Q&A blog: Streamlining forensic toxicology workflows for smarter drug screening and confirmation by Pierre Negri | 0 CommentsWe recently hosted a webinar focused on streamlining forensic toxicology workflows, featuring expert speakers Maria Sarkisian from the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (SFOCME) and Dr. Dick Paul Kloos from the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI). The webinar explored innovative LC-MS/MS strategies that help forensic labs improve efficiency. In this blog, we share highlights from the Q&A session, where our speakers addressed the audience’s questions and shared actionable insights for forensic laboratory professionals.
Pumpkin spice season: A deep dive into spice authenticity by Gitte Barknowitz | 0 CommentsThanks to Starbucks, who launched the pumpkin spice latte in 2003 (yes, over 20 years ago), the spice mixture became a global phenomenon, loved and disliked at the same time.
Celebrating customer experience: Insights from SCIEX leaders by Andrea Mueller | 0 CommentsCustomer Experience Day (CX Day) is a special occasion for SCIEX, celebrated every first Tuesday in October. It’s a day dedicated to recognizing the incredible value of our customers and the relentless dedication of our associates who strive to make every interaction meaningful. At SCIEX, our commitment to customer experience is woven into the fabric of everything we do. From providing cutting-edge solutions to offering unwavering support, we aim to build lasting relationships and exceed expectations. Join us as we delve into the insights from our leaders on what customer experience means to SCIEX and how it shapes our journey.
How is EAD transforming from a niche technique into a cornerstone of daily metabolomics and lipidomics research? by Rebekah Sayers | 0 CommentsWith the launch of the ZenoTOF 8600 system, EAD has taken a significant leap forward in becoming a routine tool for metabolomics and lipidomics workflows. Building on the foundation laid by the ZenoTOF 7600 system, the 8600 system introduces enhanced sensitivity, function speed improvements, and multimodal capabilities that make EAD more practical and scalable for daily use. This blog explores how these advancements are transforming EAD from a specialized technique into a robust and accessible solution for high-throughput structural analysis, enabling researchers to unlock deeper insights with greater efficiency.
Predictable uptime starts with a predictable service strategy by Andrea Mueller | Biopharma, Blogs, Clinical, Environmental / Industrial, Food / Beverage, Forensic, Life Science Research, Pharma, Service, Support, TechnologyIn analytical laboratories, performance is not optional. Whether supporting regulated pharmaceutical workflows, high-throughput CRO operations, clinical reporting, or food and environmental testing, your mass spectrometry and capillary electrophoresis systems are critical to productivity, compliance, and scientific confidence.
PFAS in textiles: What laboratories are starting to uncover by Craig Butt | Blogs, Environmental / IndustrialWaterproof jackets. Stain-resistant shoes. Easy-clean fabrics are marketed as “performance.” Behind those everyday claims sits a class of chemicals now reshaping regulation, brand accountability, and laboratory science: PFAS.
PFAS FAQ’s: Ask our experts by Gitte Barknowitz | Blogs, Environmental / Industrial, Food / Beverage, QTRAP / Triple QuadPFAS analysis is complex, but expert guidance doesn’t have to be. In this episode of our ‘Ask the PFAS expert series’, we’re joined by Michael Scherer, Application Lead for Food and Environmental, to answer the most pressing questions in PFAS analysis. From why LC-MS/MS systems are the gold standard for analyzing diverse PFAS compounds, to which EU methods deliver reliable results for drinking water, and to practical steps to prevent contamination, Michael shares actionable insights to help laboratories achieve accuracy, consistency, and confidence in their workflows.
From downtime to confidence: Why OEM support can make a difference by Gary Chambers | Biopharma, Blogs, Clinical, Environmental / Industrial, Food / Beverage, Forensic, Life Science Research, Pharma, Service, Support, TechnologyIn today’s environment in which labs are under pressure to reduce operating costs, many will compare the cost of a service contract between third-party providers and the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). At first glance, going with a service contract from a third-party provider may seem like a smart financial move, but experience shows they can introduce risks that affect reliability and compliance.
