UBC Chemistry Associate Professor Dr. Tao Huan has been appointed to a new Canada Research Chair in metabolomics and exposomics. His research will focus on studying small molecules in biological systems, as well as the impact of environmental chemical exposures. Metabolomics is crucial for understanding disease biomarkers, drug discovery, and environment-gene interactions. Unlike genes and proteins, metabolites provide a direct readout of a cell’s current state, making them valuable for linking molecular changes to health outcomes.