Scientists at IOCB Prague are uncovering new details of gene transcription. They have identified a previously unknown molecular mechanism by which the transcription of genetic information from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) into ribonucleic acid (RNA) can be initiated. The researchers focused on a specific class of molecules known as alarmones, which are found in cells across a wide range of organisms and whose levels often increase under conditions of cellular stress. The results were published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Chemical Biology.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/UOCHB_Vyzkum_z_UOCHB_odhaluje_dosud_nepoznany_zpusob_prepisu_geneticke_informace_bc2bfffa6c.jpg" alt="IOCB Prague/Tomáš Belloň: Research from IOCB Prague reveals a previously unknown mechanism of genetic transcription: Dr. Hana Cahová, head of the Chemical Biology of Nucleic Acids research group." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_UOCHB_Vyzkum_z_UOCHB_odhaluje_dosud_nepoznany_zpusob_prepisu_geneticke_informace_bc2bfffa6c.jpg 234w," sizes="100vw" width="2000" height="1335"><div>Molecules of ribonucleic acid can carry a variety of chemical modifications at one end, known as caps. In eukaryotic organisms, including human cells, the best-known cap plays an important role in RNA stability and in regulating its subsequent fate. In recent years, however, it has become clear that alternative, non-canonical RNA caps also exist, although their formation and the mechanisms by which they are attached to RNA remain only partially understood. These include alarmone caps, formed by dinucleoside polyphosphate molecules, that protect cellular RNA at moments when the cell is under threat.In their study, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cahova.group.uochb.cz/en">Dr. Hana Cahová</a> and colleagues examined bacterial RNA polymerase and investigated how this enzyme can initiate transcription using dinucleoside polyphosphates (NpNs) instead of the standard RNA building blocks. For the first time, the scientists described, at the atomic level, how RNA bearing an alarmone cap can be generated directly at the initiation of gene transcription. They also observed that NpNs bind through a different type of base pairing than is typically observed.The work was significantly shaped by Valentina Serianni from Hana Cahová’s team, who demonstrated the ability of dinucleoside polyphosphates to initiate gene transcription, and by Jana Škerlová, who focused on the structural analysis of RNA polymerase. Using cryogenic electron microscopy data, she showed how dinucleoside polyphosphate molecules bind within the active site of RNA polymerase – that is, the core of the enzyme where genetic information is transcribed. Together, their findings help to elucidate the processes that accompany the transcription of genetic information from DNA to RNA.Hana Cahová adds: “We’re describing something that truly occurs in cells and that we’re now able to observe directly at the level of individual molecules. This allows us to answer fundamental questions about cellular processes, such as how cells adapt to stress. RNA plays a central role in this, as it carries the cascade of information underlying any cellular response – for example, to threatening conditions caused by nutrient deprivation or temperature shock.”<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/UOCHB_Vyzkum_z_UOCHB_odhaluje_dosud_nepoznany_zpusob_prepisu_geneticke_informace_2_0fe88ff9e9.jpg" alt="IOCB Prague/Tomáš Belloň: Research from IOCB Prague reveals a previously unknown mechanism of genetic transcription: Dr. Tomáš Kouba, head of the Cryogenic Electron Microscopy core facility." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_UOCHB_Vyzkum_z_UOCHB_odhaluje_dosud_nepoznany_zpusob_prepisu_geneticke_informace_2_0fe88ff9e9.jpg 234w," sizes="100vw" width="2000" height="1335"><div>Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) was central to the project. This part of the work was led by Dr. Tomáš Kouba, one of the authors of the study. “Cryogenic electron microscopy allows us to freeze biological molecules in a state very close to their natural form and then determine their three-dimensional structure. This makes it possible to look directly into the active centers of enzymes and observe their function down to the atomic level,” he explains.Last year, IOCB Prague opened a new <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cryoem.group.uochb.cz/en">cryo-EM center</a> that is unique within the Czech research environment. State-of-the-art cryogenic electron microscopes are housed in a specially designed building and enable the study of biological processes with exceptional structural precision.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/UOCHB_Vyzkum_z_UOCHB_odhaluje_dosud_nepoznany_zpusob_prepisu_geneticke_informace_3_4d881e7a58.jpg" alt="IOCB Prague: Research from IOCB Prague reveals a previously unknown mechanism of genetic transcription: This work shows how NpnNs initiate bacterial transcription. Cryo-EM reveals how nucleobases pair with the template: one in canonical and one in reverse Watson–Crick mode, providing a structural basis for their function as non-canonical RNA caps." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_UOCHB_Vyzkum_z_UOCHB_odhaluje_dosud_nepoznany_zpusob_prepisu_geneticke_informace_3_4d881e7a58.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="2000" height="1077"><blockquote><h4>The Original article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41589-025-02134-5">Molecular insight into 5′ RNA capping with NpnNs by bacterial RNA polymerase</a></h4>Valentina M. Serianni, Jana Škerlová, Anna Knopp Dubánková, Anton Škríba, Hana Šváchová, Tereza Vučková, Anatolij Filimoněnko, Milan Fábry, Pavlína Řezáčová, Tomáš Kouba &amp; Hana Cahova&nbsp;Nat. Chem. Biol. 21 (2026)<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-025-02134-5">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-025-02134-5</a><h6>licensed under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY 4.0</a></h6></blockquote><h4>Abstract</h4>RNA capped with dinucleoside polyphosphates has been discovered in bacteria and eukaryotes only recently. The likely mechanism of this specific capping involves direct incorporation of dinucleoside polyphosphates by RNA polymerase as noncanonical initiating nucleotides. However, how these compounds bind into the active site of RNA polymerase during transcription initiation is unknown. Here, we explored transcription initiation in vitro, using a series of DNA templates in combination with dinucleoside polyphosphates and model RNA polymerase from Thermus thermophilus. We observed that the transcription start site can vary on the basis of the compatibility of the specific template and dinucleoside polyphosphate. Cryo-electron microscopy structures of transcription initiation complexes with dinucleoside polyphosphates revealed that both nucleobase moieties can pair with the DNA template. The first encoded nucleotide pairs in a canonical Watson–Crick manner, whereas the second nucleobase pairs noncanonically in a reverse Watson–Crick manner. Our work provides a structural explanation of how dinucleoside polyphosphates initiate RNA transcription.</div></div>

Research from IOCB Prague reveals a previously unknown mechanism of genetic transcription

Food adulteration is a phenomenon with a long history that has gained increasing importance in recent years due to the globalization of food supply chains and strong economic pressures. Whether it involves diluting olive oil with cheaper oils, adding sugar to honey, or the hidden use of substitutes in protein supplements, the result is a loss of consumer trust and, in some cases, a potential risk to health. Analytical chemistry plays a key role in this area by providing methods and technologies capable of identifying and quantifying target compounds as well as unwanted impurities in a wide range of food matrices.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Watrex_Praha_Falsovani_potravin_a_jak_ho_odhali_analyticka_chemie_6912db5492.jpg" alt="Watrex: Food Adulteration and How It Is Revealed by Analytical Chemistry" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Watrex_Praha_Falsovani_potravin_a_jak_ho_odhali_analyticka_chemie_6912db5492.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="900"><h4>The Role of Chromatography in Forensic Food Analysis</h4>Chromatography, particularly liquid chromatography (HPLC), is one of the most effective analytical tools for separating complex mixtures of molecules. It enables:<ul><li>qualitative identification of individual components in a sample,</li><li>quantitative determination of their concentrations,</li><li>detection of impurities and unexpected components that may indicate adulteration.</li></ul>In practice, HPLC is often combined with various types of detectors (UV/VIS, DAD, refractive index detectors) or with other techniques (e.g., mass spectrometry) to increase selectivity and sensitivity.<h4>Isocratic vs. Gradient Elution</h4>In the analysis of food samples, chromatographic methods are selected according to the analytical goal:<ul><li>Isocratic HPLC uses a constant mobile phase composition throughout the analysis. It is simple, robust, and ideal for routine determinations of well-defined target analytes (e.g., sugars or vitamins).</li><li>Gradient HPLC changes the mobile phase composition during separation, enabling better resolution of complex mixtures with a wide range of polarities (e.g., peptides or phenolic compounds).</li></ul>Gradient methods are particularly useful when analytes have very different properties and high separation efficiency is required.<h4>Watrex Praha and the Contribution of Modern Systems to Food Analysis</h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://watrex.com/?utm_source=labrulez&amp;utm_medium=propagace&amp;utm_campaign=labrulez_clanky_HPLCsystemy">Watrex Praha, s.r.o.</a> is one of the leading Czech manufacturers and distributors of liquid chromatography systems and instruments, with a long tradition dating back to 1990. The company has successfully transformed from a distributor into a manufacturer of its own HPLC and related technologies, focusing on modular, robust systems suitable even for demanding analytical tasks.Their <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products?manufacturerItems=93&amp;search=streamline">Streamline™ product line</a> includes several HPLC system concepts suitable for food analysis:<ul><li>Isocratic HPLC system – a simple yet precise configuration with a single pump, column thermostat, and UV/VIS detector; suitable for routine determination of known analytes (e.g., basic carbohydrates, food additives).</li><li>Binary gradient HPLC system – equipped with two pumps enabling mobile phase gradient formation, which enhances separation performance for complex mixtures (e.g., phenolic profiles of wine, components of aromatic extracts).</li><li>GPC/SEC system (Gel Permeation / Size Exclusion Chromatography) – a specialized solution for the determination of macromolecules and polymers, also relevant for the analysis of high-molecular-weight components in foods (e.g., polysaccharides).</li></ul><blockquote>👉<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Watrex_catalog_2024_ba97395f92.pdf">Product catalogue HERE</a></blockquote>Thanks to the modular nature of these systems, analysts can easily adapt the configuration to a specific analytical problem, from simple routine analyses to complex characterization of food samples.<h4>Practical Examples of Adulteration Revealed by HPLC</h4><ul><li>Detection of olive oil dilution: HPLC can separate and quantify characteristic triacylglycerols and fatty acids; unusual patterns indicate the presence of cheaper oils.</li><li>Estimation of sugar addition in honey: Isocratic HPLC with a refractive index detector can determine sugar profiles (glucose, fructose, sucrose), revealing dilution or the addition of sugar syrups.</li><li>Identification of aromatic adulterants in wine: Gradient HPLC with a PDA detector can reveal phenolic and aromatic profiles that are altered by the addition of synthetic compounds.</li></ul><h4>Conclusion</h4>Food adulteration remains a current issue that requires reliable and sensitive analytical methods. Liquid chromatography, and in particular modern HPLC systems, represent one of the most powerful tools for detecting unwanted additives, impurities, and unexpected components in complex food samples. Manufacturers such as <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://watrex.com/?utm_source=labrulez&amp;utm_medium=propagace&amp;utm_campaign=labrulez_clanky_HPLCsystemy">Watrex Praha</a> provide flexible chromatographic platforms covering a wide range of analytical tasks from simple isocratic to advanced gradient and GPC/SEC applications thereby supporting analysts in ensuring food quality and consumer protection.<blockquote>Did you find this article interesting? Follow <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://watrex.com/?utm_source=labrulez&amp;utm_medium=propagace&amp;utm_campaign=labrulez_clanky_HPLCsystemy">Watrex Praha</a> on their social media (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/watrex/?viewAsMember=true">LinkedIn</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.facebook.com/WatrexPrague">Facebook</a>) for more engaging topics.</blockquote>

