Mary L. Kraft
Contact Information:
e-mail:
phone: (217) 333-2228
fax: (217) 333-5052
208 Roger Adams Lab
MC-712, Box C-3
600 S. Mathews Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
Assistant Professor
B.S., University of Illinois at Chicago, 1998
Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2003
Postdoctorate, Stanford University, 2003-2007
Imaging Mass Spectrometry of Biomaterials
Our ability to engineer tissues and biomimetic devices hinges upon an understanding of the structure-function relationship in healthy and diseased cells. Our laboratory utilizes materials characterization, quantitative engineering principles, cell biology and chemistry to elucidate the influence of molecular organization on cellular function.
Imaging Mass Spectrometry for Glycosylation
Glycosylated cell membrane components modulate cell adhesion, migration, differentiation, and recognition. Changes in the glycosylation patterns displayed on the cell membrane are hallmarks of many diseases, including cancer. Some abnormal glycan structures have been linked to specific diseases, but the full range of structural changes and the functional roles of the glycans remain undiscovered.
Imaging secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is a direct approach to image
the chemical composition at the sample surface with sub-micron lateral resolution.
We are developing an imaging mass spectrometry-based approach to analyze the
glycan composition in cell membranes. This strategy to identify and image membrane
glycan structures that are associated with specific phenotypes can lead to a
better understanding of their functional significance in disease progression.
Composition Analysis of the Influenza Virus Pre-Envelope Domain
The site of influenza virus assembly in the host cell, which is called the influenza virus pre-envelope domain, is hypothesized to be enriched with cholesterol and sphingolipids. To evaluate this hypothesis, the lipid composition at the small region of the cell membrane that is abundant in viral envelope proteins must be determined. We are developing a multiple isotope imaging mass spectrometry-based approach to analyze the membrane composition at the site of virus budding. These studies can substantially increase our understanding of influenza virus pathogenesis.
Selected Publications
M. L. Kraft, P. K. Weber, M. L. Longo, I. D. Hutcheon, and S. G. Boxer, "Phase
separation of lipid membranes analyzed with high-resolution secondary ion mass
spectrometry , "
Science,
313,
1948-1951 (2006).
(Perspectives Article in Science 2006, 313, 1901-1902; News
of the Week in Chemical and Engineering News 2006, 84, 11; Research Highlights
in Nature Nanotechnology 2006, doi:10.1038/nnano.2006.105.)
M. L. Kraft, S. F. Fishel, C. Galli Marxer, P. K. Weber, I. D. Hutcheon,
and S. G. Boxer, "Quantitative analysis of supported membrane composition
using the NanoSIMS," Applied Surface Science, 252,
6950-6956 (2006).
C. Galli Marxer, M. L. Kraft, P. K. Weber, I. D. Hutcheon, and S. G. Boxer,
"Supported membrane composition analysis by secondary ion mass spectrometry
with high lateral resolution , " Biophysical Journal, 88,
2965-2975 (2005). Cover article.
M.L. Kraft and J.S. Moore, "Multitechnique characterization of fatty acid-modified microgels," Langmuir, 20, 1111-1119 (2004).
M.L. Kraft and J.S. Moore, "n-Alkyl fatty acid-modified microgels: Ion permeation as a function of chain length," Langmuir, 19, 910-915 (2003).
M.L. Kraft and J.S. Moore, "Surfactant-induced lysis of lipid-modified
microgels," Journal of the American Chemical Society, 123, 12921-12922
(2001).
D. J. Beebe, J. S. Moore, Q. Yu, R. H. Liu, M. L. Kraft, B.-H. Jo, and C. Devadoss, "Microfluidic tectonics: A comprehensive platform for microfluidic systems," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 97, 13488-13493 (2000).
