Prof Markus R. Wenk of the Precision Medicine Translational Research Programme at NUS outlines how research on individual metabolism—the conversion of food to maintain cellular and organismal life—will offer new opportunities for personalised health and medicine. He discusses the potential capabilities of metabolites, the growing role of biobanks, and the extent to which this information can inform disease risk beyond conventional clinical predictors. As research continues, Prof Wenk is confident that exciting insights into metabolite association with clinical outcomes will be shown in the next few years.