, scientists say.
“When combined with the genetic, proteomic and imaging information, these data open up a new dimension of discovery, allowing scientists to study the combined effects of genes, proteins and environmental factors on our health, providing us with new insights into the real-time state of a patient,” said Sir Rory Collins, principal investigator at the UK Biobank.
“It fits with the model of prevention that we are moving towards, to be able to send off a little pinprick blood sample and get an idea of your health,” Joy Edwards-Hicks, who studies age-related blood changes at the University of Edinburgh, told The Guardian.
The latest findings could lead to enhanced prediction of future diseases in patients based on blood tests, which could help pinpoint those who would benefit most from early diagnostics and preventative treatments, scientists say.
“To have metabolomic data on the scale of UK Biobank, alongside their diverse and growing range of information on half a million volunteers, creates a unique cohort study in which scientists can make discoveries,” said Michael Inouye, a population health researcher from the University of Cambridge.
“Having all that data available for the global network of UK Biobank researchers means scientists around the world can uncover critical insights into blood biomarkers and human health and test them in one of the biggest medical research projects in the world,” said Jeffrey Barrett, chief scientific officer at Nightingale Health.
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