Novel Imaging Mass Spectrometry Techniques to Capture Chemical Exchange in Models of Ovarian Cancer and Symbiosis

This dissertation explores existing and novel uses of imaging mass spectrometry to investigate chemical exchange in two distinct model systems. IMS was used to detect a specific interaction between a fallopian tube epithelium-derived protein and a small molecule neurotransmitter from ovarian tissue in an ovarian cancer model. Additionally, IMS was used to analyze a host-microbe symbiosis both in vitro and in situ to capture a small molecule influencing host colonization.