Q: WHAT IS THE FOCUS OF YOUR LAB’S RESEARCH?
A: During conventional lipodomics research, information is lost during the extraction when lipids get dissociated from the lipoprotein particles. We are developing methods to gather information about lipoproteins while looking at the lipid through online liquid/liquid extraction using the expression CMS as the detector.
Q: WHAT PREVIOUS WORKFLOW CHALLENGES DID YOU EXPERIENCE?
A: The previous method of fraction collection took a lot of time and a lot of work.
Q: WHY DID YOU INCORPORATE THE EXPRESSION CMS INTO YOUR LABORATORY?
A: The CMS is a rugged instrument and allows us to manipulate liquid/liquid extractions and modify parameters such as salt buffers. It is a very simple to use system. Other mass spectrometers are complicated, so if something goes wrong in the method development process; it takes a lot of effort to get the system back up and running. The CMS is easy to clean and can be back running in a short amount of time.
Q: WHO WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO PURCHASE THE EXPRESSION CMS?
A: I recommend the CMS to anyone interested in method development especially those that are not easily amenable to mass spectrometry, because it is so easy to run and maintain.
Q: WHAT IS THE FOCUS OF YOUR LAB’S RESEARCH?
A: The central activity of our group is to design and develop molecules to study and control biological systems. We are using organic and organometallic synthesis to construct new bioactive compounds, new agents for bioconjugation, and new probes for biology. Our focus is to apply chemistry to biology by identifying targets and then creating cancer treatment strategies and therapy options.
Q: WHAT PREVIOUS WORKFLOW CHALLENGES DID YOU EXPERIENCE?
A: For identification and analysis, we use NMR and HPLC regularly, but had no mass spectrometer in the laboratory, so we gave our samples to outside MS service for analysis. Therefore, we had to wait for the results.
Q: WHY DID YOU INCORPORATE THE EXPRESSION CMS INTO YOUR LABORATORY?
A: Advion’s CMS allows us to have a self-service option. One ingenieur is in-charge of the CMS, but everyone can use it including students after a short formation. And for 80% of our work it is perfect. We still use the MS facility for more demanding analysis, but this new workflow speeds up our process significantly.
Q: WHO WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO PURCHASE THE EXPRESSION CMS?
A: I would recommend the CMS to any small or large organization like ours who wants fast answers for day-to-day analysis.
Compact Mass Spectrometry for Fast, Quantitative VOC Screening
Breath analysis is a valuable and widely-used technique that is gaining popularity in medical diagnostics, sports science, substance abuse and other fields where immediate, reliable detection of a variety of in-vivo compounds and their metabolites is required.
However, the actual analysis can be complicated because of the type of data required, the need to sample directly from humans and animals, and the need for real-time access to proximate analytical equipment.
In this recent study by Loughborough University, breath was sampled directly from test subjects into Advion’s expression Compact Mass Spectrometer (CMS). The data collected during this pilot study was very positive and resulted in the go-ahead of a larger study of real-time breath profiling of a much greater population of subjects. Results were superior to those acquired by collection and concentration on TD tubes and then desorbing into large, expensive mass spectrometer systems costing more than 4 times that of Advion’s CMS.
Economic adulteration of milk involves adulteration with nitrogen-rich compounds to interfere with the widely used Kjeldahl protein assay and in ate the total protein content result for economic gains. The economic adulteration issue garnered global attention during the melamine scandal in 2007 which resulted in the sickening and deaths of infants fed with adulterated milk powder. Therefore the ability to rapidly screen milk ingredients in the manufacturing plants for potential economic adulterants is becoming increasingly important.
The current analytical method of choice is based on UPLC-MS/MS which is both expensive and requires considerable expertise for routine use. A simpler and more cost-effective alternative for frontline screening has been developed. The method uses HILIC-based HPLC and single quadrupole mass spectrometry detection to determine the presence of melamine, cyromazin, ammelide and ammeline in milk-based protein commodities.
Register to download this presentation developed by Advion and Abbott Nutrition.
Q: What is the focus of your labs research?
A: Our main research interest is to use mass spectrometry as a routine tool for synthetic intermediates.
