Development and Application of New Ionization Methods for Biological Mass Spectrometry

 描述（由申请人提供）：质谱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。质量分析器技术、解离技术和电离方法的重大进步很大程度上归功于质谱在系统生物学领域中发挥的核心作用。虽然质谱在上个世纪已经发展成为一种高效的分析工具，但仍然有机会取得新的进展，从而解决更加多样化的生物学问题。该提案的重点是开发用于生物质谱的新电离方法，以允许跨几类生物分子进行组织成像。该提案的短期目标是利用真实的生物系统进一步开发并从根本上理解这种创新的电离方法。这些结果将为生物应用直接受益提供坚实的基础。本着这种想法，我们将开发这些新的电离方法并将其应用于组织成像。长期目标是建立这些新的电离方法作为一种生物分析技术，以有效解决人类健康和疾病问题。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性疾病）的研究产生了深远的影响。质谱的先决条件是将中性分子转化为带电物质（离子），以便可以通过质谱仪“称量”它们。这项研究的重点是开发新的电离方法，以解决更多样化的当代生物医学问题。这将包括组织成像，最终提供新的生物学见解。

 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 across several classes of biological molecules. The short-term objective of this proposal is to further develop and fundamentally understand this innovative ionization method using real biological systems. These results will provide a solid foundation from which biological applications will directly benefit. In this mindse, 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. 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 new biological insights.