Our Research
The Kruse Laboratory is dedicated to understanding infectious and metabolic disease via the development and integration of spatial technologies such as mass spectrometry and microscopy. Below are some of our favorite projects.
Understanding the host-pathogen interface in the intestine
Clostridioides difficile is the number 1 cause of hospital acquired infection. People who have been infected with C. diff once have a 30% chance of becoming infected again, and we want to learn how and why this occurs. One way the C. diff bacterium persists in a host is by making biofilms that protect the bacteria from antibiotics and host immune cells. We are using imaging mass spectrometry and microscopy to understand how the biochemical composition of C. diff biofilms impacts infection and recurrence.
Spatially studying the diabetic pancreas
Diabetes affects approximately 1 in 10 people in the United States and is associated with profound effects on the pancreas. The pancreas is an essential organ that helps digest the food we eat and regulate our blood glucose level and appetite. We use techniques like imaging mass spectrometry to understand what molecular pathways are impacted in the diabetic pancreas with the goal of identifying targets for improved diagnosis and treatment of this important disease.
Technology development
Supporting each project is the development and integration of technologies in proteomics, microscopy, imaging mass spectrometry, and computation. We are especially interested in new methods for spatial proteomics and lipidomics. For example, we work to integrate fluorescent in situ hybridization with imaging mass spectrometry to establish new ways to understand infectious disease.