PFAS regulations – a journey around the globe by Gitte Barknowitz | 0 CommentsA few years ago, I was plotting along in my analytical job and keeping up-to-date with residue regulations took a considerable amount of time, but it was always manageable. Nowadays, we have PFAS.
Tackling mycotoxin testing: Harnessing mass spectrometry for safer foods and healthier futures by SCIEX Community | 0 CommentsProduced by certain moulds, thriving in crops such as grain, nuts and coffee, mycotoxins have contaminated agriculture and food production industries for a long time. To intensify the challenge, mycotoxins are resilient, not easily broken down and ensuring the safety of food supply chains requires comprehensive solutions and we are here to share those solutions with you.
Enhancing omics-based mass spectrometry workflows with Electron-Activated Dissociation (EAD) by Rebekah Sayers | 0 CommentsElectron-Activated Dissociation (EAD) is transforming the fields of metabolomics and lipidomics by providing enhanced fragmentation techniques that offer deeper insights into molecular structures. In September, Technology Networks hosted a webinar, “Enhancing Mass-Based Omics Analysis in Model Organisms,” featuring Dr. Valentina Calabrese from the Institute of Analytical Sciences at the University of Lyon. Valentina shared her insights on improving omics-based mass spectrometry analysis for toxicology studies using model organisms, particularly in metabolomics and lipidomics. This blog explores the additional functionalities EAD offers, its benefits in untargeted workflows, its incorporation into GNPS and molecular networking, and the future role it could play in these scientific domains.
The economics of food testing: A strategic perspective for laboratory managers by Philip Taylor | 0 CommentsIn today’s rapidly evolving food industry, the role of food testing laboratories has never been more critical. Ensuring the safety, quality, and authenticity of food products is paramount, and this responsibility falls heavily on the shoulders of laboratory managers. The economics of food testing—encompassing everything from high-throughput pesticide screening to advanced research on alternative protein sources—plays a pivotal role in shaping the operational efficiency and financial health of these laboratories.
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.
Bulletproof your clinical laboratory with rugged and reliable LC-MS/MS instrumentation (Clinical research 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.
Methods for electrode cleaning for Echo MS systems by John Gibbons | Blogs, Echo® MS+ system, PharmaDepending on the samples that you are running on the system, it is possible for the Echo MS electrode to become dirty or occluded over time. Below are two different cleaning strategies that will be helpful for you to maintain your system and keep your electrodes running well.
The myth of costly training: debunked. by Andrea Mueller | Blogs, Instrument maintenance, Optimizing Performance, Technology, TrainingAs analytical organizations grow, there is an even greater need to train scientists and operators more consistently to meet tight deadlines, handle increasing samples, and meet data quality expectations. A high rate of employee turnover also affects the productivity of labs worldwide. Consistent training helps today’s labs stay competitive, whether the goal is sample throughput, therapeutic development, or publication.
PFAS regulations – a journey around the globe by Gitte Barknowitz | Blogs, Environmental / IndustrialA few years ago, I was plotting along in my analytical job and keeping up-to-date with residue regulations took a considerable amount of time, but it was always manageable. Nowadays, we have PFAS.
Tackling mycotoxin testing: Harnessing mass spectrometry for safer foods and healthier futures by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / Beverage, Food and BeverageProduced by certain moulds, thriving in crops such as grain, nuts and coffee, mycotoxins have contaminated agriculture and food production industries for a long time. To intensify the challenge, mycotoxins are resilient, not easily broken down and ensuring the safety of food supply chains requires comprehensive solutions and we are here to share those solutions with you.
Enhancing omics-based mass spectrometry workflows with Electron-Activated Dissociation (EAD) by Rebekah Sayers | Blogs, Life Science ResearchElectron-Activated Dissociation (EAD) is transforming the fields of metabolomics and lipidomics by providing enhanced fragmentation techniques that offer deeper insights into molecular structures. In September, Technology Networks hosted a webinar, “Enhancing Mass-Based Omics Analysis in Model Organisms,” featuring Dr. Valentina Calabrese from the Institute of Analytical Sciences at the University of Lyon. Valentina shared her insights on improving omics-based mass spectrometry analysis for toxicology studies using model organisms, particularly in metabolomics and lipidomics. This blog explores the additional functionalities EAD offers, its benefits in untargeted workflows, its incorporation into GNPS and molecular networking, and the future role it could play in these scientific domains.
