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Triboelectric Ambient Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Renal Cell Carcinomas

Award Number: R61CA281667
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/20/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2026

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Triboelectric Ambient Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Renal Cell Carcinomas - Principal Investigator: FM Fernández – Triboelectric Ambient Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Renal Cell Carcinomas Understanding complex chemical and biological alterations in cancer requires detailed knowledge of the molecular composition of cancer tissues and the changes in these alterations over time, and following interventions. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is the tool of choice for probing thin tissue sections when femto- to attomole sensitivity is required with simultaneous exquisite specificity. In this project it is proposed to develop a proof-of-concept MSI ion source based on a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), and benchmark it’s performance against standard MSI techniques such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) using de-identified clear cell renal carcinoma tissue sections. These are lipid-rich cancer tumors where lipid metabolism plays a major role in disease development. TENG, when coupled to MS, have shown higher sensitivity than standard nanoelectrospray ionization, particularly for difficult to ionize, low polarity lipids and metabolites. TENG can also be used to yield structural information about important molecules such as lipids, by enlarging the TENG electrode area, which allows to carry out controlled gas-phase ion molecule reactions that yield diagnostic fragmentation patterns. Tissue sections to be examined by TENG MSI will be selected from the biobank maintained by Prof. John Petros, a long- standing collaborator at Emory University. The TENG MSI ion source will be coupled to an ion mobility- mass spectrometer to enable distinguishing lipid isobars during imaging experiments, in collaboration with the instrument vendor (Waters). Co-registration of TENG images with MALDI and DESI images will be conducted with algorithms developed with collaborators at Georgia Tech (Kemp). Improvements to the TENG MSI ion source will be achieved using a symbolic regression approach that will enable the simultaneous optimization of several quantitative performance metrics such as spatial resolution, overall sensitivity, the number of detected spectral features, the number of lipid/metabolite chemical classes detected, and the number of oxidized lipids. Overall, this project will develop an MSI technology that will become an invaluable tool for investigating lipid-rich tissues of importance in cancer research.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $200,586 )
2025	2025	GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORP	926 DALNEY ST NW	ATLANTA	GA	30318	FULTON	USA	Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research	000	3	8/18/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$200,586
														Subtotal = $200,586

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $190,557 )
2024	2024	GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORP	926 DALNEY ST NW	ATLANTA	GA	30318	FULTON	USA	Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research	000	2	7/10/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$190,557
														Subtotal = $190,557

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $215,136 )
2023	2023	GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORPORATION	926 DALNEY ST NW	ATLANTA	GA	30332	FULTON	USA	Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research	000	1	9/20/2023	NEW	$215,136
														Subtotal = $215,136

Grand Total All Awards = $606,279

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Triboelectric Ambient Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Renal Cell Carcinomas

Award Number: R61CA281667

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/20/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2026

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