Episode 46: How LA-ICP-MS Imaging Reveals Disease in Tissue | Metrology, Multiplexing & Analytical Chemistry

How do you see proteins, metals, and disease processes inside real tissue — and still trust the numbers?In this episode of Concentrating on Chromatography, David sits down with Monique Mello, analytical chemist, educator, and LA-ICP-MS imaging specialist, to explore how laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) and immuno-mass spectrometry imaging (iMSI) are transforming pathology, environmental science, and translational research.Monique shares her journey from public-health and pathology labs in Brazil to environmental and biomedical research in Australia — and explains why metrology, traceability, and defensible measurements are the foundation of meaningful science.We dive into her work developing multiplexed elemental imaging methods that allow researchers to quantify multiple proteins at once in tissue — revealing interactions that traditional single-marker methods miss. Her studies show how LA-ICP-MS can map dystrophin-glycoprotein complex proteins in muscular dystrophy and track elemental distributions like zinc in Alzheimer’s disease tissue.We also discuss something many labs overlook: sample preparation and immunolabelling can change the chemistry you’re trying to measure. Monique’s research demonstrates how staining steps can redistribute endogenous metals and why rigorous validation is critical for trustworthy data.If you care about chromatography, mass spectrometry, or analytical chemistry that genuinely impacts patients and communities, this episode is for you.In this conversation, we cover:• What LA-ICP-MS imaging is and how it works• Multiplexed antibody tagging with lanthanides for quantitative tissue imaging• Why metrology and uncertainty matter more than “pretty data”• Common analytical failures (and why sample prep causes most of them)• Elemental mapping in muscular dystrophy and Alzheimer’s research• How immunolabelling and coverslipping can perturb endogenous metals• Teaching analytical chemistry for real-world problem solvingWho this is for: Analytical chemists • Mass spectrometrists • Chromatographers • Pathology researchers • Environmental scientists • Students entering the field