GEN-MKT-18-7897-A
Jan 5, 2016 | Blogs, Forensic | 0 comments
What does every scientist think about in the lab? Validation. This is the feeling I encountered while reading a recent scientific report on nature.com. What struck me was not only the study itself which discounted cannabinoid incorporation into hair as a method for confirming consumption, but the test was carried out on the SCIEX QTRAP® 5500 linear ion-trap mass spectrometer. Here the authors produced a comprehensive LC-MS/MS study in which segmented hair samples (1 cm segments) were analyzed for THCA-A. Instead of using established GC/MS methods they were able to prove the validity of false positives as they applied to the presence of cannabinoids in hair samples.
Perhaps you have a study waiting to be published. Alternatively, maybe you are looking to push your lab into more extensive forensic testing this coming year. High-Resolution Accurate-Mass MS such as the X500R is proving to be the must-have instrument in every lab. However, how do you choose the right technology for your team? What is right for one lab is not the best option for another. Before you start spending, it is good to know some instruments come with way more technology than your lab might ever need while others are simply too routine. If you are in the market for mass spectrometry, here are some key points to remember:
The toolkit is loaded with research information including:
Forensic Toxicology Tests
The above article certainly brings into question the integrity of acquired results when challenged in the courtroom. If your lab is using old technology, we want to hear from you. Tell us what kind of experiments you are running and what are the setbacks you have encountered?
For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
Finding the right information shouldn’t slow you down. Whether you’re troubleshooting your mass spec, learning something new, or optimizing performance, access to the right resources at the right moment makes all the difference.
As an analytical strategy, middle-down mass spectrometry (MS) workflows characterize biotherapeutic proteins by analyzing large, digested protein fragments or defined subunits, rather than fully intact proteins (top-down) or digested peptides (bottom-up). A middle-down strategy combines the strengths of top-down and bottom-up approaches by delivering high sequence coverage and structural specificity while maintaining relatively simple sample preparation. In practice, middle-down analysis enables accurate mass measurement, rapid sequence confirmation, and localization of key post-translational modifications (PTMs) on protein subunits that are directly relevant to product quality.
In biopharmaceutical development, sequence variants (SV) are considered an inherent risk of producing complex proteins in living systems. Sequence variants are unintended changes to the amino acid sequence of a biotherapeutic and can be caused by errors in transcription or translation in the host cell, or cell culture and process conditions. Detailed analysis of SVs is important in process and product development to ensure the drug’s safety and efficacy. Even low‑level sequence variants can have significant implications for product quality, safety, and efficacy, making their accurate detection and characterization a critical requirement across development, process optimization, and regulatory submission.
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