Mass Spectrometry

Brief Description:

The general meaning for Mass Spectrometry is an analytical tool used for measuring the molecular mass of a sample. In Bioinformatics, Mass spectrometry plays an important role in Proteomics and will still be a key technology in a foreseen future. "Structural information can be generated using certain types of mass spectrometers, usually those with multiple analysers which are known as tandem mass spectrometers. This is achieved by fragmenting the sample inside the instrument and analysing the products generated." quoted from Introduction to MS link source below. Mass Spectrometry data are used in Mascot.

Ongoing Project:

Molecular Characterization of the Lipidome by Mass Spectrometry.

Aim: Designed for high-throughput oriented lipid analysis by integrating robotic sampling, lipid species-specific mass analysis and software-assisted deconvolution of spectral data.

Improvements in mass spectrometric technology have proved highly efficient for the characterization and quantification of molecular lipid species in total lipid extracts. This methodology is less timeconsuming compared to that of conventional methods(e.g highperformance liquid chromatography, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and gas chromatography) and requires less sample amount because of its higher sensitivity and specificity.

Uses 2 type of mass spectrometry

• electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
• hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight (QqTOF) mass spectrometer

The whole of Ongoing project is quoted from the Project Information link source below.

My Thoughts:

With these new researches for Mass Spectrometry, the future generation will have easier time to analyze proteomics and other small molecules not only in Bioinformatics, but also other related fields. There is even a blog for Mass Spectrometry with related videos and a link which shows mass spectrometer protecting soldier in Iraq.

Source:
Introduction to MS
MPI.CBG research
Project Information