Mass Spectrometric Assays for the Reliable and Reproducible Detection of Proteins/Peptides of Importance in Type 1 Diabetes Research

September 2021 Council

Lead Division/Office

DEM

Point(s) of Contact

Salvatore Sechi, Ph.D.

Executive Summary

Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based assays have several inherent advantages when compared to traditional ELISA. The main research goal of this initiative is to develop MS-based assays for peptides and proteins of interest to empower the T1D research community and facilitate precision medicine. Priority will be given to assays that are more likely to have an impact on clinical research, but assays that might be of interest to the basic research community can also be developed. A pilot project for this initiative has already led to the development of a novel targeted MS-based assay for c-peptide that does not require the use of antibody, sophisticated MS instrumentation or separation, and can be performed in a standard clinical chemistry laboratory. This assay is likely to be easily multiplexed with a similar insulin assay that is under development. The next phase of this initiative will further validate the assays for insulin, glucagon, and c-peptide and develop standards, reference materials, and MS-based assays for other targets that will be prioritized based on feedback from the T1D research community.