The Nhu Phan Research Group
The Phan group is located at the university of Gothenburg, department of chemistry and molecular biology. The research within the Phan group is focused on the development and applications of mass spectrometry imaging (ToF-SIMS, NanoSIMS, MALDI), fluoresence microscopy and super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, electron microscopy, and recently the correlative nanoscale imaging using combinations of these modalities to understand the structural and functional relationship of biomolecules in neural stem cells, neuronal cells and in the brain.
The developed technologies have been applied to the following biological questions:
• Organization of structural lipids at synaptic membrane, and its relation to neuronal activity.
• Targeted molecular imaging of the brain, structural and functional relation in brain activity.
• Molecular turnover in neuronal cells and brain, and correlation to neuro-degeneration.
• Molecular turnover, dynamics and regulation in neural stem cells.
• Stress granule pathway and molecular transition in neuronal cells.
We discovered an important relationship between the brain lipid organization and brain function modulated by exogenous factors (Phan, Anal. Chem. 2014), and between the lipid organization at neuronal membrane and the neuronal activity (Agüi-Gonzalez, ACS Chem.Neurosci. 2021). We further investigated the drug effects on structures and function of the brain and nerve cells (Philipsen, ACS Chem. Neurosci.2018, 2020). We measured the chemical distribution within single vesicles (Thomen, ACS Nano 2020; Rabasco, Int. J. Mol.Sci. 2022).
In another perspective, we have a strong interest in the development of novel labeling probes facilitating the correlative imaging. The probes contain elements that are visible in all the modalities, including SIMS, fluorescence microscopy, and electron microscopy, enabling multiplex targeted molecular imaging at micro- and nanoscale resolution.
We have developed dual labeling probes for protein imaging with SIMS and fluorescence microscopy (Kabatas, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, J. Analyt. Atomic. Spec. 2019), and gold nanoprobes for SIMS and electron microscopy (Agüi-Gonzalez, Nanomaterials 2021). We have developed a correlative imaging method with NanoSIMS, fluorescence microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy to image cellular structure, location of specific proteins, and cellular compositions (Lange, PLOS ONE 2021), and a platform for correlative live imaging and analysis with confocal microscopy and amperometry to study the dynamics of individual secretary events of transmitter vesicles (Zheng, ACS Meas. Sci. Au 2021).
Research Funding
Open position:
Principal Research Engineer for NanoSIMS
We are looking for a person, whom will contribute to the NanoSIMS Sweden facility at the University of Gothenburg. This principaresearch engineer position is a full-time permanent position, that starts with a six-month probationary period.
NanoSIMS Sweden is a facility at the University of Gothenburg. It was founded in 2015 with the goal to provide mass spectrometry imaging technology with nanoscale spatial resolution to researchers in Sweden. Since then, it has expanded its services to researchers across the Nordic region. NanoSIMS Sweden aims to be an extensive molecular and elemental imaging platform with the focus on life science and medical science.
Working with Mass Spectrometry Imaging?
A Special Issue “Mass Spectrometry Imaging in Neuroscience” from DMP-Biomolecules has launched. We are looking for contributions to this special issue from expertise in this area. I am pleased to invite you to contribute an original article or review focusing on any aspects of neuroscience using mass spectrometry imaging techniques (method development, applications, data analysis method, etc.). Deadline is 31 December 2024. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested or have any questions, or visit the website
MS Imaging Seminar
Upcoming Mass Spectrometry Seminars hosted by Nhu TN Phan
The Mass Spectrometry Imaging Zoom seminar of Gothenburg this month will be Wednesday, the 29th May, 15:00-16:00 (CET time), given by Prof. Maitrayee Bose, from School of Earth and Space Exploration Arizona State University, USA. This is the last MSI seminar of this Spring semester. Prof. Bose is a co-inventor on a patent application for a new cesium ion source design for secondary ion mass spectrometers. She has developed the NanoSIMS methodology for imaging with high spatial resolution and high precision of H, C, Li, S and Mg-Al isotopes in terrestrial minerals and organics. Her scientific expertise and interest focus on the investigations of the chemistry and isotopes of small solar system bodies, particularly samples brought back from missions and terrestrial analogues for Ceres and Venus.