Mass Spectrometry Imaging in Neuroscience: Mapping Molecules, Decoding Disorders

Save the date to meet the expert

• “Kinosál“ Lecture Hall, June 13 (Friday), 2025 from 11 am
• Building A, Vídeňská 1083, Prague 4

Mass Spectrometry Imaging in Neuroscience: Mapping Molecules, Decoding Disorders

• Presenter: Per E. Andrén, Ph.D., Professor
• Dept. of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Science for Life Laboratory, Spatial Mass Spectrometry
• Uppsala University, BMC 591, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is advancing our understanding of the molecular architecture of the brain by enabling spatial mapping of neurotransmitters, metabolites, lipids, neuropeptides, glycans, and proteins. We apply high-resolution MSI techniques to study Parkinson’s disease and L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in experimental models. Our findings reveal complex, region-specific alterations in molecular signaling systems, providing insights into the biochemical pathways disrupted during disease progression and treatment.

This work illustrates how MSI can decode molecular mechanisms underlying neurological disorders, offering a powerful platform for biomarker discovery and therapeutic development.

Presenter: Short Bio – Per E. Andrén, Ph.D., Professor

Dr. Per Andrén is a Professor of Mass Spectrometry Imaging at the Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Sweden, and the Scientific Director of Spatial Mass Spectrometry at Science for Life Laboratory. He received his MSc in Pharmacy in 1984 and his PhD in Medical Sciences (Psychiatry) in 1989, both from Uppsala University. Following his PhD, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, USA (1989-1995), before returning to Uppsala University as an Associate Professor. Additionally, he spent ten years (2000-2009) working at Amersham Biosciences/GE Healthcare R&D in Uppsala.

Dr. Andrén's research focuses on using mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to analyze biological systems, with a particular emphasis on method development and applications in brain research and neurodegenerative diseases, especially Parkinson’s disease. His laboratory, Spatial Mass Spectrometry, is an infrastructure facility within the Science for Life Laboratory, an institution dedicated to advancing molecular biosciences in Sweden.

MBÚ: Per E. Andrén, Ph.D., Professor