Data integration of MSI and ion beam technologies

This project is directly aligned with NPL strategic priorities in personalised medicine, early diagnosis, multi-modal imaging, complex systems research. The project is directly aligned to EPSRC priorities 'imaging modalities, novel analytical techniques and innovation needed to improve prediction, diagnosis and treatment of disease'. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a powerful technique for spatially resolved, highly multiplexed, metabolite detection and identification from biological samples. NPL is currently leading a major consortium, funded by CRUK to establish multimodal mass spectrometry imaging pipelines to deliver spatially resolved integrated maps of tumour metabolism over wide ranging length scales. Multimodal approaches are also being established at The University of Surrey, with a different focus of combining molecular (typically metabolic) features with elemental mapping methods (EPSRC Fellowship awarded to Prof. M. Bailey). NPL are a collaborator in this work, providing expertise in MALDI and DESI MS imaging methods. Exciting results have now been published from both programmes and as we collectively review the analytical performance of the multimodal workflows, key areas for further research and improvement have emerged. While a number of informative molecular classes can be detected by both techniques, major 'blind spots' still hinder the ability to provide comprehensive insights for a number of metabolic pathways. We propose a metrological investigation and parameter evaluation using both model systems and biological samples (e.g. tumour samples and TB models). Physico-chemical properties and associated molecular class-based characteristics will be correlated with ionisation performance in these systems in order to work towards a more in-depth understanding of these phenomena and therefore improved detection of critical metabolites in disease research by MSI.