Aims and Scope
The molecular composition of biological-medical samples such as tissue sections or cell cultures but also of materials can differ not only in the amount and identity of the components, but also in the local distribution of the molecules. Especially for biological-medical samples, the local association of the analytes with tissue areas or individual cells is of particular importance for the characterization of biological functions, diseases, or drug effects. Established microscopic methods are used in clinical and biological laboratories but require the chemical labeling.
This is different with mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). These mass spectrometric methods allow label-free visualization of metabolites, lipids, glycans, peptides and active ingredients in complex tissues. MSI thereby enables a variety of applications in the life sciences and clinical research (pathology, toxicology, pharmacology) as well as in the field of materials science (surface modifications, aging processes). The DGMS “MS Imaging” interest group, which currently has 100 members, deals with applications, technological and bioinformatics developments relating to MSI. The interest group offers workshops at the annual DGMS conferences, which are aimed at all researchers with an interest in MSI. Further meetings of the interest group with more specialized applications or method focus are planned every two years in the future.
Speakers of the Interest Group
Historic Remark
With a workshop “MS Imaging – Applications and Perspectives” right before the 44th DGMS annual conference in Dortmund 2011 a new interest group MS-Imaging was founded. The first speakers are Prof. Dr. Andreas Römpp (University of Bayreuth) and Prof. Dr. Bernhard Spengler (University of Giessen).
