Data integration and handling: developing computational Statistics for Quantitative Mass Spectroscopy

The EPSRC funded Sci-Phy-4-Health CDT is a 4 year integrated PhD programme and is recruiting highly motivated 1st class students from Physical Sciences background who will pursue a research degree to develop a range of new physical science to address and impact three of the most important healthcare challenges currently facing the UK:
• Rebuilding the ageing and diseased body
• Understanding cardiovascular disease
• Improving trauma and emergency medicine

The 4 year integrated PhD programme is designed such that the 1st year of the studies consists of taught and ‘mini-project’ modules to train and enhance the background knowledge of the candidate in all areas of Physical Sciences in Healthcare, including Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Computer Sciences, as well as a range of public engagement and transferable skills. After the successful completion of the 1st year, the candidates choose and embark on the PhD research project.

We have a project available that is centred on developing computational Statistics for Quantitative Mass Spectroscopy: Mass spectrometry (MS) is an essential tool for biomarker discovery and recent developments have enabled the development of MS imaging (MSI) techniques that can reveal information about the spatial distributions of specific chemicals and hence about their role in disease and injury. MS and MSI are not fully quantitative techniques due to the inherent uncertainties in the signal formation process. Two issues of central importance are the degree to which measurements are repeatable, and the low signal-to-noise ratio, which can be traced back to the desorption-ionisation process and the properties of the mass analyser. The research project available include the development and experimental studies to fully characterise the main classes of instrument and sample preparation techniques to generate statistical computational models of the signal formation process in MS and MSI, leading to quantitative metrologies. The National Centre of Excellence for Mass Spectrometry Imaging (NiCE-MSI) at NPL will provide access to a wide range of instrument types and fully validated standards.