Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) is a revolutionary technique that allows real-time characterization of human tissue and bacterial species by analysis of aerosol released during electrosurgical dissection or evaporated and ionized. This revolutionary technique still has a shortcoming in that it lacks spatial awareness. We propose to provide computational guidance for REIMS by integrating it into a computer-assisted surgery research platform currently available at Queen's University. The resulting research platform will allow surgeons to record and render real-time pathological and bacteriological information in the 3D space, relative to a patient's anatomy, superimposed on pre-operative and intra-operative imagery. The resulting new research platform is expected to ignite transformative changes across the full spectrum of computer-assisted surgery, accelerating progress and increasing our productivity in terms of translation of scientific and engineering results to practical use. We seek funds to secure the purchase of a REIMS instrument, a unique and essential tool that meets the needs of a collaborating network of basic engineering and clinical researchers at Queen's. It will enable the research team members to explore the frontiers in their respective areas. Queen's University is considered an international leader in surgical navigation technology development and translational research. The applicant team has a strong record of collaborative interdisciplinary research. The requested REIMS instrument will also play a major role in the training of approximately 50 HQP for the applicants' research groups and it will also play an active role at the Human Mobility Research Centre where more than 45 graduate students study interdisciplinary research and receive state-of-the-art preparation for careers in biomedical academic and industry positions.