Food Adulteration and How It Is Revealed by Analytical Chemistry

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Dr. Subhoja Chakraborty from the University of Central Florida, whose cutting-edge research targets the global challenge of malaria drug resistance. Dr. Chakraborty shares her journey from structure-based drug design during her PhD to her recent collaborative work repurposing human kinase inhibitors as rapid, selective antimalarials against drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains.<h4>In this episode, you'll learn:</h4><ul><li>How structure-guided approaches reveal potential drug targets, including cysteine proteases like falcipain-2, and kinases implicated in malaria's complex life cycle.</li><li>The power of repurposing kinase inhibitors originally developed for cancer and other diseases, focusing on compound 12, which blocks hemozoin formation and protein kinase 6—key steps in parasite survival.</li><li>Lab techniques such as affinity, gel filtration, and size exclusion chromatography for recombinant protein purification—and how troubleshooting is crucial for high-yield, stable complexes.</li><li>Advances in mass spectrometry for characterizing protein interactions, validating drug targets, and mapping molecular pathways pivotal to malaria therapeutics.</li><li>Tips and lessons for new researchers facing the challenges of sample preparation, complex protocols, and working as part of a collaborative team.</li></ul>Dr. Chakraborty’s insights bridge the gap between basic science and translational drug discovery, offering hope for more effective, targeted malaria treatments in a world where resistance to frontline therapies threatens millions.<h4>Referenced Papers:</h4><ul><li>"Plasmodium falciparum protein kinase 6 and hemozoin formation are inhibited by a type II human kinase inhibitor exhibiting antimalarial activity" (Cell Chemical Biology, 2025)</li><li>"New insights of falcipain 2 structure from Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain" (BBRC, 2022)</li><li>"Structure-Based Optimization of Protease−Inhibitor Interactions to Enhance Specificity of Human Stefin‑A against Falcipain‑2 from the Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 Strain" (Biochemistry, 2023)</li></ul>If you’re a student, scientist, or simply passionate about advances in infectious disease research, this episode offers actionable insights, inspiring advice, and a front-row seat to innovation in combating malaria.<h3>Video Transcription</h3><h4>From Structural Biology to Drug Discovery: Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry in Malaria Research</h4><h5>Introduction</h5>In this discussion, Subhoja shares insights into her research journey, focusing on malaria drug discovery and the role of modern analytical techniques in biological and biomedical research. The conversation is aimed primarily at undergraduate students and early-career researchers interested in chemistry, biotechnology, and life sciences.<h5>Research Focus: Malaria Drug Discovery and Kinase Targets</h5>Subhoja is currently involved in malaria drug discovery research at the University of Central Florida, where she has been working since beginning her postdoctoral position two years ago. Her earlier PhD research focused on structure-based drug design in malaria, using a combination of in silico approaches, recombinant protein expression, and X-ray crystallography to determine precise three-dimensional structures of target proteins and their inhibitors.This structural perspective provided a foundation for her current work, which centers on drug discovery through compound screening and repurposing. A recent publication from her laboratory explores the use of repurposed mammalian CDK-like kinase inhibitors as potential antimalarial agents. While such kinase inhibitors are well known in cancer and cardiovascular research, their application to malaria targets represents a novel and promising approach.Kinases are attractive drug targets because of their central role in cell signaling and growth pathways. By targeting specific kinases involved in different stages of the malaria parasite life cycle—whether asexual growth, gametocytogenesis, or differentiation—it may be possible to significantly inhibit parasite growth and progression.<h5>Chromatography in Protein Expression and Purification Workflows</h5>Chromatography plays a critical role throughout Subhoja’s research. Her experience spans from basic chromatography techniques during her early training to advanced protein purification workflows using affinity chromatography, gel filtration (size exclusion chromatography), and ion exchange chromatography.Recombinant proteins are routinely purified using affinity resins such as nickel or cobalt, followed by further purification to remove contaminants. Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC) enables compact, stepwise purification workflows suitable for producing proteins for in vitro assays.A recurring challenge in this process is the expression of high-molecular-weight proteins, which often accumulate in insoluble fractions or inclusion bodies. Careful selection of expression vectors, host systems, and induction conditions is therefore essential to maximize yield and solubility.<h5>Integrating Size Exclusion Chromatography into the Workflow</h5>Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) is typically used after affinity purification to further improve protein purity. Following elution with imidazole or glutathione, desalting is required to prevent buffer components from interfering with downstream assays. This is often achieved using desalting columns such as G-25 or PD-10.To remove lower-molecular-weight contaminants, finer SEC media—such as Superdex or Sephacryl columns—are employed. Concentration steps using molecular-weight cut-off filters are then applied to obtain the desired protein concentration for functional studies.These iterative purification and troubleshooting steps are a routine part of protein biochemistry and reflect the importance of methodical optimization and careful validation.<h5>The Role of Mass Spectrometry in Biomolecular Characterization</h5>Mass spectrometry is a key analytical tool in Subhoja’s research pipeline, particularly for target identification and validation. In both malaria and cancer research, MS is used alongside chromatography, immunoprecipitation, and pull-down assays to study protein interactions and molecular recognition events.Affinity-based mass spectrometry enables the identification of binding partners and interactors, whether studying proteins, long non-coding RNAs, or protein complexes. Techniques such as native MS, tandem affinity purification, and proximity labeling (e.g., TurboID-based workflows) provide deeper insights into molecular networks and signaling pathways.These approaches are essential for understanding how candidate drug targets function within complex biological systems.<h5>Sample Preparation Challenges in Biological Research</h5>Sample preparation remains one of the most challenging aspects of biological experimentation. Whole-cell lysates contain proteases, nucleases, and other components that can rapidly degrade target molecules. Preventing degradation requires minimizing preparation time, maintaining low temperatures, and using appropriate inhibitor cocktails.Reproducibility is also critical: biological experiments require multiple replicates, and variability is often unavoidable. Careful handling, protocol optimization, and continuous troubleshooting are essential to ensure reliable results, whether preparing samples for chromatography, mass spectrometry, sequencing, or immunoprecipitation.<h5>Advances in Chromatography and MS for Malaria Research</h5>Modern advances in chromatography and mass spectrometry significantly enhance malaria research by enabling precise target identification, quantification, and functional characterization. Drug discovery workflows begin with construct design and recombinant expression, followed by purification and interaction studies.In malaria research, stage-specific parasite biology requires careful extraction and analysis of proteins from different life cycle stages. Tandem affinity MS, immunoprecipitation, and in vivo validation studies help confirm target relevance and therapeutic potential.Recent work on repurposed kinase inhibitors has shown promising results, including inhibition of hemozoin formation—a key detoxification pathway for the malaria parasite—highlighting the potential of such compounds for further development.<h5>Malaria, Drug Resistance, and Global Impact</h5>Malaria remains a major global health burden, with over 600,000 deaths annually and widespread drug resistance complicating treatment. Artemisinin resistance, particularly associated with mutations in the K13 propeller domain, has driven the search for new targets and therapies.During her PhD, Subhoja focused on falcipain-2, a cysteine protease involved in hemoglobin degradation within the parasite. This pathway is critical for parasite survival and has emerged as a promising drug target. Her work revealed that falcipain-2 operates within a larger protein complex responsible for hemoglobin processing and amino acid release.Understanding these molecular mechanisms is essential for developing robust, stage-specific antimalarial strategies.<h5>Advice for Early-Career Researchers</h5>For researchers just starting out, Subhoja emphasizes the importance of hands-on experience. Working directly with cells, lysates, and analytical tools is essential for truly understanding experimental systems. Failure is an inherent part of research, and perseverance is key.Motivation, teamwork, careful sample handling, and thorough preparation all contribute to long-term success. Reading extensively, critically evaluating one’s own work, and appreciating incremental progress are vital aspects of a sustainable research career.Every successful experiment—no matter how small—represents meaningful progress and contributes to the broader goals of science and medicine.<h5>Closing Remarks</h5>The discussion highlights how interdisciplinary approaches combining chromatography, mass spectrometry, structural biology, and biochemistry are driving advances in malaria drug discovery. Through careful experimental design, analytical rigor, and collaborative teamwork, researchers can address complex biological challenges and contribute to global health solutions.<blockquote>This text has been automatically transcribed from a video presentation using AI technology. It may contain inaccuracies and is not guaranteed to be 100% correct.</blockquote><blockquote><h4>Concentrating on Chromatography Podcast</h4>Dive into the frontiers of chromatography, mass spectrometry, and sample preparation with host David Oliva. Each episode features candid conversations with leading researchers, industry innovators, and passionate scientists who are shaping the future of analytical chemistry. From decoding PFAS detection challenges to exploring the latest in AI-assisted liquid chromatography, this show uncovers practical workflows, sustainability breakthroughs, and the real-world impact of separation science. Whether you’re a chromatographer, lab professional, or researcher you'll discover inspiring content!You can find Concentrating on Chromatography Podcast in podcast apps:<ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1wZg67rCjoGju4yhqxI3tL">Spotify</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tz/podcast/concentrating-on-chromatography/id1788429185">Apple podcast</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podscan.fm/podcasts/concentrating-on-chromatography">podscan</a></li></ul>and on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.youtube.com/@ChromatographyTalk/videos">YouTube channel</a></blockquote>

Affinity, Gel Filtration, Size Exclusion Chromatography: Repurposing Kinase Inhibitors for Malaria

Article

Product

Video

Scientists

Food

Interview

Science and research

The Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IOCB Prague) is a leading scientific institution in the Czech Republic, recognized internationally. Its primary mission is basic research in the fields of chemical biology and medicinal chemistry, organic and material oriented chemistry, chemistry of natural compounds, biochemistry and molecular biology, physical chemistry, theoretical chemistry, and analytical chemistry. 

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Organomation, founded in 1959, designs and manufactures high-quality nitrogen evaporators and extraction systems. Known for innovation and durability, their lab instruments are used globally for efficient sample preparation with strong customer support.

Organomation

WATREX Prague is the distributor and producer of HPLC techniques in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Main Chromatografic and Related Techniques Supported: LC, GPC, IC, IEC, Automated SPE, LC Columns and special column packings, LC method development, Software development, Laboratory Robots.

