"So far, the developments in the fields of genomics and proteomics have been far ahead as compared to the corresponding advancement of knowledge in the field of lipids. This is largely due to the complexity of lipids and the lack of powerful tools for their analysis. Novel analytical approaches would enable systems-level analysis of lipids and their applications, together termed as lipidomics," says Prof Wenk.

The team involved in lipidomics research believes that chromatography and mass spectrometry technologies are going to revolutionize the field of lipid research and it would be possible to detect, characterize and quantify lipids at high levels of sensitivity and resolution. Lipid analysis could be a milestone in early diagnosis of serious and killer diseases and a wide clinical application through devices and diagnostic kits.