Jeff Spraggins, director of the Mass Spectrometry Research Center and associate professor of cell and developmental biology, has received a $4 million National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation award to develop a groundbreaking molecular imaging system.
The project will establish a powerful new instrument designed to visualize the molecular architecture of biological tissues with unprecedented resolution and specificity. This five-year development grant is a collaborative effort between Vanderbilt and Bruker Daltonics through their joint Mass Spectrometry Center of Excellence and will be driven by Spraggins’ talented team. The team includes MSRC research faculty member Madeline Colley, whose leadership in technology development has been central to advancing cutting-edge mass spectrometry platforms in the center.
“I’m thrilled by the opportunity to develop this next-generation MALDI imaging platform that has the potential to completely redefine what is possible in molecular imaging and open entirely new windows into biology and disease,” Spraggins said.
Visualizing molecular distributions within biological tissues helps scientists see how the body’s chemistry is linked to cellular organization within complex systems. This kind of “molecular map” can reveal how healthy tissues function, how diseases develop, and how new therapies behave once inside the body. Engineered materials, like scaffolds for tissue growth or drug delivery systems, can also be studied in this way, letting researchers understand whether they are working as intended. By visualizing both natural and engineered systems at the molecular level scientists can bridge fundamental biology with real-world medical applications, accelerating the development of new treatments.
The NSF-funded platform will combine several cutting-edge technologies, including matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging with trapped ion mobility spectrometry and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, into one powerful system, giving scientists a new way to see the chemical makeup of tissues at incredibly fine detail—even at the level of individual cells.
The result is a platform capable of ultra-high mass resolving power (over 1,000,000) and imaging at pixel sizes smaller than five microns. Essentially, the instrument will make it possible to separate and identify molecules that look nearly identical to one another, providing a clearer picture of the complex chemistry happening inside the body.
“This system represents a major leap forward in molecular imaging capabilities, providing the scientific community with a powerful tool for answering complex biological questions, accelerating discovery, and advancing the frontiers of spatial omics,” Spraggins said.
In addition to fueling cutting-edge research, the instrument will serve as a cornerstone resource at the MSRC, which is recognized nationally as a hub for molecular imaging and technology development. It will be made accessible to collaborators across academia, federal laboratories, and industry, ensuring broad impact.
The project will also emphasize training and education through workshops, hands-on collaborations, and integration into the center’s established training activities. The platform will expose graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scientists to state-of-the-art molecular imaging methods.
By creating a next-generation imaging system that expands the frontiers of spatial omics, Spraggins and his team aim to accelerate discovery and provide the broader scientific community with transformative tools for tackling urgent biomedical challenges.