The Mahal Lab is a world leader in creating and utilizing systems-based approaches to decode the glycome. In 2005, we created lectin microarray technology – a simple, yet powerful tool to profile the glycosylation of complex samples. Our integration of the glycome with other data has led to insights in cancer metastasis and host-response to pathogens. We have also uncovered glycan regulation via microRNA (miR, miRNA), noncoding RNA that tune protein expression. Our work has led to a new hypothesis on the role of miRNA in identifying functionally relevant genes and to the discovery of new modes of action for microRNA. We are currently using chemical biology to understand miRNA biology and the glycome.