EMU: Acquisition of a DESI imaging ionization source for spatial metabolomics

• Grant number: 23/17189-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Infrastructure Program - Small Medium Sized
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Andréia de Melo Porcari
• Grantee: Andréia de Melo Porcari
• Host Institution: Universidade São Francisco (USF). Campus Bragança Paulista. Bragança Paulista , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Fábio Henrique da Silva ; Kelly Polido Kaneshiro Olympio ; Mariana Camargo Maschietto ; Miguel Soares Conceição

Abstract

This proposal aims to acquire a chemical imaging platform from the company Waters, called DESI (desorption electrospray ionization) worth US$ 174,229.00, plus import taxes. It is an ionization source coupled to a two-dimensional platform and a microflow pump, capable of generating chemical images. This equipment will allow the direct analysis of biological tissues and other surfaces, correlating the chemical composition with its spatial distribution on the surface, not possible with the existing equipment. The system will be coupled to a mass spectrometer already existing at the institution and which already works on a multi-user basis and will enable the mapping of metabolites and other molecules on surfaces of interest. With the existing equipment, it is not possible to perform chemical analysis directly on the surface under investigation. The new platform would make it possible to correlate the chemical composition with its spatial distribution, in an area called surface metabolomics, or spatial metabolomics. 4 projects financed by FAPESP are associated with the use of this equipment. Among the objectives of the funded proposals are: (i) the mapping of metabolites in tissues biopsied from patients undergoing breast cancer treatment and undergoing physical exercise intervention; (ii) mapping of metabolites in penile erectile tissue associated with priapism and sickle cell anemia after drug intervention using hemopexin; (iii) detection of metabolomic signatures associated with Ewing sarcomas and correlation with epigenomics and (iv) direct characterization of soot in air filters and correlation with urinary and blood metabolome of firefighters involved in forest fires. In addition to these objectives, other technical objectives not financed by FAPESP include the development of a methodology for evaluating the in vitro performance of topical drugs; the search for metabolomic markers to predict therapeutic response in breast, colon and rectal cancer; the severity characterization of pediatric Wilms tumor; the parameterization of metabolomics imaging studies; the mapping of new compounds in marine plants and animals aiming at bryospection; drug biodistribution studies in animal models; between others. DESI will be installed in the multi-user analytical center (CAM) at Universidade São Francisco (USF), a laboratory already registered with the National Research Infrastructure Platform of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. (AU)