Profiling of intact blood proteins by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry without the need for freezing - Dried serum spots as future clinical tools for patient screening.

A workflow that avoids the conventional cold-chain and yet enables the investigation of intact serum proteins and/or serum proteolysis products by MALDI-MS profiling was developed. The presented protocol tremendously broadens the clinical application of MALDI-MS and simultaneously allows a reduction in the costs for storage and shipping of serum samples. This will pave the way for clinical screening of patients also in areas with limited access to health care systems, and/or specialized laboratories.