The economics of food testing: A strategic perspective for laboratory managers by Philip Taylor | Blogs, Food / Beverage, Food and BeverageIn today’s rapidly evolving food industry, the role of food testing laboratories has never been more critical. Ensuring the safety, quality, and authenticity of food products is paramount, and this responsibility falls heavily on the shoulders of laboratory managers. The economics of food testing—encompassing everything from high-throughput pesticide screening to advanced research on alternative protein sources—plays a pivotal role in shaping the operational efficiency and financial health of these laboratories.
Six benefits of remote support every laboratory should know by Andrea Mueller | Biopharma, Blogs, Environmental / Industrial, Food / Beverage, Food and Beverage, Forensic, Instrument maintenance, Life Science Research, Optimizing Performance, Pharma, Service, Support, Technology, TrainingImagine having a tech expert at your fingertips to solve computer issues or a fitness trainer guiding you through workouts from the comfort of your home. In today’s fast-paced world, the ability to provide and receive service and support remotely is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Whether it’s troubleshooting a software issue, repairing a device, offering customer assistance, or enjoying the convenience of telehealth as a private individual, remote capabilities have revolutionized how businesses operate and how individuals get help
Advancing immunopeptidomics for pancreatic cancer research with ZT Scan DIA by Katherine Tran | Blogs, Life Science ResearchPancreatic cancer remains one of the most fatal types of cancer, and the rates of occurrences and mortalities continue to be on a global rise.1,2 Recent statistics have reported that the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is the eighth most common type of cancer and...
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...
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.
Reducing PFAS interferences during human plasma and serum analysis with accurate mass spectrometry by Ella Fono | Application / Technical Notes, Featured Content
High level method optimization considerations for Echo MS system by Mackenzie Pearson | Biopharma, Data acquisition, Echo® MS+ system, Environmental / Industrial, Food / Beverage, Life Science Research, Optimizing Performance, Pharma, SCIEX information, TechnologyWhile an in-depth discussion of method development and optimization for the Echo® MS system is beyond the scope of a community post, here are some points to consider as part of the process: The maximum recommended ion spray voltage for prolonged electrode life is 5000...
High complexity of the lipidome by Mackenzie Pearson | Data acquisition, Food / Beverage, How-to videos, Life Science Research, Lipidomics, ZenoTOF 7600 systemThe complexity of the lipidome is diverse in the structure and there are many combinatorial isoforms that are available within nature. Currently, many different techniques are required to fully characterize a lipid molecule. What if you could do it in a single...
Standard front-end cleaning for TripleTOF systems by Christie Hunter | Instrument maintenance, QTOF, SCIEX information, TechnologyGeneral points: Use of laboratory deionized (DI) water is specified at points in the procedure. However, if there are any concerns regarding quality, please utilize a reputable supplier of pure deionized water (>18.2M ohm). 5-10 liters will typically be required...
Stay informed on the latest novel psychoactive substances (NPS) flooding the US drug market by Pierre Negri | Forensic, QTOF, QTRAP / Triple Quad, Results, SCIEX information, Toxicology, ZenoTOF 7600 systemEach year, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Testing and Research Laboratory publishes an Emerging Threat Report. The data contained in the report is updated quarterly and represents a snapshot of the drug evidence seized and analyzed by the DEA in the...
Understanding MS1 Peak Intensity in ProteinPilot software by Christie Hunter | Data processing, Life Science Research, ProteinPilot, Proteomics, QTOF, SCIEX information, ZenoTOF 7600 systemThe “Intensity (Peptide)” values come from LCMSReconstruct, in ProteinPilot software 5.0. It maps the RT, m/z, intensity MS1 surface to find the peak information for the peptide. The Intensity (Peptide) is a weighted sum of the heights of the isotope series at the...
What is the difference between a rapid and a thorough search in ProteinPilot software? by Christie Hunter | Data processing, Life Science Research, ProteinPilot, Proteomics, QTOF, SCIEX information, ZenoTOF 7600 systemWhen setting up your search in ProteinPilot software, you select either a Rapid Search or a Thorough Search in the Search Effort section. This setting determines which parts of the algorithm will be invoked and effectively how deep into your sample you will search to...
Controlling the M5 MicroLC system with SCIEX OS software using contact closure by Christie Hunter | Biopharma, Data acquisition, LC, Pharma, SCIEX informationContact closure can be used to control external devices that are not directly controlled by SCIEX OS software. A sample batch is first created in the SCIEX OS software for MS acquisition, and then a similar batch is created on an external LC device with the required...
What are my normalization options in MarkerView software and when should I use them? by Christie Hunter | Algorithms, Data processing, MarkerView, SCIEX information, TechnologyIn an LC-MS experiment there are multiple sources of variance that can confound the quality of your results. This variation can be biological e.g. differences between treated and control groups, but can also be non-biological, usually from small variations in...