Watrex Praha

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Bruker

SCIEX

Waters Corporation

MALDI Top-Down Sequencing (MALDI-TDS) delivers N- and C-terminal sequence readout for intact proteins or protein subunits within minutes.
Leverage the novel neofleX™ MALDI-TDS workflow for verification of therapeutic antibodies, antigens and other protein expression products regarding sequence, terminal status and modifications and, thereby, enable instant decision making in strain development and production in biopharma or other branches of industry.
During this webinar, you will learn:
<ul>
<li>Overview of neofleX technology and its benefits to life sciences applications
</li>
<li>neofleX top-down workflow: Protein sequence verification with shortest time-to-result
</li>
<li>OmniScape™ software: From data to sequencing results with just a few mouse clicks
</li>
</ul>
Who should attend:
<ul>
<li>Characterization team leaders in biopharma companies and CROs
</li>
<li>Mass spectrometry core lab managers
</li>
<li>Researchers who are interested in fast protein characterization methods
</li>
<li>Anyone who needs to deliver instant sequence verification for protein expression products
</li>
<li>Anyone who would like to learn about the latest MALDI-TOF/TOF technology
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Jan Hendrik Kobarg, Ph.D. (Product Manager, MALDI-TOF, Bruker Daltonics, Bremen, Germany)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Jan Kobarg, Ph.D., is the product manager for the MALDI-TOF instrument portfolio at Bruker. The latest addition to the portfolio is the neofleX™ MALDI-TOF Benchtop instrument.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Arndt Asperger, Ph.D. (Senior Applications Scientist, Bruker Daltonics, Bremen, Germany)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Arndt is analytical chemist by training and got his Ph.D. from Leipzig University. He joined Bruker in 2002 and has been working in various application related positions with a focus on pharma/biopharma.
</blockquote>

Bruker: LabCast: Simple and fast top-down protein characterization using neofleX benchtop MALDI-TOF/TOF

LabCast: Simple and fast top-down protein characterization using neofleX benchtop MALDI-TOF/TOF

Overview of neofleX technology and its benefits to life sciences applications.

LabCast: Simple and fast top-down protein characterization

Join us for an exclusive two-day event where Agilent will showcase cutting-edge biopharma solutions.
The first day of the event we will explore Agilent’s comprehensive portfolio for the spectrum of applications from drug discovery to quality control. Learn more about our cell analysis and genomics expertise and the tools we provide to drive IVT mRNA development, protein therapeutics and cell and gene therapies
The second day will focus on advanced analytical solutions, including HRMS for tRNA sequencing and LC/MS for DNA/RNA analysis. Learn how to scale up oligonucleotide purification with Agilent biocolumns, which enhance the efficiency and accuracy of your processes.
By attending this event you will:
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<li>Gain insights from Agilent to optimize biotherapeutic workflows, including rigorous quality testing in cGMP environments and handling nucleic acid, vaccines, mAB and protein samples.
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<li>Understand how metabolic analyses can impact CAR cell function and behavior, using cytolytic cell killing assays on the xCELLigence system to develop cell therapy processes and confirm product potency.
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<li>Learn about new techniques in high-resolution LC/MS for analyzing tRNA modifications.
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<li>Discover software tools available for high-resolution MS systems in both research and QA/QC labs.
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<li>Compare analytical and semipreparative LC purification methods for synthetic oligonucleotides, gaining competitive insights into purification strategies.
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<h5>Talk 1: Agilent Tools and Technologies to Drive Advancements in Biopharmaceutical Drug Development</h5>
<ul>
<li>Presented by Dr. Hervé Chaulet, Molecular and Biological Research Market Specialist, Agilent Technologies</li>
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Discovering, developing, and manufacturing biopharmaceuticals requires you to stay abreast of advances in knowledge and improvements in technology while constantly navigating a maze of business and scientific challenges. Agilent can be a trusted partner providing expertise and end-to-end workflows including systems, software, consumables, and services for the spectrum of applications from drug discovery to quality control. Learn more about our cell analysis and genomics expertise and the tools we provide to drive IVT mRNA development, protein therapeutics, and cell and gene therapies.
<h5>Talk 2: Quality Control In IVT mRNA Therapeutics and Vaccine Development Workflow Using The Agilent Fragment Analyzer System</h5>
<ul>
<li>Presented by Dr. Leslie Friedmann, Product Manager, Agilent Technologies</li>
</ul>
Reliable and robust analysis is essential throughout in vitro transcription (IVT) mRNA workflows, providing important quality information to help minimize risk and aid in the production of a consistent product. The Agilent Fragment Analyzer systems can be used for several QC steps at different checkpoints in mRNA vaccine development, providing accurate and precise sizing and integrity analysis. These QC steps are to determine the quality and size of the linearized plasmid, the size and purity of the IVT mRNA, length of the poly(A) tail, and purity of the final mRNA vaccine product.
<h5>Talk 3: Analysis of NIST mAb Reference Material by Parallel SDS-Capillary Electrophoresis</h5>
<ul>
<li>Presented by Dr. Kyle Luttgeharm, Product Manager, Agilent Technologies</li>
</ul>
Monoclonal antibody drug products are complex biomolecules that must be tested for critical quality attributes (CQAs) such as monomeric purity and percent glycosylation. Capillary gel electrophoresis methods have been adopted as the standard method for size heterogeneity characterization, however legacy capillary electrophoresis (CE) methods involve complicated workflows or are cost prohibitive. To address these problems with legacy methods, Agilent has developed a 12-channel, parallel capillary electrophoresis-SDS (CE-SDS) instrument and reagents. The system uses a high-resolution sieving gel, allowing for resolution of mAb species including the non-glycosylated heavy chain and light chain. To demonstrate the capabilities of the ProteoAnalyzer, the NIST mAb was characterized under both reduced and non-reduced conditions and compared to the NIST data sheet.
<h5>Talk 4: Advanced Analytics for Cell Therapy Research, Process Development, and Manufacturing</h5>
<ul>
<li>Presented by Dr. Kelly Kroeger, Science &amp; Technology Advisor, Agilent Technologies</li>
</ul>
With immunology and immune-based therapies rising as a pillar of science and therapeutics, we are seeing a foundational shift from targeting specific proteins and pathways to actually targeting the immune cellular network that resolves and prevents disease. Therefore there is a critical need for cell analysis tools to facilitate understanding of the dynamic nature of the interaction of these cellular networks whether it is in the context of immune cells or immune cells with cancer cells.
To address these new challenges, we at Agilent Technologies have developed a portfolio of cell analysis solutions that provide researchers with more relevant tools to measure living cells, dynamically track them, and model their microenvironments. These next-generation therapies require methods and technologies to enable assessment of real-time cell function, phenotype, and fate. Used together, the Agilent tool bench provides the capability to measure and develop immune cell function more effectively, thus enabling translational researchers and developers to achieve the necessary level of potential therapeutic potency and safety.

Technology Networks: Biopharma Innovations Summit

Biopharma Innovations Summit Day 1

Learn more about our cell analysis and genomics expertise and the tools we provide to drive IVT mRNA development.

With the timsTOF Pro, powered by the PASEF® acquisition modes, Bruker has largely contributed to take proteomics analysis to a new dimension, by removing the need to compromise speed for sensitivity or selectivity, while reaching unprecedented levels of robustness.
Introduced @ ASMS 2024, the timsTOF Ultra 2 is the pinnacle of timsTOF evolution, combining ultimate sensitivity, speed, selectivity and dynamic range with the field-proven legendary timsTOF robustness. During this live from the lab, you will witness through real-life examples how sensitive and versatile the timsTOF Ultra 2 can be.

Bruker: Taking 4D-Proteomics™ to the routinely exceptional with the timsTOF Ultra 2j

Taking 4D-Proteomics™ to the routinely exceptional with the timsTOF Ultra 2

Through real-life examples how sensitive and versatile the timsTOF Ultra 2 can be.

