Development and Application of New Ionization Methods for Biological Mass Spectro

描述（由申请人提供）：质谱法是一种非常强大的生物分析技术，对我们对人类健康和疾病的分子理解产生了深远的影响。质量分析技术、解离技术和电离方法的重大进展主要归功于质谱在系统生物学领域中的核心作用。虽然质谱在上个世纪已经发展成为一种非常有效的分析工具，但仍然有机会取得新的进展，从而可以解决更多样化的生物学问题。该提案集中于开发用于生物质谱的新电离方法，以允许具有自上而下表征的组织成像。该提案的短期目标是开发和理解这些使用化学和分子系统的新电离方法。这些结果将为生物应用直接受益提供坚实的基础。在这种心态下，我们将开发和应用这些新的电离方法的组织成像。长期目标是将这些新的电离方法建立为有效解决人类健康和疾病问题的生物分析技术。质谱（MS）是一门与“分子称重”相关的科学，对人类健康和疾病（包括癌症、心脏病、神经发育和自身免疫疾病）的研究产生了深远的影响。MS的先决条件是将中性分子转化为带电物质（离子），以便它们可以被质谱仪“称重”。这项研究的重点是开发新的电离方法，允许更多样化的当代生物医学问题得到解决。这将包括组织成像，以最终提供诊断和预后生物标志物。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mass spectrometry is an extraordinarily powerful bioanalytical technique that has had a profound impact on our molecular understanding of human health and disease. Major advances in mass analyzer technology, dissociation techniques, and ionization methods are largely attributed to the central role that mass spectrometry plays in the field of systems biology. While mass spectrometry has evolved over the last century into a highly effective analytical tool, there are still opportunities for new advances to be made allowing an even more diverse array of biological questions to be addressed. This proposal is centered on the development of new ionization methods for biological mass spectrometry to allow for tissue imaging with top-down characterization. The short-term objective of this proposal is to develop and understand these new ionization methods using chemical and molecular systems. These results will provide a solid foundation from which biological applications will directly benefit. In this mindset, we will develop and apply these new ionization methods to tissue imaging. The long- term objective is to establish these new ionization methods as an enabling bioanalytical technology to effectively address questions in human health and disease. Public Description of Proposed Research Mass spectrometry (MS), the science related to the "weighing of molecules", has had a profound impact on the study of human health and disease including cancer, heart disease, neural development, and auto-immune diseases. A prerequisite of MS is to convert neutral molecules into charged species (ions) such that they can be "weighed" by the mass spectrometer. The focus of this research is to develop new ionization methods allowing a more diverse array of contemporary biomedical questions to be addressed. This will include the imaging of tissues to ultimately provide diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.