Our laboratory is constantly pushing the limits in analytical performance of direct MS techniques to improve disease detection from tissues and challenging clinical samples such as minimally invasive biopsies. Using DESI-MS imaging and other direct MS techniques, we are optimizing experimental protocols and data analytics to maximize molecular coverage and sensitivity to detect diagnostic molecules from patient samples that have complex cellular and molecular composition.
We are working on several important projects within this area. For example, we have an ongoing NIH-funded prospective clinical study to collect thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsies from patients to evaluate if we can pre-operative identify cancer within the samples. We are also using DESI-MS imaging technology to analyze platelets and liquid biopsies from cancer patients for diagnostic purposes.
Our work in this field has paved the way for innumerable new applications for using MS to diagnose disease based on metabolic information acquired from minimally invasive biopsies.
