Analytical developments to map isomers of oxidized molecules in tissue

All biological processes involve chemical reactions and interactions.

Thus, to understand disease onset and progression the underlying biological processes can be derived by analyzing the chemistry.

However, analyzing the chemistry of biofluids do not reveal the processes occurring tissue and cellular regions.In this project, I will develop and use new analytical methods for enhanced spatially resolved detection of molecules associated with oxidative stress.

In particular, I will enhance detectability and identification of bioactive isomers of oxylipins and oxysterols directly in tissue and cellular regions.

This will be achieved by enhancing mass spectrometry imaging and developing a new platform that enables surface sampling liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.With the developed techniques, I will map the chemistry in lesions of multiple sclerosis using human post-mortem brain tissue.

By learning the abundance of the exact isomer of oxylipin and oxysterol species the pathological processes in the different types of lesions will be revealed.

This may hold the key to future therapeutics.Overall, the project will advance analytical chemistry research beyond the current state-of-the art and provide unique insights into the processes occurring in different lesion of multiple sclerosis.