Horrocks and his research group focus on single-molecule and super-resolution microscopy.
Mathew Horrocks, senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh School of Chemistry, is the winner of the 2023 Joseph Black Award. Horrocks was presented with the award, which honors contributions to any area of analytical chemistry made by an early career scientist, at the SciX conference in Sparks Nevada on Tuesday.
During an award symposium, Horrocks discussed his research on single-molecule and super-resolution microscopy approaches to help visualize individual protein aggregates in complex biological samples (1). This method is particularly helpful for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, which are characterized by the misfolding and aggregation of soluble monomeric protein into insoluble amyloid fibrils.
Super-resolution microscopy refers to a group of analysis techniques that surpass the traditional diffraction limit of light microscopy, allowing researchers to observe cellular structures and molecules at nanometer-scale resolutions.
“Currently, there are no biochemical diagnostics for neurodegenerative disorders, and instead they are clinically diagnosed, with confirmation made post-Mortem,” Horrocks told Spectroscopy in a previous interview(2). “We therefore wanted to see if it was possible to visualize the protein oligomers within biofluids, as this would give us a window into what is happening in the brain.”
Horrocks studied chemistry at Oriel College at the University of Oxford, where he was first introduced to single-molecule techniques. In 2016, he took a junior research fellowship at Christ’s College and a Herchel Smith fellowship at the University of Cambridge. Then in 2018 he moved to the University of Edinburgh to head the Edinburg Single-Molecule Group, where his team focuses on developing single-use molecule and super-resolution approaches to study biological systems, with a particular focus on neuroscience and neurodegeneration.
Horrocks and his research group have also applied spectroscopic approaches to understanding how the healthy brain functions. They invited a new super-resolution microscopy technique that works in live cells. In the future, the group plans on use their approaches to look for oligomers in more easily accessible biofluids, Horrocks previously told Spectroscopy.
“While we have shown that it’s possible to specifically detect aggregates in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), this biofluid is collected via a lumbar puncture, which is not a pleasant procedure,” he said. “What we really want to be able to do is detect them in blood, saliva, stool, or urine. This would pave the way for a widespread screening program.”
References
Getting accurate IR spectra on monolayer of molecules
April 18th 2024Creating uniform and repeatable monolayers is incredibly important for both scientific pursuits as well as the manufacturing of products in semiconductor, biotechnology, and. other industries. However, measuring monolayers and functionalized surfaces directly is. difficult, and many rely on a variety of characterization techniques that when used together can provide some degree of confidence. By combining non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) and IR spectroscopy, IR PiFM provides sensitive and accurate analysis of sub-monolayer of molecules without the concern of tip-sample cross contamination. Dr. Sung Park, Molecular Vista, joined Spectroscopy to provide insights on how IR PiFM can acquire IR signature of monolayer films due to its unique implementation.
The Effect of Heat Exposure on BPA and Phthalate Content in Commercial Bottled Water
May 8th 2024This study aimed to assess the levels of phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) in various popular bottled waters compared to tap water. Additionally, it investigated whether exposure to high temperatures, akin to those in a car during summer, would elevate these levels. Using GC/MS analysis, samples were examined. Results showed that phthalates and BPA were either absent or well below safety thresholds in all bottled and tap water samples. Moreover, heating did not significantly affect phthalate concentrations, and BPA was undetectable in all samples.