Printable Meeting FlierJanuary Meeting Notice
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Professor Jonathan V. Sweedler: Unraveling Cell to Cell Signaling in the Brain with Separations and Mass Spectrometry
Professor Jonathan V. Sweedler
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Abstract:
Understanding the functioning of the brain is hampered by a lack of knowledge of the full complement of its signaling molecules, as well as the spatial and temporal interplay of these chemical systems. Capillary-scale separations and mass spectrometry are ideally suited to characterize neurotransmitter and neuropeptides; in the case of peptides, many only become bioactive only after particular post-translational modifications. Several applications related to cell-cell signaling molecules are highlighted using a variety of capillary-scale separations (both capillary electrophoresis and capillary liquid chromatography) hyphenated to both selective detectors such as wavelength-resolved laser induced fluorescence and to high resolution electrospray ionization MS. Using capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry, the cellular metabolome is measured and related to cell function; as one example, we demonstrate the use of capillary electrophoresis with an ultra-high resolution tandem time-of-flight MS platform for profiling the metabolites and transmitters within individual neurons. Using mass spectrometric imaging, neuropeptides and hormones are identified directly from tissues including single cells and even individual neuronal processes. Using these techniques, multiple neuroactive compounds have been discovered in a range of model organisms ranging from mollusks, insects to vertebrates. Several sampling approaches for mass spectrometry are described that allow the activity dependent release of peptides from select brain regions to be measured. This suite of separations and mass spectrometry-based measurement tools allow cell-cell signaling to be followed with unprecedented detail.
About the Speaker:
Professor Jonathan V. Sweedler holds the James R. Eiszner Family Chair in Chemistry at the University of Illinois, is associated with the Beckman Institute, is the director of the UIUC Biotechnology Center, and has appointments in the Neuroscience Program, the Department of Physiology and the Bioengineering Program. His research interests are in bioanalytical chemistry, and focus on new metabolomic and peptidomic technologies for assaying small volume samples, and in applying these methods to study novel neurochemistry. Using this suite of technologies, he is investigating novel neurochemical pathways, and the roles that peptide hormones, neurotransmitters and neuromodulatory agents play in behavior, learning and memory. He has received numerous awards including the Merck Prize, the Instrumentation Award from the Analytical Division of the American Chemical Society, the Gill Prize and the Benedetti-Pichler Award for Microanalysis, and he is an associate editor for Analytical Chemistry.
Details:
| Location: | D'ignazio's Towne House |
| Times: | 5:00 PM Executive Committee Meeting 5:45 PM Social "Hour" 6:30 PM Dinner 7:30 PM Presentation |
| Cost: | $30 |
| Dinner Choices: | Tilapia Grilled vegetable cannelloni Chicken Parmesan |
NOTICE TO STUDENTS AND FACULTY: Full-time students with valid ID may attend dinner meetings at half-price. Faculty members at colleges and universities are urged to bring one or more students to the meeting. If they do, they also can attend at half-price.