The HUSERMET project was funded in 2005 through the "Link Scheme in Applied Genomics" initiative by the BBSRC and MRC and the DTI. It is a collaboration between The University of Manchester, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca.

The HUSERMET project involves three key studies:

• Characterisation of the human serum metabolome
• Identification of biomarkers associated with the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease
• Identification of metabolic changes associated with the progression and treatment of Ovarian cancer

Since biological samples are very complex, containing thousands of compounds at different concentrations, the HUSERMET project requires methods designed to maximise the number of compounds detected.

• The chemical properties of a metabolite influences both its function and its ease of analysis. As a result, no single method exists that can be used detect and identify all metabolites
• In order to build a comprehensive picture of the metabolome and detect as many compounds as possible, a number of different methods have to be used including:
  • Mass Spectrometry (MS)
  • Chromatographic Techniques (Liquid Chromatography and Gas Chromatography)
  • Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
  • NMR
• The data obtained will be made public for others to use in their research

Volunteers are currently being recruited with the assistance of:

• Christie Hospital
• The European Male Ageing Study (EMAS) at the University of Manchester
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Memory Clinics throughout the North West
• Stockport Primary Care Trust