<p><strong>Professor Mary Anne O’Connell has spent decades at the forefront of RNA biology, helping uncover how cells distinguish their own RNA from foreign genetic material. Her research on ADAR enzymes and RNA editing has shaped our understanding of immunity, inflammation, and the future of RNA-based therapies. Before joining CEITEC Masaryk University, she worked in research institutions across the United States, Switzerland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In this interview, she reflects on scientific turning points, the emotional realities of leading a research group, the evolution of RNA research, and the importance of resilience –&nbsp;in science and in life.</strong></p><h5><strong>You originally worked on microbiology before moving into RNA research. How difficult was that transition, and are such shifts common in scientific careers?</strong></h5><p>Quite naturally, actually. During my PhD, HIV was emerging in New York, and many people from my generation moved into retrovirus research because it felt urgent and important. I worked at <strong>Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York</strong>, where some of the first HIV cases appeared at the neighbouring large hospital. Therefore, I went to<strong> MIT</strong> to do a postdoc with <strong>Nancy Hopkins</strong>, who was a leader in the field of murine retroviruses.</p><p>Then my husband wanted to return to Europe, to Switzerland in particular. I found a position in the laboratory of <strong>Walter Keller in the Biozentrum in Basel </strong>and had an opportunity to study RNA and viruses. I took that position — though I never worked on viruses, I began my research on ADAR enzymes.</p><p>In science, these shifts happen often. Careers are shaped not only by curiosity, but also by circumstances; timing, funding, countries, and family. Often the path only makes sense in retrospect.</p><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Jdi_do_toho_i_kdyz_ti_rozum_rika_ne_U_kavy_s_Mary_Anne_O_Connell_3_d97466b112.jpeg" alt="CEITEC: Walk on Air Against Your Better Judgment. Over Coffee with Mary Anne O’Connell: Mary Anne O’Connell" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Jdi_do_toho_i_kdyz_ti_rozum_rika_ne_U_kavy_s_Mary_Anne_O_Connell_3_d97466b112.jpeg 234w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1068"></p><h5><strong>Was there a particular moment when you realised you had chosen the right career?</strong></h5><p>Yes. After my PhD, I wasn’t sure I wanted to stay in science. I travelled alone through Nepal and India and did the Annapurna trek. When I came down from the mountains, I picked up <i>The Herald Tribune</i>. The first thing I read was a science article, and I remember thinking immediately: “Okay. This is it.” It sounds strange, but that was the moment. It felt as if the universe was quietly pointing me in the right direction.</p><h5><strong>How would you explain RNA editing and ADAR enzymes to a non-specialist?</strong></h5><p>DNA is the genetic blueprint of our cells. RNA is the intermediate step between DNA and proteins.</p><p>For a long time, scientists thought RNA simply copied information from DNA. What our field discovered was that RNA itself can be modified and edited. The protein we study, called ADAR, modifies RNA to help the cell distinguish between its own RNA and foreign RNA from viruses or bacteria. This is essential because cells constantly encounter bacterial and viral RNA, and they need a way to recognise what belongs to the body and what could be dangerous.</p><p>Our cells modify their own RNA to mark it as “self”. Without these changes, the immune system may mistake the body’s own RNA for a pathogen and launch an immune response against itself. Often, this immune reaction is more dangerous than the infection itself.</p><p>So, RNA modification is not just a small molecular detail –&nbsp;it is essential for survival.</p><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Jdi_do_toho_i_kdyz_ti_rozum_rika_ne_U_kavy_s_Mary_Anne_O_Connell_4_effd6e4b30.jpeg" alt="CEITEC/Martin Indruch: Walk on Air Against Your Better Judgment. Over Coffee with Mary Anne O’Connell: Dragana Vukić and Mary A. O’Connell" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Jdi_do_toho_i_kdyz_ti_rozum_rika_ne_U_kavy_s_Mary_Anne_O_Connell_4_effd6e4b30.jpeg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1067"></p><h5><strong>How has the understanding of RNA changed over the course of your career?</strong></h5><p>Completely.