Training of laser ablation ICP-MS in IPREM, Pau, France / 29.03.2017

Three students from O2 department, Janja Vidmar, Gorazd Koderman Podboršek and Gregor Pavec, participated on a three-day training on LA-ICP-MS, which was organized from 8. 3. to 10. 3. 2017 at IPREM, Pau, France. The training was carried out under the supervision of dr. Christophe Pecheyran and was part of the exchange of scientists within the EU MASSTWIN project.

Laser ablation coupled to ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) is a technique widely used for determining spatial distribution of analytes in solid samples (imaging) and has been applied to geological, environmental and biological applications.
Besides gaining theoretical knowledge of LA-ICP-MS, major part of our training in Pau included experimental work where LA-ICP-MS analysis were applied to the imaging of platinum in samples of tumour spheroids (melanoma model tissue), treated with Pt-based chemotherapeutic (cis-platin). By determining the spatial distribution of platinum in spheroids after chemotherapy, we were able to define if the platinum accumulates either on the edge of the spheroid where live cells are or in its core where necrosis occurs.
Participation on this training will be beneficial for our future work with LA-ICP-MS analysis at the Institute Jozef Stefan.