Taking 4D-Proteomics™ to the routinely exceptional

Fragmentation-based molecular annotations are the gold standard in high-confidence biomarker identification using mass spectrometry.
The new iprm-PASEF workflow integrates CCS-enabled MALDI Imaging of lipids with a targeted MS/MS imaging approach that allows spatial fragmentation and analysis of multiple targets in a single acquisition. The workflow includes a fully integrated pipeline within our software ecosystem to generate accurate identifications with spatial fidelity.
Key Learning Objectives:
<ul>
<li>Fragmentation based MALDI Imaging capabilities
</li>
<li>iprm-PASEF workflow for the timsTOF fleX
</li>
<li>Fragmentation based annotation pipeline using SCiLS™ Lab
</li>
</ul>
Who should attend:
<ul>
<li>Researchers interested in expanding their spatial biology toolkit
</li>
<li>Researchers focused on maximizing confidence of molecular annotations for MALDI Imaging
</li>
<li>Anyone who wants to expand their MALDI Imaging workflows
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Michael Becker, Ph.D. (Principal Scientist DMPK, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH &amp; Co KG, Mainz, Germany)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Dr. Michael Becker is the head of the Mass Spectrometry Imaging lab at Boehringer Ingelheim. He received his Ph.D. in Neurobiology, and transitioned into the imaging field more than 15 years ago. He uses MSI to study drugs and drug-induced changes in tissue. To do so, he tries to push the sensitivity, reproducibility and specificity of the method.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Arne Behrens, Ph.D. (Application Specialist in MALDI Imaging, Bruker Daltonics GmbH &amp; Co. KG, Bremen, Germany)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Dr. Arne Behrens is an Imaging Applications Scientist  at Bruker in Bremen with more than 6 years of experience on the timsTOF fleX platform. He received his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry and is an expert for CCS-enabled MALDI Imaging applications.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Björn Wendik, Ph.D. (Business Development Manager, Bruker Daltonics GmbH &amp; Co. KG, Bremen, Germany)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Björn studied biology at the University of Würzburg and University of Freiburg with focus on developmental biology. In Freiburg he did his Ph.D. working on motoneuron development and pancreas formation. He became an expert on life cell imaging, timelapse studies and 3d-image software analyses. He continued his work as lecturer at the University of Freiburg where he also took care of parts of the Imaging core facility. When stepping into industry, he worked as a specialist for confocal microscopy and from there moved on into multispectral imaging, antibody based multi- and hiplexing and tissue analysis platforms. With this expertise, Björn started as a Business Development Manager for the MALDI Imaging at Bruker in July 2023.
</blockquote>

Bruker: Confidence in spatial identifications using iprm-PASEF on the timsTOF fleX

Confidence in spatial identifications using iprm-PASEF on the timsTOF fleX

The new iprm-PASEF workflow integrates CCS-enabled MALDI Imaging of lipids with a targeted MS/MS imaging approach.

Confidence in spatial identifications using iprm-PASEF

Join us for an exclusive two-day event where Agilent will showcase cutting-edge biopharma solutions.
The first day of the event we will explore Agilent’s comprehensive portfolio for the spectrum of applications from drug discovery to quality control. Learn more about our cell analysis and genomics expertise and the tools we provide to drive IVT mRNA development, protein therapeutics and cell and gene therapies
The second day will focus on advanced analytical solutions, including HRMS for tRNA sequencing and LC/MS for DNA/RNA analysis. Learn how to scale up oligonucleotide purification with Agilent biocolumns, which enhance the efficiency and accuracy of your processes.
By attending this event you will:
<ul>
<li>Gain insights from Agilent to optimize biotherapeutic workflows, including rigorous quality testing in cGMP environments and handling nucleic acid, vaccines, mAB and protein samples.
</li>
<li>Understand how metabolic analyses can impact CAR cell function and behavior, using cytolytic cell killing assays on the xCELLigence system to develop cell therapy processes and confirm product potency.
</li>
<li>Learn about new techniques in high-resolution LC/MS for analyzing tRNA modifications.
</li>
<li>Discover software tools available for high-resolution MS systems in both research and QA/QC labs.
</li>
<li>Compare analytical and semipreparative LC purification methods for synthetic oligonucleotides, gaining competitive insights into purification strategies.
</li>
</ul>
<h5>Talk 1: Advanced Analytical Solutions for Nucleic Acid Analysis and Purification</h5>
<ul>
<li>Presented by Dr. Charlotte Lekieffre, Biopharma Application Specialist, Agilent Technologies</li>
</ul>
The emphasis during the second day of the Summit will be on advanced analytical solutions, such as HRMS for tRNA sequencing and LC/MS for DNA/RNA analysis. Additionally, you’ll discover techniques to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of your processes by scaling up oligonucleotide purification using Agilent biocolumns. 
<h5>Talk 2: Extracted Yeast tRNA Sequencing by LC-MS/MS</h5>
<ul>
<li>Presented by Aurore Attina, Engineer of Mass Spectrometry, University of Montpellier</li>
</ul>
RNA modifications are essential for RNA stability, maturation, and functionality; directly influencing protein translation and gene regulation. They play a central role in various biological processes and are associated with many diseases, including cancers and neurological disorders. tRNA (transfer RNA), which plays a key role in protein synthesis, is the most modified molecule in the organism known to date. tRNA modifications are essential to ensure their correct function in protein translation, maintain the accuracy and fidelity of the genetic code, and enable flexible adaptation to changing cellular conditions and are therefore a crucial attribute to monitor. To monitor and map these modifications of tRNA, we have developed a LC-HRMS analytical workflow, first using synthetic oligonucleotide for the method optimization. In this webinar, we will first go through the various steps involved in LC-MS/MS method optimization using synthetic oligonucleotides. In a second part, we will present the protocol development of an enzymatic digestion applied to tRNA extracted from yeast. This digestion generates oligonucleotide fragments that can be analyzed by LC-MS/MS for sequence confirmation.
<h5>Talk 3: Discover Agilent’s Software Tools to Confirm Oligonucleotide Sequence Integrity</h5>
<ul>
<li>Presented by Dr. Holger Stalz, LC/MS Product Specialist Austria &amp; Switzerland, Agilent Technologies</li>
</ul>
Mass spectrometry (MS) is increasingly important for the development of therapeutic modalities such as oligonucleotides. A common analytical method for large molecules is intact mass by LC/MS. This can be used for the characterization and identification of a product or process-related impurities, or simply as a confirmation of molecular weight. The newly introduced Agilent OpenLab CDS 2.8 SW version comes with a set of features to enable the automatization of biopharma workflows. If you want to know how LC/MSD Spectral Deconvolution of your biopharma samples can be automated, we will provide answers during our presentation. Even more details on Oligonucleotide sequence confirmation and impurities characterization can be acquired using the power of a high-resolution accurate mass system (HRAM) on the Agilent 6545XT AdvanceBio LC/Q-TOF. Analyzing the sample data with the software workflows in Agilent BioConfirm version 12 will support the user to get the trusted answers to their most relevant questions.
<h5>Talk 4 Maximize Your Resources and Simplify Scale-up with AdvanceBio Oligonucleotide Columns</h5>
<ul>
<li>Presented by Dr. Andrea Tripodi, Application Development Engineer, Agilent Technologies</li>
</ul>
Several classes of nucleic acids, such as antisense oligonucleotides, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and aptamers are being investigated for potential therapeutic applications. Synthetic oligonucleotides inevitably contain many impurities due to limitations in the efficiency of each chemical reaction used during manufacture. They include deletion sequences (missing one or more nucleotides) and reaction by-products often arising during the final deprotection or cleavage steps. Ion pair reversed-phase (IP-RP) chromatography stands out as the prevalent method for analyzing and purifying oligonucleotides. For increased resolution and separation of your full-length synthetic oligonucleotide from closely related impurities, AdvanceBio Oligonucleotide is the ideal choice. The latest developments include semi-preparative, and lab-scale preparative columns packed with superficially porous particles that provide excellent performance and resolution without compromising column loading. A fast and easy scale-up method from analytical to semi-preparative scale was successfully achieved using a 10 mm ID column enabling higher sample loading using the same analytical LC instrument.

