Development and Translation Mass Spectrometry Methods to Determine BioMarkers for Parkinson's Disease and Comorbidities

该项目将使用先进的质谱学方法来识别脂肪和其他代谢物，这些物质存在于皮脂中，可以诊断帕金森氏症。这些方法将包括离子迁移率质谱学、精确质量测定和包括UVPD在内的最先进的串联质谱学。与布里斯班皇后大学合作，候选人将实施OZ-ID来解决饱和键的位置。这项发现工作将使靶向质谱学分析进一步发展，可用于分诊诊断测试，以确定某人是否患有帕金森氏症。我们发现，从人们脖子后面采集的皮肤拭子中含有丰富的生物液体，称为皮脂。当我们用质谱仪分析皮脂的成分时，我们能够发现与匹配的对照组受试者相比，帕金森氏症患者体内的化合物显著上调。我们现在能够将这项测试转换到经过认证的临床生化环境中。在本项目中，您将学习如何通过获取Discovery MS数据来推进这些发现。然后，您将把它转化为靶向分析。第二个目标将是确定是否可以使用相同的采样和分析方法来发现合并症。

This project will use advanced mass spectrometry methods to identify lipids and other metabolites that are found in sebum and are diagnostic of Parkinson's disease. These methods will include ion mobility mass spectrometry, accurate mass determination and state of the art tandem mass spectrometry including UVPD. In collaboration with Queens University Brisbane, the candidate will implement OZ-ID to resolve the location of saturated bonds. This discovery work will enable further development of targeted mass spectrometry assays that can be used for a triage diagnostic test to determine if someone has Parkinson's disease. We have discovered that skin swabs taken from the back of people's necks are rich in a biofluid called sebum. When we analyse the components of sebum with mass spectrometry, we are able to find compounds that are substantially upregulated in people with Parkinson's disease compared to matched control subjects. We are now in a position to translate this test to an accredited clinical biochemistry environment. In this project you will learn how to advance these findings by acquiring discovery MS data. You will then translate this to a targeted assay. A secondary aim will be to determine if the same sampling and analysis approach can be used to find comorbidities.