Tims-TOF single cell proteomics (SCP)

At the end of 2020, a breakthrough paper by the Mann-group demonstrated unbiased, true single-cell proteomics on over 1,400 protein groups on a timsTOF R&D prototype to address new quantitative questions in single-cell biology and pathobiology. Bruker has accelerated its product development and the ultra-high sensitivity timsTOF SCP system for unbiased, quantitative single-cell 4D-Proteomics, and for ultra-sensitive neoantigen discovery in immunopeptidomics is here.

We believe that sensitive MS-based analysis of very small number of FACS sorted clinically relevant cell populations and immunopeptidomics, as well as tissue biopsies after, for example, "lasercapture microdissection" (provided at the Centre for Cellular Imaging), will serve as the three main focus areas in this technology module. The module originates as result of the joint procurement that we performed across the three nodes in BioMS. The procurement procedure for Clinical Proteomics enabled BioMS to expand on the goals in the original application by acquiring three mirrored instruments for single-cell proteomics (timsTOF SCP). The timsTOF SCP instrumentation are the newest available for quantitative single cell biology research in an unbiased and deep manner. This new MS equipment will provide high through-put and sensitivity to detect proteomes of single or a few cells that are morphologically or functionally similar which will complement single cell RNA-seq. To be able to handle projects with very low amount of starting material, sample preparation workflows need to be optimized based on specialized equipment and laboratory tools in the nanoliter scale. BioMS provide a unique opportunity for Swedish research to study the biology of the cell cycle with potential to understand cellular heterogeneity.

To learn more and to apply for a project, please contact:

Carina Sihlbom Wallem (carina.sihlbom@gu.se), Head of Unit, Proteomics Core Facility