Research Interests

Biomolecular mass spectrometry; single-cell multi-omics; mass spectrometry imaging; proteomics; metabolomics and lipidomics; aging and aging-related diseases; neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases; redox biology; natural products and botanicals

Research Synopsis

The Maier Lab’s ultimate goals is to improve human and animal health. To accomplish this goal, we use mass spectrometry technology and workflow development that deepens molecular insight into how biological systems work and molecules interact.

Nearly every major disease leaves a molecular trace long before it becomes clinically apparent; the challenge is finding it. Prof. Maier's lab develops and applies mass spectrometry technologies and workflows to detect these early signatures of disease and aging directly in cells, tissues and biological fluids.

The Maier Lab is pushing mass spectrometry to the level of the single cell. In collaboration with HP, the lab has developed thermal inkjet-based methods that enable low-volume and single-cell proteomics, along with metabolomics workflows. Single-cell analysis is central to revealing molecular differences between individual cells that bulk-tissue measurements average out and obscure. Being able to distinguish cell phenotypes is essential for understanding tissue heterogeneity, cell state and cell differentiation.

We develop spatial "omics" mass spectrometry-based methods to map where specific molecules are located within organs and organ regions. Current work applies this approach to understand molecular changes in brain regions associated with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease.

We use mass spectrometry to detect, characterize and quantify natural products in complex mixtures to learn about how botanical and dietary compounds interact with mammalian biology. In conjunction with computational strategies, we discover natural products’ bioactive constituents and mechanisms of action using “omics” strategies. This line of research aligns with the mission of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consortium for Advancing Research on Botanical and Other Natural Products (CARBON) Program, OHSU’s BENFRA Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Center and the USDA NIFA-funded Hatch Multistate Research Project W5122: Beneficial and Adverse Effects of Natural Chemicals on Human Health and Food Safety.

Prof. Maier serves as Principal Investigator on multiple NIH S10 shared-instrumentation grants. The grants have brought major mass spectrometry platforms, including an ion mobility time-of-flight system, an Orbitrap Fusion with ETD, a triple-quadrupole-type instrument (Xevo TQXS) and a trapped ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (timsTOF fleX), to Oregon State University. This instruments support service, research and training across the university, positioning OSU as a regional resource for advanced mass spectrometry. Prof. Maier’s research is supported by foundation grants, an NIH grant and collaborative agreements with industry and partner institutions.

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow (1999) Oregon State University

Ph.D. (1994) University of Konstanz, Germany