Many chronic, life-threatening diseases, e.g. diabetes and cancer, involve inflammation, which produces oxidizing compounds that damage cells and tissues. Oxidative damage to fats (lipids) makes them highly reactive or “sticky”; these can bind to proteins inducing further damage by altering the proteins’ structure and function, contributing to disease. This process is called lipoxidation. Being able to measure which proteins are affected by lipoxidation and how this alters their behaviour will improve our understanding of disease, leading to new diagnostic or therapeutic approaches.
Understanding the consequences of lipoxidation and its link to diseases requires multidisciplinary approaches. The only method to characterize lipid oxidation and protein lipoxidation at a molecular level is mass spectrometry, but this is challenging, and few young researchers gain hands-on experience; industry particularly recognizes this shortage of scientists adequately trained in advanced analytical methods. The MASSTRPLAN project provided early stage researchers (ESRs) with a deep knowledge of the mass spectrometry of oxidized lipids and proteins combined with complementary techniques such as microscopy, flow cytometry & bioinformatics, and a broad perspective on disease mechanisms and diagnostic tools. These broadly skilled ESRs will support the translation of knowledge and techniques to industry and healthcare, ultimately generating outcomes that can benefit society.
To achieve this, the MASSTRPLAN ITN brought together a multi-disciplinary network of 6 academic institutions, 2 hospitals and 2 commercial teams, and 14 other partners working in the fields of technology, pharmaceuticals, life sciences and learned societies.
The main objectives of MASSTRPLAN were to:
1. Train 14 ESRs in advanced and novel chromatography, mass spectrometry and complementary techniques including microscopy and bioinformatics, to detect challenging heterogeneous biomolecule modifications and determine their functional effects;
2. Give ESRs a broad perspective on the relevance and mechanisms of oxidative modifications in pathophysiology and biotechnology;
3. Enable ESRs trained in technology development to engage effectively with the clinical sector;
4. Train ESRs in translational and development skills to produce new protocols, materials and commercializable diagnostic tools.
The key outcomes of the project are the successful training of the ESRs and their introduction to the international scientific community (leading to high level employment), and extensive research outputs, already published in more than 50 articles.
