Neurochemical and neuropharmacological research is strongly dependent on the availability of sensitive analysis methods for neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and drugs in brain microdialysis samples of rats and mice. The development of new, faster and sensitive analysis methods remains challenging for the bioanalyst due to the very low concentrations of these compounds in small volumes of dialysate, coupled to a low microdialysis recovery, in addition to the need for higher throughput.
The research group has ample experience in the development of miniaturized LC methods, coupled to fluorescence, electrochemical or tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) detection, for the quantification of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in microdialysates. In addition, we have a large experience in the development and validation of analytical methods for the determination of drugs in drug products and biological samples with capillary electrophoresis, LC-UV, LC-fluorescence and LC-MS/MS.
The main research topics are:
- Nano LC tandem mass spectrometry for quantification of neuropeptides in microdialysis samples
- Metabolite profiling for the discovery and analysis of biomarkers of drug resistant epilepsy
- Miniaturized (enantioselective) LC methods for quantification of neuro- and gliotransmitters in biological samples
- Miniaturized LC methods for quantification of drug in biological samples
- Determination of the in vitro plasma stability of peptides
PI
Ann Van Eeckhaut
Ilse Weets
C4N Researchers
Karen Segers
Jana Bongaerts
Liam Nestor