New Ionization Technique for MS Imaging



 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Significant increase in the efficiency of matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) method and utilization of lossless sub-atmospheric pressure interface in mass spectrometry (MS) will have a profound impact on MS-based tissue imaging and on the entire analytical field of characterization of proteins, lipids, and metabolites Proposed increase in ionization efficiency of MALDI sources will make it an indispensable tool for both research laboratories and in clinical settings. We plan to build a platform combining atmospheric MALDI source and very efficient ion collector to drastically improve sensitivity and speed of MS-based analysis of miniscule amount of biomaterials harvested from tissues.