Q: What previous workflow challenges did you experience?
A: As we have large numbers of products to run, our major workflow issue is to shorten product detection times.
Q: Why did you incorporate the expression® CMS into your lab?
A: As an open-access instrument, the expression® CMS allows us to incorporate with other instruments with a compact size. More important, it helps us to know the molecular weight information of products timely.
Regardless of the legal status of cannabis and its chemical compounds, both the quality control in legal markets as well as the law enforcement of it’s illegal status require simple, unequivocal and legally defendable analysis methods for the detection and quantification of its major chemical compounds.
Whenever a detector of high selectivity and sensitivity is required, a mass spectrometry based analysis workflow is usually the method of choice and we here demonstrate the analysis of delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Canabidiol (CBD) and Canabinol (CBN) utilizing a novel compact mass spectrometer (expression-S, Advion, NY) coupled to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) or thin layer chromatography (TLC).
Register to download the presentation featured at ASMS 2014.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the positive and negative electrospray (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) LC/MS ion current response from a representative synthetic mixture of standard pharmaceutical compounds. The selected drup compounds were prepared as an equimolar mixture and analyzed by an optimized gradient LC/MS procedure using a novel compact mass spectrometer. The total and extracted ion current chromatographic peaks were compared between ESI and APCI in both positive and negative ionization modes. The results from this study shed some light on the relative merits of APCI vs ESI as well as the importance of the optimal ionization polarity for the LC/MS determination of the selected acidic and basic small molecule drugs. We also note some differences in adduct formation between these two API techniques.
Q: What is the focus of your lab’s research?
A: To address unresolved questions in DNA chemical biology, our group develops molecular probes for characterizing the structure, function, and dynamics of nucleic acids in vivo. Daily work in our lab relies heavily upon the rational design and synthesis of new organic compounds and their metal-containing complexes.
Q: What previous workflow challenges did you experience?
A: One major challenge to our workflow is the rapid identification of new target molecules that are often prepared as complex mixtures.
Q: Why did you incorporate the expression CMS into your laboratory?
A: We chose the expression CMS as a rapid and sensitive screening tool to identify new target molecules from the chromatographic separation of crude reaction mixtures. Given the exceptionally high sensitivity of this system, desired compounds that are initially made in trace quantities can be easily identified.
Q: What is the focus of your lab’s research?
A: Medicinal chemistry research in my lab is a collaborative exercise where we engage other scientists with complementary interests. Currently, we are engaged in the discovery of protein kinase inhibitors for anti-infective and anti-inflammatory applications and in the discovery of new agents useful for the potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. We are working with others at MSU as well as scientists in other universities and research institutes.
Q: Why did you incorporate the expression CMS into your laboratory?
A: As a medicinal chemist working in the industry, I wanted to have access to the same technology for my group’s research at MSU. However, working in the industry I had experts to run samples. In my lab at MSU, it is essential to have the same technology available in an easy to use the instrument. Not only do the expression CMS specifications meet our needs perfectly, but also it runs without a hitch and it is easily serviceable by a non-expert.
Q: Who would you recommend to purchase the expression CMS?
A: I would recommend the expression CMS to any non-expert chemist or laboratory who needs access to this level of technology. The Advion service and support groups make it accessible.
Q: WHAT IS THE FOCUS OF YOUR LAB’S RESEARCH?
A: The focus of the team is to develop innovative products and applications for thin layer chromatography (TLC). Intensive research and development is done to couple TLC with mass spectrometry (TLC/CMS), a field of growing interest.
Q: WHAT PREVIOUS WORKFLOW CHALLENGES DID YOU EXPERIENCE?
A: Our major workflow issue is to shorten product development times and to deliver our customer valuable applications for new products. The CMS in combination with the elution based TLC/MS interface supports us reaching these goals.
Q: WHY DID YOU INCORPORATE THE EXPRESSION CMS INTO YOUR LABORATORY?
A: The expression CMS is a compact, robust and easy-to-use instrument. Together with the elution based TLC/MS interface, an affordable complete system is on the market, providing a great opportunity that can advance the TLC/CMS technology.
