The sequencing of the human genome promised a revolution in medicine, but scientists soon realized that a genetic blueprint alone does not show the body in action. That required understanding the proteome — all the proteins, expressed by our genes, forming the cellular machinery that performs the bulk of the body’s functions. Now, another set of molecules known as the lipidome — all the lipids in our bodies — is filling in more details of human physiology.
Lipids are a broad category of small, fatty or oily molecules, including triglycerides, cholesterol, hormones and some vitamins. In our bodies, they make up cell membranes, act as cellular messengers and store energy; they play key roles in responding to infection and regulating our metabolism.
Our genome is essentially stable. Our proteome, though influenced by our health and environment, is largely dependent on what’s encoded…
