Goals

ISAS develops analytical technologies and combines them into new high-performance measuring strategies for health research. The aim is to develop analytical methods for precision medicine tailored to individual patients in order to optimise the prevention, diagnostics and (personalised) therapy of cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases and cancer, for example. The Institute's applied basic research focuses on translation into the clinic. For this reason, ISAS researchers cooperate at an early stage with partners from various university hospitals and the healthcare industry.
When and where do diseases occur in the body? What criteria determine why identical therapies have different success rates in different patients? In order to unravel the underlying physiological processes, analytical methods are required that are able to simultaneously obtain information about different classes of molecules such as proteins, lipids and metabolites - and that are able to map their spatial and temporal distribution.
The core of ISAS's research concept therefore lies in 4D analytics. In short, 4D analytics comprises a quantitative and qualitative analysis of biological systems as well as time- and spatially-resolved identification of (bio-)molecules. At ISAS, scientists develop combined methods in which complementary, coordinated analytical technologies - for example mass spectrometry and microscopy - are used as integrative measuring strategies. The information obtained with the help of 4D analytics is important for a deep understanding of the causes of diseases at the molecular level. They are also the basis for the development of new screening or therapeutic strategies, for example.

Research programmes

Research projects

B2B-RARE – Bench to Bedside: Therapies for Individuals with Hereditary Muscle Disorders

An interdisciplinary consortium of researchers in North Rhine-Westphalia is dedicated to improving the quality of life of patients with neuromuscular diseases by developing new precision diagnostic and treatment methods. Their goal is to find suitable therapies for patients and bring these directly to their bedsides.

New Research Training Group of Essen University Medical Centre & ISAS is Dedicated to Consequential Injury Following a Heart Attack

When blood starts flowing again after a heart attack, it can literally flood the affected heart muscle cells with oxygen and nutrients and thus cause secondary damage. The DFG-funded research training group ‘TCI repAMI’ at the University Hospital Essen and ISAS is investigating how immune cells, blood vessel cells and heart muscle cells interact in this process. Clinical and research experts are working together in tandem teams in eleven sub-projects to provide interdisciplinary training for a total of 33 doctoral students.

Imaging Tissue Metabolism with Enhanced Sensitivity of Dual Laser Mass Spectrometry

Researchers aim to develop post-ionisation methods using dual laser-based MSI instrumentation (MALDI-2) in the project »Imaging Tissue Metabolism with Enhanced Sensitivity of Dual Laser Mass Spectrometry«.

TRR 332 – Neutrophils: Origin, Fate & Function

At ISAS, scientists in the subproject »Phagocytic crosstalk between neutrophils and macrophages« investigate how immune cells of the type of phagocytes – in specific neutrophil granulocytes and macrophages – communicate with one another.

Fast Meat Control (FMC)

The objective of FMC is to develop a mobile measuring instrument which can be used to identify bacteria at meat-processing plants. The hand-held measuring instrument uses a method based on plasma gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (Plasma-GC-IMS).

Synthesis, Structure & Biological Effects of Ultrasmall (1–2 nm) Bimetallic Silver-Platinum Nanoparticles

In the »Synthesis, Structure & Biological Effects of Ultrasmall (1–2 nm) Bimetallic Silver-Platinum Nanoparticles« project, ISAS researchers are examining the antimicrobial activities of nanoparticles.

Local Control of Thyroid Hormone Action (LOCOTACT)

The special research programme ‘Local Control of Thyroid Hormone Action – LOCOTACT’, led by the University Hospital Essen, is investigating the local control of the effects of thyroid hormones.

AI Assisted Imaging of Large Tissues

Researchers on the »Imaging of Large Tissues« project are developing a workflow to combine the various microscopy imaging methods and analytical, mass spectroscopy methods.

Optimising Anaemia Treatment for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (NephrESA)

In order to treat anaemia more effectively, researchers in the »NephrESA« project are developing a computer model which can be used to determine the risks and prognoses of the medication for each individual affected.

All projects