A Review of Recent Progress in Drug Doping and Gene Doping Control Analysis

In this 16th edition of the annual banned‐substance review on analytical approaches in human sports drug testing, literature on recent developments in this particular section of global anti‐doping efforts that was published between October 2022 and September 2023 is summarized and discussed. Most recent additions to the continuously growing portfolio of doping control analytical approaches and investigations into analytical challenges in the context of adverse analytical findings are presented, taking into account existing as well as emerging challenges in anti‐doping, with specific focus on substances and methods of doping recognized in the World Anti‐Doping Agency's 2023 Prohibited List. As in previous years, focus is put particularly on new or enhanced analytical options in human doping controls, appreciating the exigence and core mission of anti‐doping and, equally, the conflict arising from the opposingly trending extent of the athlete's exposome and the sensitivity of instruments nowadays commonly available in anti‐doping laboratories.

Annual banned‐substance review 16^th edition—Analytical approaches in human sports drug testing 2022/2023

Thevis,

Kuuranne,

Geyer

2023

Gene doping detection in the era of genomics

Li,

Su,

Shi

et al. 2024

Recent progress in gene editing has enabled development of gene therapies for many genetic diseases, but also made gene doping an emerging risk in sports and competitions. By delivery of exogenous transgenes into human body, gene doping not only challenges competition fairness but also places health risk on athletes. World Anti‐Doping Agency (WADA) has clearly inhibited the use of gene and cell doping in sports, and many techniques have been developed for gene doping detection. In this review, we will summarize the main tools for gene doping detection at present, highlight the main challenges for current tools, and elaborate future utilizations of high‐throughput sequencing for unbiased, sensitive, economic and large‐scale gene doping detections. Quantitative real‐time PCR assays are the widely used detection methods at present, which are useful for detection of known targets but are vulnerable to codon optimization at exon–exon junction sites of the transgenes. High‐throughput sequencing has become a powerful tool for various applications in life and health research, and the era of genomics has made it possible for sensitive and large‐scale gene doping detections. Non‐biased genomic profiling could efficiently detect new doping targets, and low‐input genomics amplification and long‐read third‐generation sequencing also have application potentials for more efficient and straightforward gene doping detection. By closely monitoring scientific advancements in gene editing and sport genetics, high‐throughput sequencing could play a more and more important role in gene detection and hopefully contribute to doping‐free sports in the future.

Analytical advances in horseracing medication and doping control from 2018 to 2023

Gray,

Lubbock,

Love

et al. 2024

The analytical approaches taken by laboratories to implement robust and efficient regulation of horseracing medication and doping control are complex and constantly evolving. Each laboratory's approach will be dictated by differences in regulatory, economic and scientific drivers specific to their local environment. However, in general, laboratories will all be undertaking developments and improvements to their screening strategies in order to meet new and emerging threats as well as provide improved service to their customers. In this paper, the published analytical advances in horseracing medication and doping control since the 22nd International Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians will be reviewed. Due to the unprecedented impact of COVID‐19 on the worldwide economy, the normal 2‐year period of this review was extended to over 5 years. As such, there was considerable ground to cover, resulting in an increase in the number of relevant publications included from 107 to 307. Major trends in publications will be summarised and possible future directions highlighted. This will cover developments in the detection of ‘small’ and ‘large’ molecule drugs, sample preparation procedures and the use of alternative matrices, instrumental advances/applications, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, the detection and prevalence of ‘endogenous' compounds and biomarker and OMICs approaches. Particular emphasis will be given to research into the potential threat of gene doping, which is a significant area of new and continued research for many laboratories. Furthermore, developments in analytical instrumentation relevant to equine medication and doping control will be discussed.