Glycans both encode cellular information, such as cell-cell interactions and cell state (Signal), and must avoid being targeted by pathogens (Noise). This leads to a system in which the sugar code (i.e. the glycan motifs controlling function) is hidden within the noisy milleu of larger heterogenous glycan structures. This talk focuses on use of high-throughput analytical methods, including our lectin microarray technology and newly developed miRNA-proxy approach, in tandem with data integration, to decode structure-function relationships in the glycome. Our work is identifying glycan drivers of disease by focusing on clinical samples and relevant systems. We are breaking new ground in areas including melanoma, pancreatic cancer, and host-response to pathogens (e.g. influenza), providing new targets for small molecule intervention in these disease states.