</p><p>When I began, RNA was viewed mainly as a messenger between DNA and proteins. Today it is at the centre of biology and medicine. RNA vaccines changed public awareness of the field, but RNA also influences immunity, inflammation, development, and many diseases. Every few years the field reveals something unexpected. This is also why so many companies are now developing RNA-based therapies, particularly for cancer, where they could help the immune system recognise and fight tumour cells more effectively.</p><h5><strong>You believe RNA-based therapies could change cancer treatment in the future?</strong></h5><p>Yes, I genuinely believe they will.</p><p>The idea is elegant: you sequence a patient’s tumour, identify what makes it unique, and design an RNA-based therapy that trains the immune system to recognise those tumour-specific markers. Of course, this does not mean there will one day be a single universal cure for cancer. Cancer is extremely diverse, with many different forms and mechanisms. But personalised RNA-based therapies have enormous potential because they can be tailored to the specific features of an individual tumour. In the future, treatment could become much more systematic –&nbsp;doctors may one day analyse the tumour sequence and select the most effective therapy from a kind of catalogue of targeted RNA-based treatments.</p><p>And none of this would exist without basic research. The discoveries that later change medicine usually begin as curiosity-driven science.</p><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Jdi_do_toho_i_kdyz_ti_rozum_rika_ne_U_kavy_s_Mary_Anne_O_Connell_5_b691b699f0.jpeg" alt="CEITEC/Martin Indruch: Walk on Air Against Your Better Judgment. Over Coffee with Mary Anne O’Connell: Martin Bareš and  Mary A. O’Connell" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Jdi_do_toho_i_kdyz_ti_rozum_rika_ne_U_kavy_s_Mary_Anne_O_Connell_5_b691b699f0.jpeg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1067"></p><h5><strong>What brought you to CEITEC Masaryk University in Brno?</strong></h5><p>At the time, I was working at the <strong>Medical Research Council in the UK</strong>. Our research funding was cut just before the RNA modification field exploded. We lost funding by a single point in the evaluation of our future proposed projects. We proposed to investigate other types of RNA modification in the 3’UTRs of RNA and to determine how ADAR1 was essential for innate immunity.&nbsp; These are now two major research areas.</p><p>That experience taught me what “cutting-edge science” really means. People love that phrase, but they often forget what it really means. If you are at the cutting edge and funding suddenly contracts, you are the first to be cut off.</p><p>Then the <strong>ERA Chair position at CEITEC</strong> opened. I applied, got the position, and arrived in Brno just as both of these research fields were becoming ‘hot’. Scientifically, the timing to move here could not have been better.</p><h5><strong>What do you like most about Brno?</strong></h5><p>I really love living here. Brno has changed enormously during the ten years I’ve lived here. When I first arrived, you barely heard English on the tram. Now you hear many languages everywhere. It has become much more international and cosmopolitan, but it still feels manageable and human.</p><p>I also think the city has become more self-confident. Earlier, people constantly compared Brno to Prague. Now it feels more comfortable being itself. And honestly, the quality of life here is very good.</p><p>My only real complaint is the airport. But, the cost of living is lower than in many Western European cities, the city centre is beautiful, and you are geographically in the middle of Europe.</p><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Jdi_do_toho_i_kdyz_ti_rozum_rika_ne_U_kavy_s_Mary_Anne_O_Connell_2_efac69f5f7.jpeg" alt="CEITEC: Walk on Air Against Your Better Judgment. Over Coffee with Mary Anne O’Connell: Pavel Plevka, Mary A. O’Connell and Liam Keegan" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Jdi_do_toho_i_kdyz_ti_rozum_rika_ne_U_kavy_s_Mary_Anne_O_Connell_2_efac69f5f7.jpeg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="2133"></p><h5><strong>What have you learned about leading a research group?</strong></h5><p>Nobody teaches you how to lead people. I was lucky because I started with a small research group and gradually learned how to manage people over time. I actually think it can be difficult when scientists that are just starting suddenly have large groups, because managing people is a completely different skill from doing science itself.