The Center for Metabolomics is developing mass spectrometry-based technologies for understanding metabolism. These developments include nanostructure-based mass imaging, cloud-based informatics, as well as a unique database to facilitate metabolite identification. Our XCMS Online/METLIN informatics platform has thousands of users in over 80 different countries. Our nanostructure-based mass spectrometry technology is a matrix-free solution to tissue imaging, activity screening and analyzing nano-arrays.