3D nanoSIMS
The 3D nanoSIMS project is led by NPL in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline, the University of Nottingham (Prof. Morgan Alexander, Prof. Martyn Davies, Prof. Clive Roberts), ION-TOF and the Univerisity of Illinois (Prof. Luke Hanley).
The project team has designed a new secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) instrument to go beyond the micrometre resolution currently capable with chemical imaging. The goal is to develop a 3D label free moleculer imaging system that can achieve nanometric spatial resolution.
Left: Advancing the capability of chemical analysis by SIMS
In particular the project has been formulated to address the needs of key stakeholders in pharmaceutical, regenerative medicine, biomaterial, catalysis, graphene device and organic electronic industries. For example such a powerful new analytical tool could help identify where drug molecules go at a cellular level, potentially even down to individual organelles. In so doing this would offer unique insight into longstanding biodistribution, local concentration and toxicity questions.
The 3D-nanoSIMS instrument is due to be launched in Novemeber 2016 at the National Physical Laboratory. More information about that event can be found here.
For more detailed information on the nanoSIMS project please see the NPL press release.