</p><p>What has changed enormously over the years is the level of anxiety and stress among younger researchers. I suspect social media plays a role. People constantly compare themselves to unrealistic versions of other people’s lives and careers and feel pressure to succeed in every aspect of life at once. My generation did not have this pressure.</p><p>When people struggle personally, it immediately affects their research because they cannot think clearly or focus properly. As a group leader, you are no longer only supervising science –&nbsp;you are also trying to support people emotionally. Over the years, I’ve also learned that you cannot solve everything for everyone. Some people accept help and advice, and some do not. That can be difficult, but it is part of leadership too and you have to accept it.</p><h5><strong>In connection with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, you mentioned resilience as something women bring to science. Can you expand on that?</strong></h5><p>Resilience is essential in science. Experiments fail. Funding disappears. Papers get rejected. Personal situations become complicated. You cannot survive in research without resilience.</p><p>I think many women place enormous pressure on themselves. They compare themselves to impossible standards and feel they are failing. You have to accept that life moves in phases. During difficult periods, you simply keep going.</p><h5><strong>What was the most challenging period in your career?</strong></h5><p>Probably after we lost our funding in the UK. My children were teenagers at the time, and I moved to Sweden for work before eventually coming to Brno. I spent years travelling back and forth every second weekend. Scientifically, the work was worth it. Personally, I missed years of my children growing up.</p><p>That’s one of the difficult realities of science: decisions that are scientifically right can still be personally painful.</p><p>At the same time, that period also taught me a lot about people and kindness. I have always been amazed by the random kindness of strangers. People whom I expected to help me often did not. Meanwhile, people to whom I had simply been kind –&nbsp;without expecting anything in return –&nbsp;were often the ones who helped me most, later in life. My advice is to be kind to everyone, don’t expect people to reciprocate, but that your kindness to others will comes back in unexpected ways.</p><h5><strong>Finally, what advice would you give to your younger self?</strong></h5><p>There is a quote by the Irish poet Seamus Heaney that I love: “Walk on air against your better judgment.” To me, it means: just go for it.</p><p>You only have one life. Try things. Take risks. Sometimes the irrational decisions become the most important ones you ever make.</p><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Jdi_do_toho_i_kdyz_ti_rozum_rika_ne_U_kavy_s_Mary_Anne_O_Connell_98b2e8902f.jpeg" alt="CEITEC: Walk on Air Against Your Better Judgment. Over Coffee with Mary Anne O’Connell: Mary Anne O’Connell" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Jdi_do_toho_i_kdyz_ti_rozum_rika_ne_U_kavy_s_Mary_Anne_O_Connell_98b2e8902f.jpeg 118w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="2124"></p>

Walk on Air Against Your Better Judgment. Over Coffee with Mary Anne O’Connell 

<p><strong>If you work in environmental testing, sample preparation, or laboratory instrumentation, you already know that </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.organomation.com/blog/the-importance-of-detecting-per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas"><strong>PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) </strong></a><strong>have become one of the most talked-about topics in the analytical science community. What you may not have seen yet is that in February 2026, the United Kingdom took a landmark step by publishing its very first national framework to address these persistent compounds. It is worth paying attention to, regardless of where your lab operates.</strong></p><h3><strong>What Are 'Forever Chemicals,' and Why the Urgency?</strong></h3><p>PFAS are a group of thousands of synthetic chemicals used in everything from food packaging and cookware to waterproof clothing and firefighting foam. Their defining characteristic is stubborn persistence — they do not readily break down in the environment or in the human body, which is precisely how they earned the "forever chemicals" nickname. Chronic exposure, even at low levels, has been linked to liver damage, high cholesterol, reduced immune responses, and certain cancers.