Combining Imaging Mass Spectrometry and Capillary Electrophoresis to Decipher Chemical Signaling in the Nervous System in Response to Environmental Stress

威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的李凌军教授获得了化学测量和成像项目的奖项，致力于开发敏感和通用的方法来评估对环境压力的神经化学反应。探针包括质谱成像和毛细管电泳，新型标记试剂和改进的生物信息学软件。这些工具将广泛适用于分析神经系统中的生化和肽能信号。获得的见解将有助于更好地理解参与适应环境压力的神经内分泌调节机制，这一过程在所有生物体中都是高度保守的，以维持它们在面对外部和内部产生的刺激时的生存。简单来说，长期目标是更好地理解神经系统的详细功能。通过与该领域的生物学家长期和积极的合作，这些工具将迅速传播到神经科学界。与工业伙伴的合作也将促进CE-MS接口设计的改进和推广。一大批具有不同背景的研究生和本科生（包括许多女科学家）积极参与。与麦迪逊大都会学区（MMSD）的合作伙伴关系提供了在暑期研究实习期间接待和指导高中生的机会。

With this award from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Chemistry Division, Professor Lingjun Li at the University of Wisconsin-Madison seeks to develop sensitive and versatile approaches to assessing the neurochemical response to environmental stress. Probes include mass spectrometric imaging and capillary electrophoresis, with novel tagging reagents and improved bioinformatics software. The tools will have broad applicability to analysis of biochemical and peptidergic signaling in nervous systems. Insights gained should lead to better understanding of the neuroendocrine regulatory mechanisms involved in adapting to environmental stress, a process that is highly conserved among all living organisms to maintain their survival in the face of both externally and internally generated stimuli. In simple terms, the long-term aim is better understanding of the detailed functioning of nervous systems. The tools will be promulgated rapidly to the neuroscience community through long-term and active collaborations with biologists in the field. Collaboration with industrial partners will also facilitate both improvement and promulgation of the CE-MS interface design. A large group of graduate and undergraduate students with diverse background (including many women scientists) is actively engaged. A partnership with the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) provides opportunities to host and mentor high school students during summer research internships.