Archive · 7 Nov 2025
IIT Bombay Researchers Identify New Blood Markers for Diabetes Risk
Scientists at IIT Bombay are looking at tiny molecules in our blood, called metabolites, to find out who might get diabetes even before they show any signs.
India has a lot of people with diabetes, and current tests only show if blood sugar is high, but not why or who is at the most risk.
The researchers studied these tiny molecules from people who were healthy, had diabetes, or had diabetes problems with their kidneys.
They found some molecules that are different in people with diabetes, some of which are new discoveries.
This new way of looking at blood could help doctors spot diabetes earlier and understand it better, as it's not just about sugar but many body processes.
It might also help find people at risk of kidney problems caused by diabetes.
IIT Bombay researchers have identified hidden blood markers for early diabetes risk detection.
The study utilized metabolomics, analyzing nearly 300 small molecules in blood samples.
Researchers found 26 metabolites that differed between diabetic patients and healthy individuals.
New metabolites like valerobetaine and ribothymidine, not previously linked to diabetes, were identified.
Biochemical patterns also showed potential to identify diabetic patients at risk of kidney complications.
- Who
- Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay
- What
- Studied hidden blood markers using metabolomics to identify diabetes risk and potential kidney complications.
- When
- Study published in the Journal of Proteome Research; samples collected between June 2021 and July 2022.
- Where
- Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad, India.
- Why
- To enable early detection and more personalized treatments for diabetes, given India's high diabetes prevalence.
Current Diabetes Tests
New Metabolomic Approach
Detection Capability
Current Diabetes Tests
Current tests like fasting blood glucose and HbA1c capture only a fraction of the complex biochemical disruptions and cannot always predict who faces the greatest risk.
New Metabolomic Approach
Metabolomics analyzes small molecules in the blood to detect hidden biochemical patterns and shifts that precede clinical symptoms and reflect broader metabolic disruptions beyond just glucose.
Scope of Understanding Diabetes
Current Diabetes Tests
Type 2 diabetes is often viewed primarily as high blood sugar.
New Metabolomic Approach
Type 2 diabetes is a much broader metabolic disorder that disrupts amino acids, fats, and other pathways, which can begin years before clinical symptoms appear.
- Institution
- IIT Bombay
- Research Area
- Metabolomics for Diabetes Risk Identification
- Publication
- Journal of Proteome Research
- Sample Size
- 52 volunteers (15 healthy, 23 type 2 diabetes, 14 diabetic kidney disease)
- Methods Used
- Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
- Number of Metabolites Scanned
- Nearly 300
- Key Metabolites Found Differing
- 26 between diabetic patients and healthy controls