</p><p>The scale of the problem is difficult to overstate. Traces of PFAS have been detected everywhere from the Arctic to Antarctica. Contamination crises have made headlines in Belgium, the United States, and elsewhere. And while regulatory action has been building globally for years — with several U.S. states implementing bans on PFAS in cosmetics beginning in 2025 and the EU <strong>tightening </strong>drinking water protections in January 2026 — the UK had not yet put forward a comprehensive national strategy. Until now.</p><h3><strong>What the UK's PFAS Plan Actually Contains</strong></h3><p>Released on February 3, 2026, the UK government's PFAS Plan is built around three pillars: understanding where PFAS come from, addressing the pathways through which they spread, and reducing ongoing exposure. The framework calls for coordinated action across government agencies, regulators, businesses, and local communities.</p><p><strong>Some of the specific measures outlined include:</strong></p><ul><li>Conducting the first-ever full assessment of PFAS in England's estuaries and coastal waters</li><li>Launching a public consultation on introducing a statutory limit for PFAS in England's public drinking water supply regulations</li><li>Testing food packaging such as microwave popcorn bags and pizza boxes for PFAS presence</li><li>Issuing new guidance to reduce industrial emissions of PFAS</li><li>Expanding soil monitoring in partnership with the British Geological Survey</li><li>Considering restrictions on PFAS in firefighting foams, following ongoing consultation</li></ul><h3><strong>Launching a public-facing website to improve transparency and awareness</strong></h3><p>It is a broad agenda — and not without its critics. Some environmental scientists have pointed out that the plan focuses heavily on monitoring and understanding, with less emphasis on binding phase-out timelines. One researcher noted that legacy contamination sources like <strong>landfill sites </strong>may actually be releasing more PFAS into rivers than current industrial activity, and that simply measuring concentrations falls short of tracking the total amount being discharged. Unlike France, which became the first EU country to fully ban PFAS in cosmetics, the UK is not currently pursuing an outright ban.</p><p>Supporters, meanwhile, have acknowledged it as a meaningful first step — particularly given the complexity of the PFAS challenge. There is not even universal agreement on <strong>what counts as a PFAS compound</strong>; depending on the definition used, the group could include anywhere from under five thousand to over seven million potential substances.</p><h3><strong>Why This Is Relevant to the Laboratory World</strong></h3><p>Here is where I want to bring this closer to home for those of us in the analytical instrumentation and sample preparation space.</p><p>The push to understand and regulate PFAS at the scale the UK is now proposing means one thing clearly: demand for <strong>rigorous PFAS testing</strong> is going to grow. Every assessment of estuaries, every soil sampling initiative, every test on food packaging generates samples that need to be analyzed. And PFAS analysis is not straightforward.</p><p>Current <strong>USEPA-published analytical methods for PFAS </strong>rely primarily on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.organomation.com/preparing-samples-for-lc-ms/ms-analysis"><strong>LC-MS/MS</strong></a>). Proper sample preparation is critical to producing reliable results, especially since PFAS often appear at trace concentrations and can be easily introduced as contaminants during the preparation process itself. Solid-phase extraction (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.organomation.com/what-is-solid-phase-extraction-spe"><strong>SPE</strong></a>) is a widely used technique for isolating PFAS from complex matrices like water and soil, but effective concentration of samples before analysis is equally important — and that is exactly where evaporative concentration instruments become indispensable in the workflow.</p><p>At Organomation, our evaporators are used in PFAS sample preparation workflows aligned with <strong>EPA Methods 533, 537.1, and 1633 </strong>— the key analytical methods used for PFAS in drinking water, environmental water, and a broad range of solid matrices including soil, biosolids, and tissue. These methods require careful, controlled solvent evaporation to concentrate samples without loss of target analytes or introduction of contamination. Getting this step right is not optional — it directly determines the accuracy and reliability of the final result.</p><h3><strong>A Global Challenge That Demands a Global Scientific Response</strong></h3><p>The UK's PFAS Plan is one piece of what is becoming a coordinated international effort. