Innovations in mass spectrometry accelerate the shift toward precision medicine
Last year, Thermo Fisher Scientific launched a new mass spectrometer with high resolution and speed, designed to accelerate the discovery of new proteins and advance precision medicine. The technology was poised to enable researchers to sort through vast amounts of data, which is one of the biggest challenges they face when studying the human proteome.
Since then, the Orbitrap Astral mass spectrometer has received a R&D 100 award in the market disruptor category and there have been multiple scientific articles published employing the technology.
John Lesica, President of the Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry Division at Thermo Fisher Scientific, discusses how advancements in mass spectrometry are powering innovation in medicines tailored to the patient’s genetic and proteomic makeup, and what this will mean for the future of healthcare.
How does mass spectrometry contribute to advancing precision medicine?
Building off the foundation of what the genome provides is crucial for advancing precision medicine because it allows for a holistic assessment of how genetic information influences protein expression and metabolic activities. Proteins often serve as drug targets and enzymes, while metabolites reflect the biochemical state of the cell. Together, these analyses provide a full trajectory of human health, revealing insights into disease mechanisms and aiding in the development of targeted therapies.
The impact this technology has created is directly connected to the number of grant funds requested by the global community and the strong demand. Many customers have centered their discovery work around the Orbitrap Astral ranging from single proteomics, chemoproteomics, metabolomics, immunopeptidomics, biopharma applications, structural proteomics and multi-omics. Researchers are committing to this new technology like never before due to the disruption it is creating in supporting their groundbreaking science.
The technology’s ability to delve into multiple layers of biological data offers a more nuanced understanding of how different molecular components interact and contribute to health and disease. Furthermore, since a majority of drug targets are proteins, a detailed proteomic analysis enhances the identification and characterization of potential drug targets within the human proteome, facilitating the development of more targeted and effective therapies. This capability not only accelerates drug discovery but also ensures that treatments can be more precisely tailored to the unique molecular characteristics of each patient, ultimately leading to more personalized and effective healthcare solutions.
What are some of the most significant findings that have emerged from research utilizing Thermo Fisher’s mass spectrometer?
In a relatively short time frame, the Orbitrap Astral mass spectrometer has revolutionized proteomics, demonstrated by numerous publications covering various applications. With over 65 scientific publications, the spectrometer has significantly advanced research across the fields of proteomics and metabolomics. It has provided critical insights into several cancers, including signet ring cell carcinoma and colorectal cancer, as well as Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, it has made significant strides in the functional analysis of microbiomes.
The technology has been instrumental in speeding up scientific processes, as evidenced by the publication of dozens of research articles within just 14 months of its launch — a remarkable achievement compared to previous instruments that typically required much longer to generate similar results. This performance reflects a tenfold increase in efficiency, illustrating how the Orbitrap Astral is not only enhancing the speed of data collection and analysis but also pushing the boundaries of what is possible in scientific research.
How are technologies such as mass spectrometry being used in a clinical setting to improve patient outcomes?
In clinical research hospitals, the Orbitrap Astral is employed to conduct detailed analyses of biological samples, providing valuable insights into proteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics. This comprehensive approach enables researchers to explore the full spectrum of a patient's omic profile, including the enzymes, metabolites, and lipids that play crucial roles in cellular processes and disease mechanisms. By integrating these insights with the foundational genomic data, researchers can better understand the biochemical and molecular underpinnings of various conditions, leading to more targeted and effective treatment strategies.
One key application is in the development and validation of clinically relevant assays. While these assays are currently used primarily for research purposes, they hold the potential for future clinical applications. For instance, the technology is instrumental in identifying and characterizing biomarkers that can aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. The high sensitivity and resolution enable researchers to discover new biomarkers and validate their clinical relevance, which can eventually translate into improved diagnostic tools and personalized treatment options.
Looking ahead, mass spectrometry is expected to play a critical role in advancing clinical research by providing the foundational data needed for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
What are the main challenges that researchers face when it comes to genomics and proteomics, and how can new technologies help to overcome these challenges?
Combining genomics with proteomics presents several challenges, primarily due to the overlap and integration of complex data sets. One significant issue is that traditional instrumentation often struggled to capture a comprehensive view of the proteome, resulting in gaps in the data that could lead to incomplete or misleading interpretations when combined with genomic information. This limitation meant that researchers might not have had access to the full spectrum of protein expressions and their variations, making it difficult to accurately correlate proteomic data with genomic sequences and their implications.
Mass spectrometry can address these challenges by providing an advanced analytical approach that significantly improves the coverage and accuracy of proteomic data. This can eliminate the gaps that were previously common, ensuring that researchers can access a complete and detailed proteomic profile. By integrating this rich proteomic data with genomic information, as well as additional omics layers such as metabolomics, lipidomics, and glycomics, it facilitates a more holistic understanding of biological systems.
This approach allows for more accurate matching and correlation between genomic sequences and their corresponding protein expressions, along with their metabolic and lipid byproducts, which ensures that researchers have a more robust and comprehensive dataset for their analyses. This comprehensive perspective is crucial for advancing our understanding of complex biological processes and improving the accuracy of insights gained from multi-omic studies.
How do you see the role of mass spectrometry evolving, especially in the context of precision medicine?
In the next decade, the role of mass spectrometry is set to evolve significantly, especially within precision medicine and the broader healthcare industry. Mass spectrometry will increasingly support the entire value chain from discovery to validation and clinical application. Innovations that enhance the verification stage and advancements in medical-grade devices will play a crucial role.
Thermo Fisher Scientific aims to push the boundaries of current technology by enhancing the capabilities of mass spectrometry to better support precision medicine. This includes improving the sensitivity, accuracy, and speed of their instruments to meet the evolving needs of researchers and clinicians. The focus will be on integrating advanced technologies that facilitate comprehensive omics analyses, streamline workflows, and provide deeper insights into biological processes. We are excited about the future and the impact our innovations around the hardware, consumables and software used by researchers will have on society in improving health outcomes.
We can expect groundbreaking advancements that will significantly impact the field, which will likely involve enhancements in data integration, automation, and real-time analysis, all of which are crucial for advancing personalized healthcare and developing tailored treatments.
As we explore the opportunities around AI and machine learning, ongoing R&D projects are looking at the potential to make instruments smarter and enhance user experiences. Future advancements will likely further extend our capabilities in proteomics and metabolomics, driving progress across various omics fields and supporting personalized healthcare solutions.
