Chemo-informatic strategy for imaging mass spectrometry-based hyperspectral profiling of lipid signatures in colorectal cancer

Significance Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) technology represents a highly promising approach in cancer research. Here, we outline current roadblocks in translational MSI and introduce a comprehensive workflow designed to address current methodological limitations. An integrated bioinformatics platform is presented that allows intuitive histology-directed interrogation of MSI datasets. We show that this strategy permits the analysis of multivariate molecular signatures with direct correlation to morphological regions of interest, which can offer new insights into how different tumor microenvironmental populations interact with one another and generate novel region-of-interest specific biomarkers and therapeutic targets.