MRI: Development of Advanced Multiplexed Structural Mass Spectrometer for Research and Training

范德比尔特大学的John McLean教授及其同事John Wikswo和Jody May将在主要研究仪器和化学测量与成像计划的支持下，开发一种多路离子迁移率-质谱仪(IM-MS)，用于对从材料科学到生物学的高度复杂系统进行快速和全面的化学分析。该仪器将由八个空间不同的分析通道组成，包括可切换的多路复用纳米电喷雾电离(NESI)和基质辅助激光解吸电离(MALDI)源。这种多路仪器将把8台独立的IM-MS仪器的功能集成到一个光谱仪平台中，并代表着96通道仪器的第一个模块，该仪器适用于液体或固体的极高吞吐量分析。除了增加分析吞吐量，这种IM-MS还将通过合并来自每个通道的数据来提高灵敏度和检测限。质谱仪(MS)用于鉴定样品的化学成分，并通过测量样品中的分子组成的质量来确定其纯度，这些分子组成被电离并由质谱仪检测。这种广泛使用的分析技术被用来识别和量化样品的化学成分。这种空间多路结构质谱仪的独特能力将在纳米技术、生物燃料和系统生物学等领域产生重大而广泛的影响。这些新兴领域面临的重大挑战之一是缺乏能够在空间和时间上获得材料动态测量的合适技术。虽然主要的重点将是仪器开发，但这个项目将为本科生、研究生和博士后研究员提供新的跨学科培训机会，在最先进的质谱学、离子迁移率谱和其他相关研究领域。此外，学生将接受培训，成为未来的仪器开发人员。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation and support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program, Professor John McLean from Vanderbilt University and colleagues John Wikswo and Jody May will develop a multiplexed ion mobility-mass spectrometer (IM-MS) for rapid and comprehensive chemical analysis of highly complex systems in materials science to biology. The instrument will consist of eight spatially disparate channels of analysis including switchable multiplexed nanoelectrospray ionization (nESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) sources. This multiplexed instrument will integrate the capabilities of eight separate IM-MS instruments into a single spectrometer platform and represents the first module of a 96 channel instrument that is suitable for extremely high throughput analyses of either liquids or solids. In addition to increasing analytical throughput, this IM-MS will improve sensitivity and limits-of-detection through combining the data from each channel.Mass spectrometry (MS) is used to identify the chemical composition of a sample and determine its purity by measuring the mass of the molecular constituents in the sample after they are ionized and detected by the mass spectrometer. This widely used analytical technique is used to identify and quantify the chemical composition of a sample. The unique capabilities of this spatially multiplexed structural mass spectrometer will have significant and broad-reaching implications in areas ranging from nanotechnology to biofuels and systems biology. One of the grand challenges that these nascent fields face is the lack of suitable technologies capable of obtaining dynamic measurements of materials in both space and time. Although the primary focus will be instrumentation development, this project will provide novel interdisciplinary training opportunities for undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, in state-of-the-art mass spectrometry, ion mobility spectrometry and other allied fields of research. Additionally, students will be trained as future instrument developers.