On Demand microPAD Mass Spectrometry

为了充分发挥质谱（MS）的潜力，传统方法需要大量、昂贵和仔细的采样和相关准备。对于临床样品，定量分析通常需要提取，然后是“连字符”分离（如色谱），最后是质谱检测。为了追求高度敏感、特异和精确的定量，这种分析方法涉及大量的样品制备，从而增加了分析成本和时间。本建议寻求一种根本性的解决方案来解决我们如何进行这种分析。这项工作的结果将导致一种新型的基于纸张的传感器，用于原位样品收集、分离、提取和电离，所有这些都是通过单一的纸张衬底实现的，并与质谱偶联。为此，这种新方法将被证明用于分析具有临床意义的类固醇激素。

In order to realise the full potential of Mass Spectrometry (MS), conventional approaches require extensive, expensive and careful sampling and associated preparation. For clinical samples, quantitative analysis usually requires extraction followed by 'hyphenated' separation (e.g., chromatography) and finally mass spectrometric detection. In the pursuit of highly sensitive, specific and precise quantitation, such analytical methods involve extensive sample preparation, resulting in increased cost and time of analysis. This proposal seeks a radical solution to how we perform such analyses. The outcomes of this work will lead to a new type of paper-based sensor for in-situ sample collection, separation, extraction and ionisation all achieved from a single paper substrate for coupling with MS. To that end, this new approach will be demonstrated for the analysis of steroid hormones of clinical significance.