Jeffrey M. Spraggins
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Cell & Developmental Biology
The primary focus of our research group is the development of next-generation imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) technologies to elucidate the molecular basis of health and disease. Modern instrumentation and computing capabilities have enabled researchers to move beyond reductionist biology and, instead, probe how the components of biological entities (e.g. molecules, cells, and tissues) interact to reveal the underlying biology of disease. This systems biology approach has been accelerated by advancements in high-throughput ‘omics’ technologies, however, genetic and molecular information are only part of the story. The challenge lies in understanding how these parts interact and how perturbations to the system relate to disease.
Molecular imaging effectively offers a ‘blueprint’ as to how biological components work together by providing spatial context to molecular information. From the advent of the complex microscope in the late 1600s to modern modalities such as magnetic resonance, positron emission tomography, and advanced microscopy, imaging technologies have always been at the forefront of our understanding of biochemistry and biology. However, relative to the new -omics technologies, these classical biomedical imaging technologies have limited molecular specificity. Mass spectrometry-based imaging now finds itself uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between the information rich genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics approaches and biomedical imaging technologies. IMS combines the molecular specificity of mass spectrometry with the spatial fidelity of classical histology to create molecular maps of tissues. Broadly, my research falls into two categories: (1) Developing novel mass spectrometry technologies to maximize imaging performance enabling molecular histology at cellular resolution and (2) combining imaging mass spectrometry with a variety of other biomedical imaging technologies to create new integrated modalities capable of providing a systems biology view of tissue at cellular resolution. We are applying these advanced technologies to better understand critical biomedical research areas such as infectious disease and diabetes.
Specializations
Analytical Chemistry
Bioanalytical Chemistry
Biochemistry & Chemical Biology
Representative Publications
Integrated Molecular Imaging Reveals Tissue Heterogeneity Driving Host-Pathogen Interactions. Cassat JE, Moore JL, Wilson KJ, Stark Z, Prentice BM, Van de Plas R, Perry WJ, Zhang Y, Virostko J, Colvin DC, Rose KL, Judd AM, Reyzer ML, Spraggins JM, Grunenwald CM, Gore JC, Caprioli RM and Skaar EP. Science Translational Medicine. (2018), 10 (432), eaan6361.
Enhanced Ion Transmission Efficiency of Proteins up to m/z 24,000 for MALDI Protein Imaging Mass Spectrometry.Prentice BM, Ryan DJ, Van de Plas R, Caprioli RM, and Spraggins JM. Analytical Chemistry. (2018), DOI: 10.102/acs.analchem.7b05105.
Protein Identification in Imaging Mass Spectrometry through Spatially Targeted Liquid Micro-Extractions. Ryan DR., Nei D, Prentice BM, Rose KL, Caprioli RM, and Spraggins JM. Rap Comm Mass Spec.(2018), 32 (5), 442-450.
Connecting Imaging Mass Spectrometry and Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based Anatomical Atlases for Automated Anatomical Interpretation and Differential Analysis. Verbeeck N, Spraggins JM, Murphy MJM, Wang H, Deutch AY, Caprioli RM, and Van de Plas R. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Proteins and Proteomcs. (2017), 1865 (7), 967-977.
Next-generation technologies for spatial proteomics: Integrating ultra-high speed MALDI-TOF and high mass resolution MALDI FTICR imaging mass spectrometry for protein analysis. Spraggins JM, Rizzo DG, Moore JL, Noto MJ, Skaar EP, Caprioli RM. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom. (2016), doi: 10.1002/pmic.201600003.
Phospholipid Profiling Identifies Acyl Chain Elongation as a Ubiquitous Trait and Potential Target for the Treatment of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Marien E, Meister M, Muley T, Gomez Del Pulgar T, Derua R, Spraggins JM, Van de Plas R, Vanderhoydonc F, Machiels J, Binda MM, Dehairs J, Willette Brown J, Hu Y, Dienemann H, Thomas M, Schnabel PA, Caprioli RM, Waelkens E, Swinnen JV. Oncotarget. (2016), 7(11), 12582-12597.
MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry Spatially Maps Age-Related Deamidation and Truncation of Human Lens Aquaporin-0. Wenke JL, Rose KL, Spraggins JM, Schey KL. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. (2015), 56(12), 7398-7405.
MALDI FTICR IMS of Intact Proteins: Using Mass Accuracy to Link Protein Images with Proteomics Data. Spraggins JM, Rizzo DG, Moore JL, Rose KL, Hammer ND, Skaar EP, Caprioli RM. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom. (2015), 26(6), 974-85.
High Spatial Resolution Imaging Mass Spectrometry of Human Optic Nerve Lipids and Proteins. Anderson DM, Spraggins JM, Rose KL, Schey KL. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom. (2015), 26(6), 940-7.
Non-small Cell Lung Cancer is Characterized by Dramatic Changes in Phospholipid Profiles. Marien E, Meister M, Muley T, Fieuws S, Bordel S, Derua R, Spraggins J, Van de Plas R, Dehairs J, Wouters J, Bagadi M, Dienemann H, Thomas M, Schnabel PA, Caprioli RM, Waelkens E, Swinnen JV. Int J Cancer. (2015), 137(7), 1539-48.
Image Fusion of Mass Spectrometry and Microscopy: a New Multi-Modality Paradigm for Molecular Mapping of Tissue. Van De Plas R, Yang J, Spraggins JM and Caprioli RM; Nature Methods, (2015), 12(4), 366-372.
Diabetic Nephropathy Induces Alterations in the Glomerular and Tubule Lipid Profiles. Grove KJ, Voziyan PA, Spraggins JM, Want S, Paueksakon P, Harris RC, Hudson BG and Caprioli RM; Journal of Lipid Research, (2014), 55(7), 1375-1385.
High-resolution matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-imaging mass spectrometry of lipids in rodent optic nerve tissue. Anderson DM, Mills D, Spraggins JM, Lambert WS, Calkins DJ and Schey KL; Molecular Vision. (2013), 19, 581-592.
Targeted Multiplex Imaging Mass Spectrometry with Single Chain Fragment Variable (scfv) Recombinant Antibodies. Thiery G, Mernaugh RL, Yan H, Spraggins JM, Yang J, Parl FF and Caprioli RM. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. (2012), 23(10), 1689-1696.
Enhanced Sensitivity for High Spatial Resolution Lipid Analysis by Negative Ion Mode Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Imaging Mass Spectrometry.Angel PM, Spraggins JM, Chen Y, Baldwin HS and Caprioli RM; Analytical Chemistry, (2012), 84(3), 1557-1564.
MALDI Imaging of Lipid Biochemistry in Tissues by Mass Spectrometry. Zemski Berry KA, Hankin JA, Barkley RM, Spraggins JM, Caprioli RM and Murphy RC. Chemical Reviews. (2011), 111(10), 6491-6512.
High-Speed MALDI-TOF Imaging Mass Spectrometry: Rapid Ion Image Acquisition and Considerations for Next Generation Instrumentation. Jeffrey Spraggins and Richard Caprioli. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. (2011), 22(6), 1022-1031.