Mass Spectroscopy is a technique used to identify proteins and their components, as well as many other biomolecules such as toxins and drugs, from a range of biological specimens.
Imaging Mass Spectroscopy refers to mass spectroscopy performed on tissue specimens taken from patients, or from a multitude of other sources, that specifies the exact location of the biomolecules under investigation in the tissue of interest. Knowledge of the type and distribution of these biomarkers is useful in understanding diseases, in developing new diagnostic tests, and in the identification of novel drugs and drug targets.
This project is a collaborative effort with Mater Pathology, who will use Imaging Mass Spectroscopy to compare the differences between the proteomic profiles seen in a range of diseases, with that seen in normal tissues. The protoeomic analyses will highlight the key biomarkers present in disease states such as cancer and inflammatory diseases. These biomarkers can then be used for diagnostic purposes, and, potentially, to monitor therapeutic response.
Elements of this work have been presented at the following meetings: