The “-Omics” of the New Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

The pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is multifactorial and the clinical phenotype of BPD is extremely variable. Hence, many traditional biomarkers have low predictive accuracy for BPD, and none are used in routine clinical care. In recent years, newer technologies have facilitated the in-depth and unbiased analysis of “large data” for early diagnosis or delineating the mechanisms of multiple diseases. Novel systems biology–based “-omic” approaches, including but not limited to genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics, may help define the multiple cellular and humoral interactions that regulate both normal and abnormal lung development and response to injury in BPD. The econ“omics” of these technologies will decide the pace at which personalized medicine is made accessible to preterm neonates at risk of developing BPD or other complications of prematurity.