Tao Huan

Tao Huan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, and holds the Canada Research Chair in Metabolomics and Exposomics. His research focuses on advancing mass spectrometry (MS) for metabolomics, integrating bioinformatics to address challenges in cancer metabolism, disease biomarker discovery, and exposome characterization.

• Education: Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry (University of Alberta, 2015), Postdoctoral Research Associate (The Scripps Research Institute, 2015-2018).

Dr. Huan’s work emphasizes systems biology, combining metabolomics with genomics and proteomics to decode complex biological mechanisms. He has pioneered methods for chemical isotope labeling and multimodal data integration, enhancing metabolite identification and pathway analysis.

His recent publications (2020-2019) highlight innovations in LC-MS/MS workflows, freeze-thaw sample stability, and applications in colorectal cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Huan’s lab actively recruits students and postdocs in analytical chemistry, metabolomics, and bioinformatics.

• Awards: Fred Beamish Award (2025), President’s Award, Metabolomics Society (2025), UBC Killam Faculty Research Award (2024), Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar Award (2023).

He serves as a faculty member in UBC’s Graduate Program in Bioinformatics, Genome Science and Technology, and the Cluster for Microplastics, Health and Environment. Lab alumni include Ph.D. and M.Sc. students now in academia and industry.