Selected category: Mass Spectrometry

Precise liquid handling is critical to both research and routine analysis in a laboratory environment, requiring accurate transfer of samples, reagents and buffers from one container to another to ensure consistent results. For applications such as chromatography and spectrometry, it is just as important to be able to achieve a reliable continuous flow of fluids over a prolonged period. DURATEC has been supplying modules, accessories and consumables to analytical laboratory, life sciences research and process engineering markets for over 25 years, and offers a number of precision pumping and dispensing devices for integration into laboratory set-ups for various applications.

The potential of ‘omics’ to further our understanding of cell biology and disease progression has been discussed for over 30 years, but these technologies have so far failed to translate to a healthcare setting. One of the major challenges has been the lack of reproducible results, making it difficult to distinguish between true discoveries and experimental artifacts. ProtiFi was founded to overcome these challenges: to solve the bottlenecks around sampling, sample preparation and data interpretation in order to accelerate the deployment of omics technologies in real-world clinical applications.

Proteomics studies using mass spectrometry have an important role to play in understanding tumor cell biology and the impact of novel therapeutics. Sample clean-up prior to analysis is an essential part of these workflows, and researchers at Pfizer are performing this on a positive pressure workstation to save time and enhance reproducibility.

Mass spectrometry is now routinely used for clinical diagnostics around the world, but manual sample preparation and traditional liquid-liquid extraction techniques are very time consuming, requiring new approaches to help streamline laboratory workflows. The endocrinology service at Charing Cross Hospital is using high throughput automated SPE to accelerate mass spec sample prep, improving turnaround times and freeing up staff time to develop new assays.

SPEware is the latest member of the Tecan Group, providing advanced sample preparation solutions for laboratories performing mass spectrometry analysis.

A Freedom EVO® 150 is being used to full effect by scientists and doctors at the University Hospital of Padova in Italy, preparing samples for LC-MSMS to monitor immunosuppressant drugs in transplant patients.

Independent contract research organization ADPEN Laboratories specializes in residue analysis, and has invested in a Freedom EVO® 100 liquid handling platform for mass spectrometry sample preparation.