Ambient ionization mass spectrometry platform for native plant tissue molecular imaging

Overview

This solution offers a molecular imaging platform for plants that reveals the spatial distribution of metabolites and other chemical compounds directly on native, untreated tissues under ambient conditions. Unlike many medical imaging methods, plant-focused molecular imaging remains underdeveloped, limiting our ability to study plant development, defense mechanisms, and the nutritional and safety profile of plant-based foods. The platform addresses that gap by delivering practical-resolution chemical maps (100 microns or finer) of whole plants and tissues without the need for destructive sample preparation.

The technology is designed for researchers and industry partners in plant biology, crop science, natural product discovery, and food quality assessment. By imaging metabolites in situ, users can localize bioactive compounds, monitor stress responses, and evaluate chemical composition across developmental stages. A proposed 3D-plant metabolic browser will further allow partners to visualize ion signal distributions and metabolite abundance through plant development.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• Modular imaging system combining a robotic platform, a desorption laser, and a low-temperature plasma ionization probe coupled to an ion-trap mass analyzer
• Lateral resolution of 50 microns on native, untreated plant materials under ambient conditions
• Capability to analyze large objects up to 30 cm x 30 cm
• Imaging speed of approximately 500 ms per pixel for relatively rapid data acquisition
• Broad chemical coverage enabled by low-temperature plasma ionization, extending beyond volatile organic compounds
• Separate laser desorption and post-ionization stages, supporting further optimization of resolution and multimodal imaging
• Custom software including RmsiGUI for instrument control, data processing, and visualization, integrated with commercial Thermo software
• AI-supported data mining and visualization tools for managing complex multimodal AIMS data sets

Validation demonstrated to date:

• Imaging of mescaline distribution in San Pedro cactus stems (~4 cm diameter), confirmed by GC-MS
• Sequential imaging of jimsonweed at multiple resolutions to localize tropane alkaloids atropine and scopolamine in seeds
• Untargeted AIMS analysis of complete, untreated tobacco seedlings at 50 micron resolution, mapping nicotine distribution across roots, stems, and leaves

Technology readiness level

The AIMS platform is operational and ready for generating molecular images of plant materials. Core capabilities have been validated through published studies on cacti, jimsonweed, and tobacco. The team is now seeking partners to define research questions and co-fund the generation of reference datasets, such as metabolic imaging of model and crop plants (for example, Micro-Tom tomato, Arabidopsis, or tobacco) across developmental stages and under biotic and abiotic stress. A proposed one-year pilot project would analyze three replicates of native seedlings and fresh tissues, while also designing a database structure and graphical interface for the 3D-plant metabolic browser. The platform is positioned for sponsored research collaborations and pilot engagements rather than off-the-shelf commercial deployment.