UHPLC-coupled electrospray tandem mass spectrometer

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: Funded in 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 569425702

The requested instrument is an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) tandem mass spectrometer for protein and peptide analyses, primarily from human blood serum and plasma samples, with a focus on heart failure as a systemic disease. Associated research questions include, among others, those related to obesity and neurological disorders, which either represent risk factors or share common underlying mechanisms (e.g., Fabry disease and amyloidosis). The requested instrument will consist of a nano-flow UHPLC system with an autosampler and a separate column oven, which will be coupled to a high-performance mass spectrometer via an electrospray ion source. Additionally, the system will include the option for ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). The scientific questions to be addressed with this instrument are diverse and range from global proteome analyses of different pathological phenotypes and corresponding control groups to biomarker identification and the elucidation of post-translational modifications (PTM) of relevant proteins. Specifically, the following research projects are planned to be conducted using the requested instrument: - Proteomics in endocrine diseases - elucidation of signaling pathways and mechanisms of action to improve diagnostics and cardiovascular morbidity - Investigation of the role of ERK(T188) across heart failure and cancer - Identification of cardiotoxicity markers - Elucidation of mechanisms underlying cardiac hypertrophy in heart failure with particular focus on amyloidosis - Detection of disease markers in genetic cardiomyopathies - Characterization of key effectors of thrombo-inflammation - Analysis of alterations in platelet receptors (GPVI, CLEC-2, CD84) across different diseases, including sepsis, infections or vaccinations. - Proteomic analyses of neuropathies (such as Fabry disease, fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), neurofibromatosis) and of dystonia Within these projects, findings from model systems (mouse, rat, cells) will be integrated into a translational approach using blood and tissue samples from the ibdw and other biobanks. The overall goal is to translate these insights into clinical applications to develop new and powerful diagnostic tools, enhance the understanding of disease mechanisms, and explore new therapeutic strategies.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: UHPLC-gekoppeltes Elektrospray-Tandem-Massenspektrometer
• Instrumentation Group: 1700 Massenspektrometer
• Applicant Institution: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
• Leader: Professorin Dr. Kristina Lorenz