Robert Hall, Director of the Centre for BioSystems Genomics and cluster leader in Metabolic Regulation at Plant Research International, was elected President of the Metabolomics Society (International MetSoc), effective on 1 October 2010. The worldwide activities of the Metabolomics Society focus on promoting and optimising the use of metabolomics research in the life sciences. Van Hall’s appointment as president of the society confirms the worldwide reputation of Wageningen metabolomics research.
The Metabolomics Society has approximately 1000 members from more than 60 countries. The members work in businesses, hospitals, universities and institutes, and in various disciplines such as analytical chemistry, biochemistry, biology and bioinformatics. The Society holds an international congress, for which it always seeks cooperation with the 'regional' metabolomics conferences, such those as Europe and Southeast Asia. The Society publishes its own journal, Metabolomics. In addition it coordinates multiple initiatives focusing on benchmarking metabolomics research to ensure that experimental data remain usable for as long as possible.
In the Plant Sciences Group of Wageningen UR, various groups are currently involved with metabolomics research. For example, Plant Research International uses the advanced technology to study substances in vegetables and fruit: health promoting substances like antioxidants as well as fragrances and flavours. This research often takes place in cooperation with businesses.
Metabolomics research is also conducted at Wageningen University, for example by the Laboratory of Plant Physiology , for studying the interaction between plans and parasitic plants.