Biopharma Innovations Summit Day 2

<h3>Session #2 - Innovative Approaches in HRMS and Software for PFAS Analysis</h3>We are excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar, where we will explore the latest advancements in PFAS analysis through innovative screening methods and technologies. Our expert speakers will cover various approaches to enhance the detection and identification of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).<h4>1. Nontarget Screening workflow (NTS) for the Analysis of Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) using High resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)</h4><ul><li>Presented by Hania Khoury-Hollins</li></ul>This session will focus on using HRMS as an effective tool to detect both regulated and non-regulated PFAS. We’ll explore the UNIFI™ screening workflow and discuss the use of comprehensive PFAS libraries to improve detection capabilities.<h4>2. Untargeted Screening for PFAS Chemicals Using Comprehensive Feature Detection</h4><ul><li>Presented by Jeff Goshawk</li></ul>Discover how advanced feature detection methods can identify a wide range of PFAS chemicals, including those not covered by traditional reference standards. This talk will highlight techniques to detect novel PFAS-like chemicals, providing a broader understanding of total organic fluorine content in samples.<h4>3. Elevating Specificity and Identification Confidence for PFAS Liquid Chromatography and Cyclic Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry</h4><ul><li>Presented by Michael McCullagh</li></ul>Learn how cyclic ion mobility (cIM) enhances the separation and identification of PFAS isomers. By using this method, we can achieve greater specificity and reduce analysis time, providing insights into PFAS exposure and its potential health impacts.Join us to learn how these cutting-edge approaches are revolutionizing PFAS detection and analysis, offering more accurate and efficient solutions for environmental monitoring and public health protection.<blockquote>Presenter: Hania Khoury-Hollins (Principal Scientist, Waters Corporation)Hania Khoury-Hollins is a scientist and researcher at Waters Corporation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in science, which laid the foundation for her scientific pursuits. In 2001, Hania earned her master’s degree in Toxicology, deepening her understanding of the impact of chemicals on living organisms. In 2005 she successfully defended her Ph.D. in physical chemistry from University René Descartes - Paris V (France). After undertaking several different projects in academia Hania spent some time working at Agilent before joining Waters.At Waters, her work revolves around developing cutting-edge analytical techniques and their applications with a focus on Liquid Chromatography coupled with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Her expertise encompasses a diverse range of applications, including drug development, proteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics. More recently, Hania has been developing applications strategies for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).Presenter:&nbsp;Mike McCullagh (Consulting Scientist, Waters Corporation)Michael has worked at Waters Corporation for over 23 years. His main focus has been non-targeted analysis using time of flight mass spectrometry and ion mobility mass spectrometry. Michael has made contributions to various teams, including Food and Environmental, MS Evaluation, Life Science, Scientific Operations, the Advanced Mass Spectrometry Team and currently in Research, Development and Advanced Testing. Research has been performed across multiple application areas including, impurity profiling, pesticide screening, natural products, food analysis, metabolite identification and more recently non-targeted PFAS analysis. Having worn a number of different “hats”, the common thread has been the privileged opportunity to work with new technologies, new informatics solutions and to collaborate with industry and global collaborative partners, to forge a path to new discoveries and contribute to solutions to analytical challenges across multiple disciplines.Presenter:&nbsp;Jeff Goshawk (Consulting Scientist, Waters Corporation)Jeff is a Consulting Scientist at Waters Corporation and has been with the company for twenty-four years. Jeff started his career at Waters as a software developer working on MassLynx and its associated application managers. Jeff subsequently transitioned into the applications development group where he joined the toxicology team as a Principal Scientist. Jeff is now back in the software development world at Waters, and is currently working on the Pattern Analysis Application.Presenter:&nbsp;Frank L. Dorman, PhD, FRSC (Principal Environmental Market Manager, Waters Corporation)Frank Dorman is currently Senior Business Development Manager for Waters focusing on their global environmental business and, concurrently, Associate Professor (adjunct) in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) at Penn State University in University Park, PA. In his role at Waters, Frank manages the research-focused environmental market, external collaborations and also interfaces with R&amp;D for new product development. Prior to Waters, Frank was employed full-time as a tenure-line Faculty member of Penn State and served as a member of the Graduate Faculty in: Biochemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Biology (BMMB), Chemistry (CHEM) and the Programs in Forensics Science (FRNSC), and Biogeochemistry (BGC). Frank is also a member of the Center for Molecular Toxicology and Carcinogenesis at Penn State. Frank’s scientific interests are in gas and liquid chromatography fundamental characterization, instrumentation and column development, as well and mass spectrometry and atomic spectroscopy as applied to trace analysis in complex sample matrices. This work is directed towards environmental forensics, traditional forensic chemistry and where environmental exposure events may contribute to human disease; an area sometimes referred to as “exposomics”.Prior to joining the faculty at PSU, Frank was at Restek Corporation for 14 years as the Director of Technical Development, and R&amp;D Senior Chemist. During most of this same time, Frank was also an Adjunct Research Professor at Juniata College where he maintained an active undergraduate research program. Prior to that he was at Inchcape Testing Services for 5 years as a Senior Chemist, Organics Section Manager for Sample Preparation and Corporate Methods Development Chemist. As such, Frank has extensive experience in both the Industrial and Academic sectors giving him a relatively rare combination of skills and experience.</blockquote>

Waters Corporation: Innovative Approaches in HRMS and Software for PFAS Analysis

Innovative Approaches in HRMS and Software for PFAS Analysis

Learn how these cutting-edge approaches are revolutionizing PFAS detection and analysis, offering more accurate and efficient solutions.

