{
  "abstract": "Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) provides spatially resolved proteomic information that is valuable for understanding disease development, identifying biomarkers, and predicting treatment responses. Despite this potential, MALDI-MSI has not yet been adopted as part of routine diagnostic workflows, primarily due to challenges in analytical validation and robustness. Although sample preparation workflows for MALDI-MSI generally follow the same core steps, there is still a lack of robust data-processing frameworks capable of minimizing technical artifacts, improving feature selection, and reducing inter-laboratory variability. To assess reproducibility and robustness of in situ proteomics across laboratories, we investigated formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded human tissue samples from spleen, intestine, and pancreas using MALDI-MSI. Two complementary workflows were evaluated: (i) decentralized sample preparation with data acquisition performed with one instrument and (ii) centralized sample preparation with data acquisition carried out on instruments across participating laboratories. Data analysis focused on evaluating strategies for feature selection that preserved morphological information. Our findings demonstrate that, with adherence to a standardized protocol, reproducible results across different laboratories can be achieved. Eventhough sample preparation remains a major source of variability, it can be mitigated through appropriate data analysis strategies, particularly in the choice of features used for analysis. Most importantly, biological differences between tissues were consistently identifiable across all datasets, further underscoring the reliability of the approach for clinical translation, especially when sources of variability are properly controlled.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Institute of Pathology, Munich, Germany",
    "Imaging Mass Spectrometry Unit, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité, Berlin, Germany",
    "Center for Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy (CeMOS), Technische Hochschule Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany",
    "CeMOS Research and Transfer Center, Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy, Technical University Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany",
    "Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany",
    "Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Juliana P.L. Gonçalves"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Marta Grzeski"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Gentiane Krasniqi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3,
        4,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Carsten Hopf"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Oliver Klein"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Kristina Schwamborn"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aszpf3eas7shc.bib",
  "cited_by": 1,
  "doi": "10.1016/j.mcpro.2026.101658",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13697253/",
  "id": "aszpf3eas7shc",
  "issns": [
    "1535-9476",
    "1535-9484"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcpro.2026.101658",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1607|Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7212177507",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC13697253",
  "pmid": "42722293",
  "published": "2026-09-10",
  "publisher": "American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aszpf3eas7shc.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:20Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13697253",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcpro.2026.101658"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1607|Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications",
      "subfield": "physical"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Multi-Center Study on Sample Preparation and Feature Selection Effects in Reproducible Mass Spectrometry Imaging for Clinical Translation",
  "title_text": "Multi-Center Study on Sample Preparation and Feature Selection Effects in Reproducible Mass Spectrometry Imaging for Clinical Translation",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:34:19Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aszpf3eas7shc",
  "venue": "Molecular & Cellular Proteomics : MCP",
  "versions": []
}