We use mass spectrometry imaging and complementary techniques to investigate the molecular underpinnings of disease.
By fostering a collaborative environment, we can investigate numerous chronic and acute pathologies including infection, pain, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Mission statement |
We are working to understand the role of lipids in the host-pathogen interface and other related diseases
Research Areas |
The Scott Lab pursues several lines of research centered around mapping lipids and metabolites in disease and evaluating functionalized lipids as novel treatment modalities.
Here are a representative examples of what we are working on:
Spatial systems biology of the host-pathogen interaction
Goal: understanding the role of dysregulated phospholipid homeostasis in infection and immunity
One of the major focus areas for the Scott Lab is understanding the role of lipids at the interface of the host-pathogen interaction. We are primarily interested in pulmonary infections and have identified several lipid metabolic pathways that are dysregulated during bacterial infection. Studies are underway comparing and contrasting the host lipid response to pulmonary infection with bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens. Buried within these dysregulated lipid pathways are potentially therapeutic molecular targets. Using advanced mass spectrometry imaging methods we are gaining ground in identifying new host-directed targets to treat lung infections.
Functionalized, designer lipids to treat disease
Goal: Designing engineered lipids to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease
In this project, we are extending the use of structurally engineered bacterial lipids to address the neurological damage from chronic inflammatory buildup. Alzheimer’s disease is one of many diseases in which chronic inflammatory
buildup is thought to lead to cognitive decline.
We aim to address chronic inflammation at the source to prevent long term damage.
Lipid homeostasis in the aging brain
Goal: positively impact the human healthspan by understanding the roles of storage, recycling, and clearance of lipids in the brain
Lipids are poorly understood central components of aging, having roles in healthy aging and diseases of aging. The gap in lipid knowledge begins with a missing definition of ‘normal’ and extends to a lack of understanding surrounding lipid fluctuations throughout life. Dysregulated lipid homeostasis is linked to inflammation, diabetes, forms of liver failure, Gaucher disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and untold more pathologies. The failure to understand lipids in health and disease can be explained by a lack of adequate tools to study lipids. With the wide adoption of mass spectrometry tools, we recently entered the lipidomic era in which lipids can be characterized in fine structural detail across a range of lipid classes with spatial sensitivity and relative or absolute quantity. Here, we will use leading edge high specificity and resolution spatial lipidomics to describe the most thorough spatial lipid survey of aging brains possible, to date, using a combinatorial approach.
Featured Research |
Highlight significant research projects or findings.
Collaborations |
We are partnering with renown researchers and their research groups to achieve our goals. Visit their respective sites to learn more about their research.
Robert K. Ernst
Chair of the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis in the School of Dentistry and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Medicine
M4i institute
Alison is visiting researcher at the Maastricht MultiMocal Molecular Imaging instite in the Netherlands
Heath Patterson
Aspect Analytics
David Rasko
Institute for Genome Sciences
Richard J. Traub
University of Maryland School of Dentistry
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