M4I Division of Imaging Mass Spectrometry
Developing and applying state-of-the-art mass spectrometry based molecular imaging approaches for nanomedicine and biomedical research, including mass spectrometry as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for personalized medicine in oncology, neurology and cardiovascular medicine.
News
Research into the silent dynamics of cells
UM to play a more prominent role in Dutch scientific infrastructure
Weighing molecules and solving problems
Bacteria are becoming less responsive to antibiotics: technological innovation is crucial
First Imaging Engineers see their diploma
Research
The M4I Division of Imaging Mass Spectrometry is one of the world leaders in high resolution molecular imaging of biological surfaces. The division targets the development and application of state-of-the-art mass spectrometry based molecular imaging approaches for biomedical cellular and tissue research. Main research aim for the coming years is to develop and apply mass spectrometry as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for personalized medicine.
Education
M4I’s scientists will be involved in teaching at a bachelor's, master's and PhD level, within the University College Maastricht, the Maastricht Science Programme, Imaging Engineering and various programmes within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences and the Faculty of Science and Engineering.
The M4I imaging MS laboratories - a virtual tour
Join Prof. Ron M.A. Heeren for a virtual guided tour through the imaging mass spectrometry laboratories of M4I. You wil get some insights in the breadth of high end, mass spectrometry based molecular imaging infrastructure in the labs.
Perhaps a place where you would like to an internship or pursue a career in molecular imaging!
If you are interested, please send your cv and motivation letter to h.schott@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Digipathconnect - a smarter Meuse-Rhine area
Cross-border collaboration for digital pathology and AI development
Pathology (the study of disease) is crucial in clinical workflows for diagnostics. Yet, there is a shortage of experts across the region (Bychkov A., The Pathologist, 2023). As healthcare becomes more digital, this project aims to bridge the gap between the two by creating a platform for digital pathology. This platform will help pathologists to work together and use artificial intelligence (AI) and new innovative imaging tools to diagnose diseases more effectively.
Digital Pathology involves turning specimen slides into digital images that can be shared and analysed. This method makes diagnostics faster and more efficient. With the help of AI, pathologists can get extra support, especially when dealing with complicated diseases like lung or colorectal cancer. However, developing AI tools needs large volumes of high-quality data and intensive collaboration between pathologists and data scientists. DigiPathConnect will make this collaboration easier, bringing together experts from across the region to enhance diagnostic possibilities.
The project will also integrate a promising imaging technology, namely mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), into the digital pathology platform.
MSI is one of the expertises of the Maastricht MultiModal Imaging institute (M4i), an internationally leading molecular imaging institute affiliated to the Maastricht University. The M4i disposes of state-of-the-art instrumentation and long-standing experience in applying this technology to the field of biomedical research. Only with this technology can metabolites be spatially observed in pathology specimens.
The M4i will complement the data obtained from microscopic images with spatial metabolic data through MSI experiments. The integration of these two data types in the digital pathology platform will allow linking metabolic processes to the specific cell types. These analyses will be performed for a selected cohort of patients with the aim of predicting response to therapy or prognosis.
By integrating spatially resolved metabolic data with AI-assisted workflows in a digital pathology platform, DigiPathConnect will help the hospitals for using these applications, speed up research, and roll out new applications.
More information on this project can be found at: https://www.interregmeuserhine.eu/en/projects/digipathconnect/