<div class="summary-section section" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:&quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Frutiger, &quot;Frutiger Linotype&quot;, &quot;Dejavu Sans&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin-bottom:34px;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">This interactive session will bring together the MS community to discuss some of the most popular and exciting peer-reviewed publications in a friendly and open forum. Ahead of each meeting, we will send out a link to the discussion article, then during the session an expert will summarise the main findings and answer your questions.<h5 style="margin-left:0px;">Be prepared make sure you read&nbsp;<a style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(66, 139, 202);text-decoration:none;user-select:auto;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acscentsci.0c00049" fr-original-style="">Native Mass Spectrometry Can Effectively Predict PROTAC Efficacy</a></h5>We're going to be joined by Dr Rebecca Beveridge from the University of Strathclyde, a senior lecturer with a host of experience with development of native ion mobility mass spectrometry methods to study proteins and protein complexes&nbsp;This paper describes how Waters' SYNAPT MS can be utilized&nbsp;demonstrate the strength of native mass spectrometry to delineate the complex binding mechanisms of protein degraders, involving the formation of three-component protein−ligand complexes.<h5 style="margin-left:0px;">Reasons to Attend:</h5><ul style="box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:10px;margin-top:0px;"><li style="box-sizing:border-box;">Debate some of the most topical papers from all-time favourites to some of the latest releases &nbsp;</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;">Focus on understanding the benefit of SYNAPT MS and how to get the most out of the system for native mass spectrometry and biomolecule analysis &nbsp;</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;">Gain a greater understanding of applications and technologies by asking questions of the authors and/or expert panel &nbsp;</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;">No pre-recorded content, authors will be LIVE and on camera to answer questions</li></ul>Abstract&nbsp;Protein degraders, also known as proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), are bifunctional small molecules that promote cellular degradation of a protein of interest (POI). PROTACs act as molecular mediators, bringing an E3 ligase and a POI into proximity, thus promoting ubiquitination and degradation of the targeted POI. Despite their great promise as next-generation pharmaceutical drugs, the development of new PROTACs is challenged by the complexity of the system, which involves binary and ternary interactions between components. Here, we demonstrate the strength of native mass spectrometry (nMS), a label-free technique, to provide novel insight into PROTAC-mediated protein interactions. We show that nMS can monitor the formation of ternary E3-PROTAC-POI complexes and detect various intermediate species in a single experiment. A unique benefit of the method is its ability to reveal preferentially formed E3-PROTAC-POI combinations in competition experiments with multiple substrate proteins, thereby positioning it as an ideal high-throughput screening strategy during the development of new PROTACs<div style="box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;">&nbsp;</div><div class="speaker-fields-container" style="box-sizing:border-box;padding-top:5px;"><div class="section" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:34px;"><div class="sp-begin" style="box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:14px;"><blockquote><div style="box-sizing:border-box;">Presenter: Dr Rebecca Beveridge (Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde)</div><div style="box-sizing:border-box;">&nbsp;</div><div style="box-sizing:border-box;">Rebecca is a Senior Lecturer and UKRI Future Leaders Fellow who joined the University of Strathclyde in June 2020 as a Chancellor's Fellow. She obtained a BSc in biochemistry and chemistry from the University of Leeds in 2011 and completed her PhD at the University of Manchester in 2015. Rebecca spent 4 years at the Institute for Molecular Pathology in Vienna, Austria as a postdoctoral researcher/ Lise Meitner Postdoctoral Fellow. Throughout her career, she has collected experience in a plethora of mass spectrometry methods to study protein structure such as native mass spectrometry, ion mobility, hydrogen-deuterium exchange, and crosslinking.</div>Rebecca’s current research is centered around the development of native ion mobility mass spectrometry methods to study proteins and protein complexes, particularly those that are challenging to study with conventional biochemistry methods.Such systems include intrinsically disordered proteins that exist in a wide range of different shapes, and protein complexes formed by protein-degrading molecules such as PROTACs, the complex binding modes of which are challenging to delineate.</blockquote></div></div></div></div>

Waters Corporation: Native Mass Spectrometry Can Effectively Predict PROTAC Efficacy

Native Mass Spectrometry Can Effectively Predict PROTAC Efficacy

Discuss some of the most popular and exciting peer-reviewed publications in a friendly and open forum.

Native Mass Spectrometry Can Effectively Predict PROTAC

Day one: Innovation and data insights<ul><li>Discover how to achieve high sensitivity, speed, and resilience when working with large, complex sample sets</li><li>Learn strategies to speed up your covalent protein drug discovery</li><li>Gain insights into accelerating the development of multiple modalities</li><li>Understand the latest advancements in quantitative proteomics with ZT Scan DIA</li><li>Overcome limitations with cutting-edge artificial intelligence quantitation software</li></ul>Agenda-at-a-glanceWelcome and introduction to innovation and data insights&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Advancing robustness and serviceability of a high-end triple quad mass spectrometer in a high-throughput bioanalytical lab<ul><li>Highly sensitive mass spectrometers allow the advanced bioanalytical labs of today to achieve the LOQ required of potent biologic drugs and provide maximum flexibility in choice of sample prep techniques. However robust mass spectrometers are crucial for several reasons:<ul><li>Aid in ensuring the consistent quantitative performance of an assay</li><li>Effectively allow a lab to meet their project timelines</li><li>Are essential for handling the inherent variability of analyzing diverse molecules and diverse samples required for bioanalysis</li></ul></li></ul>The new fast in drug discovery: a new MS system to study covalent protein drugs<ul><li>The combination of a super-fast sampling interface with the highly sensitive ZenoTOF 7600 system makes it an ideal system for evaluating covalent binding screens. Main findings in our experiments using the Echo® MS+ system:<ul><li>Speed: measurements from a full 384-well plate in 15 min or 1536-well plate in less than one hour</li><li>Precision: low injection volume supports repetitive measurements and time series; capture full kinetic data set in one experiment</li><li>Quality: high data quality allows for full automated processing, delivering immediate hitlist output</li></ul></li></ul>icIEF-UV/MS characterization of charge Isoforms for biotherapeutic products<ul><li>Characterization of icIEF charge isoforms, whether in early product development or associated with licensure filings, is usually achieved through ion exchange (IEX) liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. icIEF-MS technology has recently emerged to enable the direct characterization of specific species in the icIEF electropherogram, eliminating the need for extensive method development.<ul><li>Discover opportunities to advance core platform technologies with novel characterization approaches</li><li>Hear case studies on understanding molecular structure information</li><li>New approaches to characterizing post-translational modifications of charge isoforms</li></ul></li></ul>Expanding qualitative and quantitative sensitivity for immunopeptidomics using ZT Scan DIA<ul><li>Learn how utilizing a research-grade Zeno-trap time-of-flight LC-MS system can advance current applications in immunopeptidomics and proteomics, including:<ul><li>What is ZT Scan DIA, the technology and how it benefits data acquisition</li><li>Preliminary proteomics and immunopeptidomics results using ZT Scan DIA</li><li>Future applications of immunopeptidomics using ZT Scan DIA</li></ul></li></ul>Artificial intelligence quantitation (AI quant): molecular structure and mass spectral data quality driven processing of high-resolution mass spectrometry for quantitative analysi<ul><li>High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has long sought to be a viable alternative for quantitative workflows but has been unable to broadly compete, mainly due to the lack of suitable data processing software. In this work we describe:<ul><li>A molecular structure-dependent workflow</li><li>The holistic and user-independent processesing of HRMS data</li><li>The automatic quantification of small drug-like molecules</li></ul></li></ul>Q&amp;A roundtable: innovation and data insights with the experts<ul><li>Moderated by: Jamie Wighton, Senior Director LC-MS Research, SCIEX</li><li>Panelists include:<ul><li>Rathna Veeramachaneni, Director, Biopharma LC-MS/MS, KCAS Bio</li><li>Xiaping He, Senior Scientist, Pfizer</li><li>Markus Stöckli, Senior Principal Scientist, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research</li><li>Tony Purcell, Professor, Monash University&nbsp;</li><li>Kevin Bateman, Retired Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism Expert</li></ul></li></ul><blockquote>Moderator: Jamie Wighton (Senior Director LC-MS Research, SCIEX)Jamie joined SCIEX 20 years ago and has held multiple technical and leadership roles throughout his career at SCIEX. &nbsp;Starting out as an engineer in manufacturing operations, Jamie has since led teams in supply chain, product development, and most recently the research and product applications teams within R&amp;D. Prior to joining SCIEX, Jamie worked at JDS Uniphase as an optical test engineer.Jamie holds a B.Sc. in engineering physics from Queen’s University.Presenter: Rathna Veeramachaneni (Director, Biopharma LC-MS/MS, KCAS Bioanalytical)Presenter: Markus Stöckli, Senior Principal Scientist, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical ResearchPresenter: Xiaoping He, Senior Scientst, PfizerPresenter: Tony Purcell, Professor, Monash UniversityPresenter: Kevin Bateman, Retired Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism Expert</blockquote>

SCIEX summit Day one: Innovation and data insights

Importance of LC-MS in food and environmental testing, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical discovery and development and biomedical and omics research.

