Microbes exhibit variable forms of cellular metabolism, the distinctive properties of which reflect critical features of relevant microbial ecosystems. In the context of the gut microbiota, these metabolic processes generate numerous small molecules that influence host biology in a myriad of ways. Our research seeks to develop a fundamental understanding of the relationship between microbial metabolism and healthy/diseased states of the gut microbiota and, eventually, to exploit these insights in the development of targeted therapies.