Prof. Jeremy Nicholson, lead principal investigator of the new MRC-NIHR Phenome Centre describes how state-of-the-art mass spectrometers and NMR instruments enable high-throughput analysis of huge numbers of complex biological mixtures. Nicholson goes on to explain how the center takes advantage of an unprecedented opportunity offered by the legacy of the 2012 Olympics, and aims to analyze thousands of blood, urine and tissue samples to help revolutionize healthcare.