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An EMSL User-ready spatially resolved metabolomics platform capable of high-lateral MS imaging and epifluorescence-based targeting


EMSL Project ID
60080

Abstract

To upgrade our laser-ablation electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LAESI-MS) platform to a capability that can automatically identify cells and areas of interest and acquire spatially resolved in situ metabolomics from microbial cell cultures, native plant tissue, and cryogenically preserved mammalian tissue based on fluorescence signatures. This capability will use a unique dual-channel optical microscope in line with the LAESI source optics. Combined, this ‘multimodal molecular microscope’ will enable us to visualize the sample with multiple epifluorescence channels and to do high spatial resolution LAESI-MS analysis—permitting optically informed spatially resolved MS and mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). We anticipate that these upgrades to our LAESI-MS platform will enable multimodal spatial metabolomics of living and native biological samples, complementing EMSL’s other spatial omics capabilities. Accordingly, we anticipate this capability to generate high EMSL User demand and it will make us competitive for future external funds from the U.S. DOE and NIH, for example. Notably, we have one large-scale user proposal already requesting this capability (51846), and three FICUS proposals have shown interest in this approach (60031, 60050, and 60055).

Project Details

Start Date
2021-05-18
End Date
2021-11-30
Status
Closed

Team

Principal Investigator

Christopher Anderton
Institution
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Co-Investigator(s)

Michael Taylor
Institution
Private Industry (Roop)

Team Members

Arunima Bhattacharjee
Institution
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Andrey Liyu
Institution
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory