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.
In order to understand when and where in the body the biological decision between health and disease is made, analytical methods are needed that simultaneously map information on different classes of molecules and their spatial distribution. The core of ISAS' 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

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«.

Creating 'Leibniz Mass Spectral Imaging Library' for Identification of Primary & Secondary Metabolites

The project aims at creating the first-ever open-access MSI library of over 1000 bioactive compound standards on different matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) MSI platforms.

Cell Tracking in Microscopy Images

The research project »Cell Tracking in Microscopy Images« aims to develop new sophisticated cell detection and tracking algorithms to tackle some of the most challenging tracking problems.

Biochemical Annotations of Mass Spectrometry Imaging Data for Worldwide Exchange

The research groups AMBIOM and Spatial Metabolomics are working together to develop a plug-in for the multi-dimensional imaging software napari that makes it possible to visualise and biochemically annotate MSI data.

TRR 332 – Neutrophil Granulocytes: Development, Behaviour & 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.

Smart Human-in-the-loop Segmentation

Scientist working on the project »Smart Human-in-the-loop Segmentation« aim to develop a powerful deep learning model that is trained with a minimum amount of human effort.

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.

All projects