Exciting Frontiers in Human Health

Perdita Barran

For me, it’s the opportunity to perform high-throughput multiomic discovery measurements in several labs to find robust biomarkers that can be translated to clinical mass spectrometry assays to benefit patients.

R. Graham Cooks 

A drug-discovery platform, based on DESI-MS, that is automated and works on the nmole to pmole scale to perform reaction screening, small-scale synthesis and then bioassays. With data acquisition at rates of one reaction/second, the system seems poised to accelerate the first steps of drug discovery. We are using it to discover inhibitors to the enzyme SULT2b1b, a target in prostate cancer.

Juergen Popp

I am most excited about combining the manifold possibilities artificial intelligence (AI) offers with biophotonics, like e.g. Raman-approaches for two medical fields which require new diagnostic and therapeutic methods, namely for an automated intraoperative tumor diagnosis or a rapid point-of-care infectious diagnosis. AI might be the missing link to finally get biomedical analytical approaches into routine clinical applications.

Robert Kennedy

Something that I feel is still barely tapped is developing analytical methods for better understanding the brain. The brain has many layers of organization so that single cell, small regions, circuits and the whole brain all represent interesting analytical challenges. We are seeing important advances in many aspects including imaging of neurotransmitters (via receptor interactions) and direct measurements by sensors and sampling. Also, single cell analysis is especially useful in neural systems where heterogeneity is built into the function. And, looking for biomarkers of brain function is very active. Nevertheless, relating the chemistry to other measurables (anatomy and electrical activity) and then to things like psychological and mental functions is a fascinating area. 

Ying Ge

I am most excited about the integration of chemistry, biology, and medicine to provide comprehensive insights into complex biological systems and translate the bench discoveries to the clinic for precision medicine.

Koen Sandra

Without a doubt, mass spectrometry. I cannot imagine what our research and the field in general would look like without this dazzling technology. The evolution we have seen in recent years is massive and the analytical questions tackled never-ending. From identifying thousands of species in less than an hour from individual cells, to quantifying solutes at trace levels in a diversity of matrices. From revealing the finest structural details of complex medicinal products, to visualizing the spatial distribution of molecules in tissue. Today, mass spectrometry is even finding its way to the operating theater for surgical decision making. Curious to see what will be next!

Lingjun Li

I am most excited about quantitative proteomics and posttranslational modification analysis at the systems level for biomarker discovery and disease diagnosis. Another exciting analytical frontier in human health and disease is the rapid advancements of spatially resolved multiomics analysis via imaging mass spectrometry and single-cell omics.

Michal Holčapek

My answer is related to our own research. In our spinoff company Lipidica, we are working on the clinical translation of a patented methodology for the early detection of pancreatic cancer based on lipidomic analysis of human blood. We use UHPSFC/MS for high-throughput quantitation of about 150 lipid species, and then multidimensional statistical analysis can differentiate patients with pancreatic cancer or other types of cancer from healthy volunteers with accuracy over 90 percent. Now we should start clinical validation, and then we plan to use this method for early cancer detection for high-risk people. My dream is to launch a national pancreatic cancer screening in the Czech Republic and then expand to other countries. We are able to detect early stage cancer and precancerous states, which could be a real game changer in the early detection of pancreatic cancer as one of the most lethal diseases, caused mainly by the absence of any screening program.