Genes will tell you what may happen, metabolites tell you what is happening or has happened (Bill Lasley) Metabolomics is the qualitative and quantitative assessment of metabolites (small chemical molecules<1.5 kda). The metabolites are the downstream product of protein activity as well as the result of interactions with environmental exposures, and thus they are closely related to the phenotype. Over the last decade, metabolomics is coming to the forefront as a powerful tool for understanding disease mechanisms. and identifying biomarkers, and has great potential for clinical translation.