ToF-SIMS IMS

Contact: Kuang Jen J. Wu

 

We are developing integrated imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) technology to perform chemical imaging of analytes on cells and tissue surfaces.  Direct tissue profiling by IMS provides detailed mapping of the complex molecular pattern across a tissue sample.  The methodology generates a collection of mass spectra from a defined sample surface.  Instead of interpreting these information-rich spectral set visually, we have employed multivariate statistical analysis tool to analyze the entire collection of chemical maps. Our approach combines high spatial resolution with non-supervised spectral data processing technique.  Based on the spectral patterns the correlation between biologically relevant molecular compositions and their spatial distribution can be visualized directly and intuitively.  The combined toolbox allows us to perform hyperspectral visualization of complex IMS data set obtained from biological samples.  Profiling and IMS have been used to characterize multiple biological systems.  We have successfully demonstrated differentiation of cancer cell types and separation of benign from malignant biopsy tissues. 

 

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