<h4>The Waters 2024 Virtual Summer School - An Educational Journey to Master Food &amp; Environmental Analysis</h4>Unlock the full potential of LC-MS techniques with our immersive and educational sessions at the Waters Virtual F&amp;E Late Summer School 2024. From September 24th to 26th, engage with leading experts and discover cutting-edge methods for environmental and food analysis.<h5>Why attend?</h5><ul><li>Comprehensive Learning: Dive deep into advanced LC-MS techniques and gain practical knowledge to enhance your laboratory's analytical capabilities.</li><li>Expert Insights: Learn from industry leaders and gain firsthand experience through detailed modules on chromatography, mass spectrometry, and sample preparation.</li><li>Regulatory Compliance: Stay ahead with the latest insights on EU regulations for PFAS analysis in food and water, ensuring your lab meets stringent standards.</li></ul><h3>Episode #3: Introduction Non-target Screening (NTS) | F&amp;E Summer School - Day 1 - Module 3</h3>Suspect and non-target screening (NTS) are crucial techniques used in various fields, including food analysis, environmental studies, toxicology, and doping analysis. In this overview, we’ll discuss a holistic approach and introduce high-resolution mass spectrometry methods for both Suspect and NTS screening. Topics covered include resolution, accurate mass data, and ion mobility.In an ideal scenario, Suspect screening and non-Target screening are closely interconnected. Prior knowledge about a potential analyte (Suspect) can expedite the non-Target screening process. We’ll briefly explore Suspect screening and how high-resolution mass spectrometry offers identification criteria for confidently identifying suspect compounds.Further, we examine the data gathered for non-target compounds through high-resolution mass spectrometry. In this module we give a concise introduction to the valuable data that can be compiled for assigning structures. In the forthcoming module 4b we will delve into how this data, in conjunction with the tools offered by the waters_connect software, can be conveniently accessed by the user and provide more comprehensive insights.<h5>What you'll learn:</h5><ul><li>What is Screening? (Target/ Suspect &amp; Non-Target Screening)</li><li>Basics of HRMS (Resolution and accurate mass)</li><li>Identification criteria for Targets /Suspects &amp; UNIFI Scientific Library</li><li>Tools for Non-Target Screening</li><li>Short introduction of exemplary instrument types</li><li>Xevo G3 QToF for Routine Screening</li><li>Xevo MRT for Screening with very high-resolution and very high mass accuracy</li><li>Select Series Cyclic IMS for Screening with ion-mobility utilizing CCS-values</li></ul><blockquote>Presenter:&nbsp;Christoph Thomas (Principal Sales Applications Chemist, Waters Corporation)Christoph Thomas is a Principal Sales Applications Chemist from the Central Europe Customer Success Team based in Eschborn, Germany. He has more than 25 years’ experience in the field of Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry and is familiar with several application areas using Quadrupole and Tof instruments. Within the last decade his projects were mainly focused on the waters_connect Screening Solution in food and environmental screening, toxicology screening, metabolite identification and in the field of extractables and leacheables.Presenter:&nbsp;Gunnar Weibchen (Principal MS Sales Dev Specialist, Waters Corporation)Gunnar studied Chemistry and obtained a PhD in Organic and Analytical Chemistry in Hamburg. After working as an Application Chemist in the demo laboratory at Varian, has been with Waters in Sales and Marketing since 2010</blockquote>

Waters Corporation: The Waters 2024 Virtual Summer School

Introduction Non-target Screening (NTS)

We’ll discuss a holistic approach and introduce high-resolution mass spectrometry methods for both Suspect and NTS screening.

<h4>The Waters 2024 Virtual Summer School - An Educational Journey to Master Food &amp; Environmental Analysis</h4>Unlock the full potential of LC-MS techniques with our immersive and educational sessions at the Waters Virtual F&amp;E Late Summer School 2024. From September 24th to 26th, engage with leading experts and discover cutting-edge methods for environmental and food analysis.<h5>Why attend?</h5><ul><li>Comprehensive Learning: Dive deep into advanced LC-MS techniques and gain practical knowledge to enhance your laboratory's analytical capabilities.</li><li>Expert Insights: Learn from industry leaders and gain firsthand experience through detailed modules on chromatography, mass spectrometry, and sample preparation.</li><li>Regulatory Compliance: Stay ahead with the latest insights on EU regulations for PFAS analysis in food and water, ensuring your lab meets stringent standards.</li></ul><h3>Episode #8: Instruments &amp; Software for Non-Target Screening | F&amp;E Summer School - Day 2 - Module 4</h3>This session will focus on presenting in detail the data evaluation of HRMS-Screening experiments. Firstly, we will explain the data-independent acquisition modes MSE and HDMSE. We will describe an intelligent and efficient peak detection algorithm of the HRMS data. The waters_connect software supports us with several tools for the challenging non-Target screening. We will present a selection of discovery tools which collect additional information about the unknown masses to reduce the number of potential candidates. This includes a binary comparison to find differences between samples or the get information on common fragments etc. In addition, multivariate statistics can also be used as a powerful tool for identifying significant non-Target masses. Finally, the determination of the molecular formula of potential candidates and a possible search in online libraries will be presented.<h5>What you'll learn:</h5><ul><li>Data acquisition in depth (MSE, CCS)</li><li>waters_connect Software &amp; Intelligent Peak Detection</li><li>UNIFI App and Workflow</li><li>Binary Compare - find the Differences</li><li>Discovery Tools – Common Fragments, Mass defect filtering, Halogen Match and more</li><li>Multivariate statistics</li><li>Pattern Targeting Application</li></ul><blockquote>Presenter:&nbsp;Christoph Thomas (Principal Sales Applications Chemist, Waters Corporation)Christoph Thomas is a Principal Sales Applications Chemist from the Central Europe Customer Success Team based in Eschborn, Germany. He has more than 25 years’ experience in the field of Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry and is familiar with several application areas using Quadrupole and Tof instruments. Within the last decade his projects were mainly focused on the waters_connect Screening Solution in food and environmental screening, toxicology screening, metabolite identification and in the field of extractables and leacheables.Presenter:&nbsp;Gunnar Weibchen (Principal MS Sales Dev Specialist, Waters Corporation)Gunnar studied Chemistry and obtained a PhD in Organic and Analytical Chemistry in Hamburg. After working as an Application Chemist in the demo laboratory at Varian, has been with Waters in Sales and Marketing since 2010</blockquote>

Software and Instruments for NTS

This session will focus on presenting in detail the data evaluation of HRMS-Screening experiments. 

LCMS webinars focusing on LC/TOF - page 12