Below is a list of research areas of interest to Perry Labs. Research areas that currently have active projects are indicated with an asterisk.
Chemical Imaging
Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a powerful approach for mapping the distribution of chemicals on surfaces and in tissues (e.g. tumors in tissues and mouse brain; see image) without the need for sample preparation or pre-treatment. In a MSI experiment, molecules present on a surface are desorbed, ionized, and transferred to a mass spectrometer. Moving the microdroplet sprayer in the xy-plane, enables 2D spatial mapping of molecules on the surface. Our lab is interested in developing novel MSI instrumentation for applications in medicine, environmental science, biology, and forensics.
- Heather M. Robison, Corryn E. Chini, Troy J. Comi, Seung Woo Ryu, Elaine Ognjanovski, and Richard H. Perry*, Identification of lipid biomarkers of metastatic potential and gene expression (HER2/p53) in human breast cancer cell cultures using ambient mass spectrometry, Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 2020, 412, 2949-2961.
- T. J. Comi, S. W. Ryu, and R. H. Perry*, Synchronized Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging, Anal. Chem. 2016, 88(2), 1169-1175.
The Role of Lipids in Cancer*
In cancer, there is overactivation of lipogenesis. The mechanisms through which lipids mediate oncogenes and pathogenesis are largely unknown. Our lab is focused on developing mass spectrometry instrumentation and methods that enable the identification of lipid biomarkers of oncogene expression, cancer phenotypes, and disease states in monolayer and suspension breast cancer cell cultures.
- Heather M. Robison, Corryn E. Chini, Troy J. Comi, Seung Woo Ryu, Elaine Ognjanovski, and Richard H. Perry*, Identification of lipid biomarkers of metastatic potential and gene expression (HER2/p53) in human breast cancer cell cultures using ambient mass spectrometry, Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 2020, 412, 2949-2961.
Microdroplet Chemistry and Reaction Mechanisms*
Catalysts are important for advancing many areas of science and industry. Identifying catalytic intermediates is essential for improving catalyst efficiency and design. Our lab develops mass spectrometry-based techniques that enable characterization of reaction mechanisms on short time scales (less than a millisecond) at ambient conditions with the goal of elucidating novel catalytic pathways.
- Shuangning Xu, Jedidiah J. Veach, Williamson N. Oloo, Kevin C. Peters, Junyi Wang, Richard H. Perry* and Lawrence Que, Jr.* Detection of a transient FeV(O)(OH) species involved in olefin oxidation by a bio-inspired non-haem iron catalyst, Chem. Commun., 2018, 54, 8701-8704.
- K. C. Peters, T. J. Comi, and R. H. Perry*, Multistage Reactive Transmission Mode Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2015, 26(9), 1494-1501.
Development of Ionization Sources*
Ambient mass spectrometry (MS) techniques allow rapid chemical analysis by using light sources, microdroplets, or plasmas to desorb molecules directly from samples without pre-treatment. We are interested in developing new types of ambient MS instrumentation that provide unique capabilities and enhanced analytical performance.
- Y.-M. Liu and R. H. Perry*, Paper Electrochemical Cell Coupled to Mass Spectrometry, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2015, 26(10), 1702-1712.
Computational Quantum Mechanical Modeling of Chemical and Biochemical Systems*
Our lab utilizes quantum mechanical methods such as density functional theory to study the structure and thermodynamics of chemical systems such as the interaction of molecules with nanomaterials. These studies provide a theoretical understanding that may facilitate the design of new devices for chemical detection.
- Richard H. Perry*, Theoretical study of the adsorption of analgesic environmental pollutants on pristine and nitrogen-doped graphene nanosheets, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2021, 23, 1221-1233.
