Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics: A Practical Guide is a simple, step-by-step reference for profiling metabolites in a target organism. It discusses optimization of sample preparation for urine, serum, blood, tissue, food, and plant and animal cell samples. Encompassing three different technical fields--biology, analytical chemistry, and informatics-- mass spectrometry-based metabolomics can be challenging for biologists without special training in quantitative mass spectrometry. This book is designed to overcome this limitation by providing researchers with the knowledge they need to use metabolomics technology in their respective disciplines. The book summarizes all steps in metabolomics research, from experimental design to sample preparation, analytical procedures, and data analysis. Case studies are presented for easy understanding of the metabolomics workflow and its practical applications in different research fields. The book includes an in-house library and built-in software so that those new to the field can begin to analyze real data samples.In addition to being an excellent introductory text, the book also contains the latest advancements in this emerging field and can thus be a useful reference for metabolomics specialists.