MSCoreSys Status Meeting 2023

The 2023 annual MSCoreSys status meeting was held on November 13th and 14th in Freising with more than 100 scientists on site. Members representing the four research cores from Berlin, Mainz, Munich and Heidelberg showcased groundbreaking scientific achievements and fostered collaboration in the field of mass spectrometry and systems medicine. The event brought together experts from diverse disciplines, providing a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and the discussion of translational highlights.

The conference started with a warm welcome from host Bernhard Küster. The scientific sessions kicked off with presentations under the banner of "Scientific Achievements and Translational Highlights" with presentations by Frederick Klauschen, Markus Ralser, Fabian Coscia and Vadim Demichev from MSTARS Berlin and by Stefan Tenzer, Andreas Hildebrandt, Laura Bindila and Elisa Araldi from DIASyM Mainz.

The CLINSPECT-M session explored technological advances in MS-based proteomics by Matthias Mann, while Alexander Bernhardt discussed the classification approach of protein biomarkers in neurological diseases and the need for clinical implementation. SMART-CARE also made a significant contribution with a presentation on the SMART-LDR data management backbone, featuring insights from Jeroen Krijgsveld, Matthias Ganzinger, Dario Frey, Junyan Lu, and Christina Schmidt.

The conference continued with parallel meetings, including a scientific speed-dating and the election of the new PostDoc and PhD representative. Simultaneously, members of the Project Committee met to discuss the future of the consortium, actions from the past year, updates on Ring trials in proteomics, bioinformatics, and metabolomics, and efforts needed to increase the visibility of the consortium. The day ended with a culinary poster session where 40 posters were presented.

Day two started with parallel discussions on three task forces exploring various aspects of the field. The Clinical Translation Task Force was led by Philipp Wild and included a discussion on the feasibility of using the same sample material for various measurements, including proteome, lipidome and metabolome. Laura Bindila chaired the Metabolomics/Lipidomics Task Force that facilitated discussions on study design and methodological implementation. The Imaging Task Force, chaired by Oliver Klein, reviewed protocols for data collection and measurement parameters.
The educational sessions covered critical topics, including technology readiness presented by Jeroen Krijgsveld, the accreditation path of a clinical test by Daniel Teupser and Katharina Habler, and insights into promising MSCoreSys clinical trials by Bernhard Küster.

The meeting fostered an environment of collaboration and knowledge sharing, paving the way for future advancements in mass spectrometry and systems medicine and for continued collaboration and discovery in this field.