In this video, Jonathan V. Sweedler, Professor of Chemistry and Neuroscience at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, explains how advances in the sensitivity of mass spectrometry techniques such as MALDI are revolutionizing his research into the development of novel analytical methods to better understand the chemistry occurring in the brain. Studying cell-to-cell differences within the brain, he explains, can provide significant insight into the neurochemical components underpinning emergent behavior – the ability to characterize these components at a smaller and smaller scale therefore promises exciting opportunities for future brain research.