The speed at which samples are acquired is unprecedented, with 200 pixels/second this allows for analysis of many samples. The high scan speed combined with this high resolution might allow us to look at rare cell populations in tissues, a project which we could till now not approach by MALDI MSI.
I was astounded at the sensitivity and lateral resolution you have been able to obtain for not only lipids but also proteins/peptides specific for pancreatic islets. I may enthusiastically speak of the cellular resolution you have been able to demonstrate with the imaging of the islet in terms of the specific phospholipids that are present in the islet cell. This opens the way for new hypotheses and directions of research.
The higher spectra quality (resolution, reproducible signal), higher acquisition speeds and reduced post-acquisition processing results in considerably less run time on the instrument and therefore increased productivity. This combined with the significantly reduced downtime for tuning, repair, maintenance, and source cleaning make this a robust system that meets the demands of throughput and reproducibility for clinically relevant tests.
The very high spatial resolution for MALDI-MS which you are now demonstrating will enable very significant improvement in our mapping of the original damage and our investigations of the temporal changes in the localizations as the damage progresses. This will be very important for developing a better understanding of the transition from traumatic brain injury (TBI) to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and ultimately in the design of ways to slow or stop and even reverse the spread of brain damage.
I was very impressed with the ability to detect and characterize single cells, and small clusters of cells by rapidly imaging while tissue sections. The location of these cells of interest may not be able to be detected by classical staining and imaging and makes your imaging instrument unique.