Biomedical National Elemental Imaging Resource (BNEIR)

人体中可以检测到多达60种化学元素，其中约25种是生命所必需的。铁（Fe）、锌（Zn）、铜（Cu）和硒（Se）等元素是细胞周期调节、繁殖、结构修复和免疫等广泛过程所需的酶辅因子的组成部分。这些元素的失调是疾病的标志。例如，铝（Al）、铁、铜和锌在大脑淀粉样斑块中的积累与阿尔茨海默病有关，而铜的失调会导致门克斯病和威尔逊病。化学元素也是诊断工具和化疗药物；钆（Gd）是最常见的磁共振成像造影剂，金属基纳米颗粒有望用于靶向药物输送，铂（Pt）和砷（As）化合物用于癌症治疗。毫无疑问，了解器官、组织或细胞中某种元素的空间分布对于充分研究疾病的机制或药物递送的功效至关重要。因此，微米尺度的元素成像对于推进NIGMS的目标至关重要，它支持基础研究，增加我们对生物过程的理解，并为疾病诊断、治疗和预防的进步奠定基础。目前用于生物医学元素成像的分析资源要么被过度使用（同步x射线荧光），要么只覆盖有限的元素范围，要么在真空下进行，要么不容易扩展到毫米尺度的成像。激光烧蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱（LA-ICP-MS）是一种基于实验室的元素成像（元素成像）技术，它越来越多地应用于生物医学应用，其检测限与其他元素成像技术相当或更低，并且可能更容易获得和可操作性。到目前为止，在美国没有元素成像LA-ICP-MS用户资源。达特茅斯微量元素分析核心是一个建立和高度重视的共享资源，支持美国各地的研究人员，由元素成像和ICP-MS方面经验丰富的研究人员组成，使用最先进的仪器，并与行业合作伙伴建立了良好的联系。我们的目标是扩展我们目前的临时元素成像服务，建立一个元素成像用户设施；生物医学国家元素成像资源（BNEIR），它将加速和简化生物医学研究人员对仪器、专业知识、基于网络和面对面培训、访问后支持、软件的访问，并将为元素成像用户培育一个充满活力的社区。我们将通过网络研讨会、研讨会、参加国家和国际会议以及积极寻找正在从事相关研究项目的NIH研究人员，在更大的NIGMS科学家社区中积极推广元素成像。

Up to 60 chemical elements can be detected in the human body, about 25 of which are essential to life. Elements such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and selenium (Se) are constituents of enzyme cofactors required for a wide range of processes from cell cycle regulation, reproduction, structural repair, and immunity. Dysregulation of these elements is a hallmark of disease. For instance, aluminum (Al), Fe, Cu and Zn accumulation in amyloid plaques in the brain are associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dysregulation of Cu causes Menkes and Wilson’s disease. Chemical elements are also diagnostic tools and chemotherapeutics; gadolinium (Gd) is the most common magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent, metal-base nanoparticles show promise for targeted drug delivery and platinum (Pt) and arsenic (As) compounds are used in cancer treatment. Invariably, knowing the spatial distribution of an element in an organ, tissue or cell is essential to fully investigate mechanisms of disease or the efficacy of drug delivery. Hence, elemental imaging at the micron scale is essential to further the NIGMS goal to support basic research that increases our understanding of biological processes and lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Current analytical resources for biomedical elemental imaging are either over-subscribed (synchrotron X-ray fluorescence), cover only a limited range of elements, are performed under a vacuum or not readily scalable to imaging at the mm scale. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is a laboratory-based elemental imaging (elemental imaging) technique that it is increasingly being applied to biomedical applications with comparable or lower detection limits than other elemental imaging techniques and, potentially, easier access and operability. To date there are no elemental imaging LA-ICP-MS user resources in the US. The Dartmouth Trace Element Analysis Core is an established and highly regarded shared resource that supports researchers throughout the US, is staffed by experienced researchers in elemental imaging and ICP-MS, uses state-of-the-art instrumentation and has excellent links to industry partners. Our aims are to expand upon our current ad hoc elemental imaging service to establish an elemental imaging user facility; the Biomedical National Elemental Imaging Resource (BNEIR), which will accelerate and simplify access for biomedical researchers to instrumentation, expertise, web-based and in-person training, after-visit support, software and will foster a dynamic community for elemental imaging users. We will actively promote the elemental imaging within the larger NIGMS community of scientists through webinars, seminars, attendance at national and international meetings and actively seeking out NIH researchers currently pursuing relevant research projects.