Q&A blog: Streamlining forensic toxicology workflows for smarter drug screening and confirmation by Pierre Negri | Blogs, ForensicWe recently hosted a webinar focused on streamlining forensic toxicology workflows, featuring expert speakers Maria Sarkisian from the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (SFOCME) and Dr. Dick Paul Kloos from the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI). The webinar explored innovative LC-MS/MS strategies that help forensic labs improve efficiency. In this blog, we share highlights from the Q&A session, where our speakers addressed the audience’s questions and shared actionable insights for forensic laboratory professionals.
Pumpkin spice season: A deep dive into spice authenticity by Gitte Barknowitz | Blogs, Food / BeverageThanks to Starbucks, who launched the pumpkin spice latte in 2003 (yes, over 20 years ago), the spice mixture became a global phenomenon, loved and disliked at the same time.
Celebrating customer experience: Insights from SCIEX leaders by Andrea Mueller | Biopharma, Blogs, Clinical, Environmental / Industrial, Food / Beverage, Forensic, Life Science Research, Pharma, TechnologyCustomer Experience Day (CX Day) is a special occasion for SCIEX, celebrated every first Tuesday in October. It’s a day dedicated to recognizing the incredible value of our customers and the relentless dedication of our associates who strive to make every interaction meaningful. At SCIEX, our commitment to customer experience is woven into the fabric of everything we do. From providing cutting-edge solutions to offering unwavering support, we aim to build lasting relationships and exceed expectations. Join us as we delve into the insights from our leaders on what customer experience means to SCIEX and how it shapes our journey.
How is EAD transforming from a niche technique into a cornerstone of daily metabolomics and lipidomics research? by Rebekah Sayers | Blogs, Life Science ResearchWith the launch of the ZenoTOF 8600 system, EAD has taken a significant leap forward in becoming a routine tool for metabolomics and lipidomics workflows. Building on the foundation laid by the ZenoTOF 7600 system, the 8600 system introduces enhanced sensitivity, function speed improvements, and multimodal capabilities that make EAD more practical and scalable for daily use. This blog explores how these advancements are transforming EAD from a specialized technique into a robust and accessible solution for high-throughput structural analysis, enabling researchers to unlock deeper insights with greater efficiency.
Q/A: Quantitative and qualitative solutions for large-panel pesticides assays using SCIEX Triple Quad and QTRAP systems by Holly Lee | Blogs, Food / Beverage, QTRAP / Triple QuadIn a recent webinar, which is now available on-demand, Holly Lee powerful strategies to tackle complex residue testing. From boosting throughput to fine-tuning method sensitivity, Holly shared key ways to maximize performance across large pesticide panels.
Bulletproof your clinical laboratory with rugged and reliable LC-MS/MS instrumentation (Clinical diagnostic blog) by Pierre Negri | Blogs, Clinical, Ion sourcesThe ability to consistently achieve reproducible results on many complex samples across multiple days is critical to a routine clinical laboratory. Laboratories relying on analytical instrumentation require stability and robustness to perform a variety of screening and confirmatory assays with confidence. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has become the preferred analytical method in the clinical laboratory to reliably perform clinical testing as it provides best-in-class performance and reliability for the most challenging assays. LC-MS/MS offers the required levels of sensitivity and specificity for the detection and quantitation of molecules from complex biological samples, helping laboratories deliver highly accurate data for a variety of clinically relevant analytes across a wide range of assays.
PFAS testing: 2024 in review and what to expect for 2025 by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Environmental / IndustrialFor as long as PFAS persist in the environment, there is no doubt they will persist in our conversations as environmental scientists. Globally, PFAS contamination has been detected in water supplies, soil and even in the blood of people and wildlife. Different countries are at various stages of addressing PFAS contamination and many governments have set regulatory limits and are working on assessing the extent of contamination, cleaning up affected sites and researching safer alternatives.
