Developing advanced mass spectrometry imaging techniques for visualizing peptide drugs

The title of the project is ”Development and application of mass spectrometry imaging to reveal localization of peptide drugs in the digestive tract upon oral administration”.

Christian Janfelt explains the focus of the new project:

“The project addresses a major challenge in developing oral peptide therapeutics: the limited understanding of how peptide drugs interact with permeation enhancers during absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Since most peptide drugs currently require injection, improving oral delivery would significantly enhance patient comfort and compliance—especially for treatments targeting diabetes and obesity.

We will develop advanced mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) techniques capable of visualizing peptide drugs and their excipients directly in biological tissues—without the need for labeling. By optimizing and applying cutting-edge MSI methods such as nano-DESI and DESI-MSI, we aim to map how peptides and enhancers distribute and interact within the digestive system, providing crucial insights for designing more effective oral formulations.”

A new PhD student will play a central role in the project, focusing on developing and optimizing the imaging techniques, conducting experiments with peptide drugs in tissue models and animal studies, and analyzing the resulting data. The student will collaborate closely with international partners and receive specialized training in nano-DESI imaging.