Research Areas
Microdroplet Chemistry
Micron-sized droplets, seemingly simple and familiar, are now at the heart of one of the most exciting developments in modern chemistry and medicine. In 2011, our pioneering study (doi.org/10.1007/s13361-011-0188-7) laid the conceptual foundation for performing unusual chemical transformations in microdroplets that are absent in bulk solution. In the above report, we explicitly demonstrated for the first time that microdroplets can function as a “unique reaction vessel to induce a chemical react...
Imaging Mass Spectrometry: Spatial Omics for Precision Diagnosis
Understanding disease requires more than identifying which molecules are present—it requires knowing where they are located within tissues. Imaging mass spectrometry (MSI) enables us to map thousands of metabolites and lipids directly from tissue sections, generating detailed molecular “maps” without the need for labels or dyes. This powerful approach forms the basis of spatial omics, allowing molecular-level visualization of disease processes in their anatomical context. In our laboratory, we s...
Point-of-Care Diagnostics Using Ambient Mass Spectrometry
An emerging focus of our research is the development of rapid, point-of-care diagnostic platforms using ambient mass spectrometry, particularly paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PSI-MS). This technique enables direct analysis of complex biological samples—such as blood, serum, urine, or tissue extracts—with minimal sample preparation, delivering molecular information within minutes. Paper spray ionization operates by applying a small volume of sample to a paper substrate, followed by sol...