We strive to understand how changes in metabolic activities support cancer cells within the tumor environment, and to exploit these changes for therapeutic purposes. We have found that cancer cells are dependent on metabolic pathways which involve the formation of toxic metabolites. By identifying and targeting critical detoxifying enzymes, cancer cells can be poisoned with their own metabolites. Furthermore, as widespread changes in metabolism accompany various pathological changes in cell state, we are also interested in the potential pathological roles of toxic metabolites in contexts outside of cancer, such as aging and neurodegeneration.