Poster Audio: A breathomics database to identify, contextualize, and validate biomarkers of respiratory conditions

Volatile organic compound (VOC) biomarkers in exhaled breath offer a promising route to safe, non-invasive diagnostics in multiple disease settings. Many breath-based studies have been carried out in a range of conditions, including respiratory diseases, but there are few validated breath-based biomarkers currently in clinical use. The complex and unknown composition of the breath matrix makes the identification and validation of on-breath VOC biomarkers a significant challenge.

The Atlas study was designed to provide a comprehensive catalog of VOCs identified on exhaled human breath, the Breath Biopsy VOC Atlas®, to support the development of breath VOC biomarkers and diagnostics. Here we present the study cohort, breath sampling procedure, and analysis leading to the Breath Biopsy VOC Atlas. The Atlas will support future breath studies, particularly in respiratory disease, by providing insight and scientific context to identified compounds to enable the confident selection of candidate biomarkers for a variety of diseases.

We recently presented this work at the European Respiratory Society Congress (ERS) 2024 conference, and you can view our presentation below. If you are interested in finding out more, or meeting us at a conference, please get in touch.