Prof. Neil Kelleher, Northwestern University
Title: Digitizing Proteoform Biology with Single Molecule & Single Cell Mass Spectrometry
Abstract: Since the completion of the Human Genome Project, much has been made of the need to bridge the gap from genes and traits. As a key nexus for the many interacting ‘-omes’ (genome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, etc.), the proteome should offer a tight link between genotype and phenotype. Proteoforms, or all of the precise molecular forms of a protein, capture all sources of variability in protein composition (i.e., SNPs, isoforms, post-translational modifications), and thus provide crucial insights into regulation and function. Now, “single ion” mass spectrometry is poised to convert genes to proteoform signatures at a far faster rate. Recently we developed proteoform imaging mass spectrometry (PiMS), with individual ion mass spectrometry. This platform has been extended now to single-cell Proteoform imaging Mass Spectrometry (scPiMS), boosting cell processing rates by >20-fold in the field while detecting proteoforms from single cells.
Bio: Neil Kelleher is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of top-down proteomics, natural product discovery, and cancer epigenetics. The Kelleher Group pioneers cutting-edge technologies for understanding the role of proteins in health and disease and more specific diagnostics based on proteoform systems medicine. Kelleher is a leading voice in the Human Proteoform Project, a global research initiative to create the definitive set of reference proteoforms created from the 20,300 genes in the human genome. A serial entrepreneur, he has spun out successful companies and recently co-founded two new ones. His contributions have been recognized by multiple awards, including the Biemann Medal from the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, the Donald F. Hunt Distinguished Contribution in Proteomics award from the US Human Proteome Organization, the Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry from the American Chemical Society, and a Searle Scholar Award. Kelleher joined Northwestern in 2009 and is the Director of the Chemical Life Processes Institute, Northwestern Proteomics, and serves as the founding President of the Consortium for Top-Down Proteomics.