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants added<strong> long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids</strong> (over 200 additional PFAS substances) to its global elimination list in May 2025. The EU introduced mandatory PFAS monitoring requirements for drinking water in January 2026. And in the United States, regulatory pressure at both federal and state levels continues to tighten.</p><p>What all of this regulatory momentum signals is that the window for labs to build PFAS testing capability is not narrowing — it is widening. Governments are committing to monitoring. Industries are being pushed toward safer alternatives. And at every step of that process, someone needs to run the samples.</p><p>Whether you are setting up a new <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products?manufacturerItems=540&amp;search=Free"><strong>PFAS testing workflow </strong></a>or scaling up an existing one, the fundamentals of good sample preparation have not changed: control your contamination sources, use validated methods, and make sure your<strong> concentration step</strong> is working properly. The regulatory environment is evolving quickly, but sound science is the constant.</p><p>I am proud that Organomation's instruments continue to play a role in the analytical workflows that make this kind of environmental accountability possible. As governments around the world sharpen their focus on PFAS, the laboratory community will be at the center of that work.</p>

The UK Just Released Its First-Ever Plan to Tackle 'Forever Chemicals' — Here's Why It Matters for Labs

<p><strong>Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezLCMS Library in the week of 13th July 2026? Check out new documents from the field of liquid phase, especially HPLC and LC/MS techniques!</strong></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size:20px;">👉 </span><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library"><span style="font-size:20px;"><strong>SEARCH THE LARGEST REPOSITORY OF DOCUMENTS ABOUT LCMS AND RELATED TECHNIQUES</strong></span></a></p></blockquote><blockquote><p><strong>👉 Need info about different analytical techniques?</strong> Peek into <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library"><strong>LabRulezGCMS</strong></a> or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library"><strong>LabRulezICPMS</strong></a> libraries.</p></blockquote><p>This week we bring you posters by <strong>Agilent Technologies / ASMS, Shimadzu / ASMS, Thermo Fisher Scientific / HPLC Symposium </strong>and<strong> Waters Corporation / HPLC Symposium </strong>and technical note by<strong> KNAUER!</strong></p><h3><strong>1. Agilent Technologies / ASMS: Intact Protein Analysis in Plasma Using Automated 2D-LC/TOF with Multiple Heart-Cutting</strong></h3><ul><li>Poster</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/po_intact_protein_mhc_2d_lc_tof_wp_679_asms_2026_en_agilent_edb54f4854.pdf"><strong>Full PDF for download</strong></a></li></ul><p>Direct intact and top-down protein analysis enables comprehensive characterization of proteoforms, post-translational modifications, and fragments that are often lost in bottom-up workflows.1 However, intact mass analysis in complex biological matrices such as whole plasma is challenged by extreme dynamic range and ion suppression, commonly necessitating affinity-based enrichment.&nbsp;</p><p>Here, we demonstrate a non-affinity, orthogonal separation strategy using a 2D-LC/TOF workflow with multi-heart-cutting for native intact protein analysis directly in plasma. Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) trastuzumab and antibody-drug conjugate T-DM1, were used as model systems to evaluate performance.&nbsp;</p><p>The workflow employs an Agilent 1290 Infinity III 2D-LC system for orthogonal separations and precise multiple heart-cutting, coupled to a high-resolution, high-sensitivity Agilent 6230C Accurate Mass TOF LC/MS System.