Inside the box: Acoustic ejection mass spectrometry for drug discovery by Kirsten Craven | Blogs, Discovery, Echo® MS+ system, Pharma, QA/QCOn average, it takes 10-15 years and 1-2 billion dollars to approve a new pharmaceutical for clinical use. Since approximately 90% of new drug candidates fail in clinical development, the ability to make early, informed and accurate decisions on the safety and efficacy of new hits and leads is key to increasing the chances of success.
Unveiling the power of ZT Scan DIA: Insights from Ludwig Sinn’s presentation at World HUPO Congress 2024 by Rebekah Sayers | Blogs, Life Science Research, Proteomics, ZenoTOF 7600 systemIn a recent presentation at the World HUPO Congress 2024, Ludwig Sinn from the Ralser lab shared exciting advancements in proteomics research, focusing on the innovative ZT Scan DIA acquisition modes developed in collaboration with SCIEX. Let us explore the key highlights and benefits of this innovative technology.
Exploring the power of ZT Scan DIA by Rebekah Sayers | Blogs, Life Science Research, Proteomics, ZenoTOF 7600+ systemIn a recent presentation, Tim Heymann from Mann Lab at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry shared his first impressions of ZT Scan DIA, the novel data-independent acquisition strategy from SCIEX, highlighting its innovative approach and significant benefits for proteomics research. Let’s dive into the key points from his insightful talk.
Inside the box: Complementary fragmentation with LC-MS for Metabolite Identification by Kirsten Craven | Blogs, Pharma, ZenoTOF 7600 systemLiquid chromatography-mass spectrometry is commonly used for Met ID but confident soft spot identification is not always possible. Imagine the advantage of unambiguous metabolite identification using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) reducing the need for additional safety testing during drug discovery. Quickly and easily generate the information you need using routine assays that are robust and efficient, enabling confident decision-making while also saving time and money.
Tips and tricks from our application experts: AAV analysis with CE by Peter Holper | Biopharma, BioPhase 8800 system, Blogs, PA 800 systemPeter Holper, Staff Applications Scientist at SCIEX, US, shares his tips and tricks on AAV analysis using CE with the BioPhase 8800 system and the PA 800 Plus system.
Overcoming uncertainty in your PFAS analysis by Karl Oetjen | Blogs, Environmental / IndustrialJust like gum on the bottom of a shoe, the existence of per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in our environment is a sticky one. If you’re in the field of environmental testing, then you’re all too familiar with the threat these substances have on public health. While we have learned a lot about them over the years, there is still much more to understand. With the right detection methods, we can gather the information we need to empower us to make informed decisions on reducing the risks they impose.
High mass tuning calibration for ZenoTOF 7600 by Gregg Czerwieniec | Bio Tool Kit, Development, Questions, ZenoTOF 7600 systemHi,
Metabolite identification and peace of mind by Kirsten Craven | Blogs, LC, Pharma, QTRAP / Triple Quad, ZenoTOF 7600 systemManaging metabolite identification (Met ID) studies is challenging, so what is at the top of your priority list as you plan the year ahead? Ensuring you have the data needed to manage product safety, meeting deadlines, staff recruitment and training, maintaining compliance, capital expenses, or something else?
Optimized rolling collision energy curves for IDA and SWATH DIA for peptides by Christie Hunter | Data acquisition, Life Science Research, Proteomics, QTOF, SCIEX information, ZenoTOF 7600 systemDuring data dependent acquisition (DDA or IDA) or SWATH acquisition, the collision energy can be automatically adjusted according to the mass/charge and charge of the peptide. This dependency has been well characterized on our QTOF systems. By selecting rolling...
Current proteomics software compatibility for ZenoTOF 7600 system by Christie Hunter | Data processing, Life Science Research, Proteomics, SCIEX information, ZenoTOF 7600 systemBelow is a summary of various other software packages that are useful for processing proteomics data from the ZenoTOF 7600 system. Note this list is not comprehensive and only covers the tools we have lightly tested to date. Acquisition Type Software Files needed...
