Partnership between Bruker and the BIH: Strategic cooperation for the development of mass spectrometric imaging in translational research

Tissues exhibit a spatially distinct cellular and molecular heterogeneity that is characterized by dynamic adaptation processes. The Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) therefore operates a unit for “Imaging Mass Spectrometry” in order to better understand and identify spatial molecular processes, cellular factors as well as structural and functional changes. There is a growing need for spatial omics technologies that can examine tissue architectures in detail and thus improve the understanding of disease mechanisms and the effectiveness of treatments.

As part of this development, the BIH and Bruker Corporation (Bruker) have entered into a strategic partnership to further develop spatial tissue typing technologies (MALDI imaging) in translational research and clinical trials. Bruker Corporation is a US-based group of companies in the field of instrumental analysis.

The aim of the collaboration is to automate processes and further develop spatial multi-omics approaches, particularly for glycan and protein analysis. A particular highlight is the innovative MALDI HiPLEX-IHC (AmberGen), which enables the simultaneous analysis of up to 150 target proteins. These technologies will help to deepen our understanding of disease processes and drive the development of new diagnostic and prognostic tools.

Bruker emphasizes the particular importance of the Berlin site for the further development of this technology. “The cooperation enables us to break new ground in tissue typing and further expand our expertise in clinical-translational research,” explains Michael L. Easterling, Bruker LSMS Vice president of MALDI/Imaging.  

“Thanks to the powerful combination of ion mobility spectrometry and mass spectrometry (TIMS-TOF Flex), we can significantly improve precision and efficiency in the analysis of proteins, glycans and metabolites. Through our partnership, we are now able to obtain in-depth protein compositions using shotgun proteomics as well as spatial information on biomolecules in tissues,” explains Dr. Oliver Klein, Head of Core Imaging Mass Spectrometry at the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH).

The collaboration aims to increase international visibility in the field of translational research and supports the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches based on a deep molecular understanding of tissues. The integration of the latest technologies will make a decisive contribution to shaping the clinical research of the future.