Processing ZenoTOF 7600 system data with DIA-NN software by Christie Hunter | Data processing, Life Science Research, Proteomics, SCIEX information, ZenoTOF 7600 systemDIA-NN software is a powerful software tool for processing data independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics datasets. It uses neural networks and other algorithms to identify and quantify peptides and proteins from DIA data and is specifically optimized for fast...
The hidden ingredient in anti-fog sprays: PFAS by Craig Butt | Agriculture, Blogs, Environmental / Industrial, IndustrialA recent study led by researchers from Duke University, conducted with colleagues from Wayne State University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, found that four of the top-rated anti-fog sprays contained up to 20.7 milligrams of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) per milliliter of solution. This study has received a lot of exposure in popular media, and it should not be overlooked. The researchers used several creative approaches to obtain a comprehensive characterization of the anti-fog sprays, including using total organic fluorine measurements, GC-MS methods and both nominal mass and accurate mass instruments. A unique finding of the study was the detection of fluorotelomer ethoxylates (FTEOs), which are relatively unknown PFAS compounds.
Excel macro for calculating averages or percent CVs from replicates in a 384 -well plate by Mackenzie Pearson | Bioanalysis/PK, Data processing, Data Visualization, Echo® MS+ system, Pharma, SCIEX information, SCIEX OS softwareThis excel workbook is designed to be used with data copied from a SCIEX OS software Analytics module results file
Back to the new basics: Part 1 | Making the leap from GC-MS to LC-MS by Alex Liu | Biopharma, Blogs, Clinical, Environmental / Industrial, Food / Beverage, Forensic, Life Science Research, PharmaProducing accurate results quickly in a demanding environment is no easy feat for analytical scientists. What’s more, many of us are constantly questioning ourselves—I certainly am—about whether we are employing the best technique for the analysis at hand. It’s an overwhelming thought, considering the wide range of tools that are available to choose from, each of which offers varying levels of capacity, sensitivity, selectivity, specificity and cost. How do you meet the unique needs of your organization without breaking the bank? I get it, and I’m not here to convince you it’s easy. My aim is to guide you through the process to help you make the right decision for you.
How do I check the quality of the Auto Retention Time Calibration used in my Extractor processing? by Christie Hunter | Data Visualization, Life Science Research, Proteomics, QTOF, SCIEX information, ZenoTOF 7600 systemWhen using the Auto-Calibration option in Extractor, a set of retention time calibration peptides will be determined automatically from the library and used for RT calibration. To determine how the fit looks for the calibration on each datafile, follow these steps....
Uploading data for use in OneOmics suite by Alexandra Antonoplis | Data processing, Life Science Research, Metabolomics, Multi-Omics, OneOmics, Proteomics, QTOF, SCIEX information, ZenoTOF 7600 systemThere are two options for data storage when working with the OneOmics suite. You can store your data either within the SCIEX Cloud platform in the Data Store, or you can store data in BaseSpace (Illumina) and link your BaseSpace account with the SCIEX Cloud platform....
sMRM Pro Builder template tutorial by Mackenzie Pearson | Data processing, Data Visualization, How-to videos, Life Science Research, Lipidomics, Metabolomics, Optimizing Performance, QTRAP / Triple Quad, ResultsThe sMRM Pro Builder template is an Excel-based tool that can help you implement large panels of analytes in your lab. The Excel sheet will take your preliminary experimental results and compute retention times, retention time window widths and dwell time weighting to optimize your targeted assay.
Short-chain PFAS compounds are on the rise- Craig’s PFAS Vodcast Cora Young by Craig Butt | Blogs, Environmental / IndustrialRead time: 2 minutes Short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are increasing in the Canadian Arctic environment, with the most rapid increases occurring post-2000, according to a recent study in Geophysical Research Letters (April 2020). For example,...
Thailand cannabis legalization by Diana Tran | BlogsThailand has become the first southeast Asian country to legalize cannabis for medical use. Cannabis was originally introduced into Thailand from India, and until it was outlawed in the 1930s, it was historically used as a kitchen condiment, medicine and source of fiber.