</p><h4><strong>Experimental</strong></h4><h5><strong>Instrumentation&nbsp;</strong></h5><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=1290+Infinity+III+2D-LC"><strong>Agilent 1290 Infinity III 2D-LC system </strong></a>comprised the following modules:&nbsp;<ul><li>1290 Infinity III Bio Multisampler with Thermostat (G7137A)&nbsp;</li><li>1290 Infinity III Multicolumn Thermostat (G7116B)&nbsp;</li><li>1290 Infinity III Diode Array Detector (G7117B) with Max-Light cartridge cell (G7117-60020)&nbsp;</li><li>1260 Infinity III Bio Flexible Pump (G7131C)&nbsp;</li><li>1290 Infinity III Bio High-speed Pump (G7132A)&nbsp;</li><li>1290 Infinity Valve Drive (G1170A) with 2D-LC ASM Valve (G5643B)&nbsp;</li><li>Two 1290 Infinity III Valve Drives (G1170A) with multiple heart-cutting valves (G5642-64000) equipped with 40 µL Bio loops&nbsp;</li><li>1290 Infinity III Valve Drive (G1170A) with a 2- position/6-port valve (G4231A) (used as a diverter valve)&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=6230C"><strong>Agilent 6230C Accurate Mass TOF LC/MS System</strong></a></li></ul><h5><strong>LC/MS Analysis&nbsp;</strong></h5><p>Data acquisition and analysis were carried out using <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=MassHunter+acquisition"><strong>MassHunter acquisition</strong></a> (12.2), <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=BioConfirm"><strong>BioConfirm</strong></a> (12.1) and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=MassHunter+Qualitative+Analysis"><strong>MassHunter Qualitative Analysis </strong></a>(13.0) software.</p><h4><strong>Conclusions</strong></h4><ul><li>Agilent 2D-LC enables direct native MS analysis of intact proteins from plasma without affinity-based enrichment.&nbsp;</li><li>UV-guided and multiple heart-cutting simplify 2D-LC method development and provide high-resolution isolation of native proteins from complex biological matrices such as plasma.&nbsp;</li><li>The Agilent 6230C Accurate Mass TOF delivers high sensitivity and excellent mass accuracy, enabling confident intact protein characterization under native conditions.</li></ul><h3><strong>2. KNAUER: Mind the pressure in preparative up-scaling – effects of particle size and solvent composition on back pressure</strong></h3><ul><li>Technical note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/VTN_0051_knauer_mind_the_pressure_in_preparative_up_scaling_effects_of_particle_size_and_solvent_comp_12e49884d3.pdf"><strong>Full PDF for download</strong></a></li></ul><p>The back pressure of a chromatographic system is generated by the system components, the capillaries, the column, the solvent, and the applied flow rate. Each system has a maximum pressure which it can sustain, and therefore the pressure must be monitored as it is a limiting factor during method development. The back pressure generated by a column is dependent on the particle size and its length. The development of a preparative method is ideally performed on an analytical scale and after optimization the method is then scaled up to preparative scale.</p><p>As preparative HPLC systems normally have lower maximum pressures, it is important to keep the generated pressure in the range of the later preparative system.&nbsp;</p><p>The larger the particles of the column material are, the lower will be the generated back pressure. With increasing particle size, the resolution is decreasing at the same time. Depending on the separation task, the resolution can be a critical point, and it is important to find the right compromise between resolution and backpressure. Additionally, larger particles are significantly less price intensive, which is another factor to be considered especially for large scale purifications. Often solvent mixtures of water with acetonitrile, methanol or ethanol are used for reverse phased methods. Depending on the organic solvent composition, the generated back pressure differs significantly which could be reduced by changing the solvent composition slightly or the organic solvent if possible. The back pressure generated by the solvent will not or only slightly change during the up-scaling process.&nbsp;</p><p>Here, the influence of particle size, flow rate and solvent composition on the back pressure was evaluated. Further, a practical scale-up was performed to evaluate the values obtained on analytical scale to those in larger scale.</p><h4><strong>User Tips:&nbsp;</strong></h4><ul><li>What is the finale scale you want to operate later?&nbsp;</li><li>What are the pressure limitations of the preparative system?&nbsp;</li><li>Be aware of the solvent back pressure&nbsp;</li><li>Consider particle size not only for best separation&nbsp;</li><li>Consider the flow rate</li></ul><h4><strong>MATERIAL AND METHODS&nbsp;</strong></h4><ul><li><strong>Pump: </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/2372"><strong>AZURA® P 6.1LHPG</strong></a>, 10 ml, sst&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Autosampler: </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/2375"><strong>AZURA AS 6.1L</strong></a></li><li><strong>Detector:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/2423"><strong>UV AZURA DAD 2.1L&nbsp;</strong></a></li><li><strong>Flow cell: </strong>Pressure proof 10 mm, 10 µl, 300 bar&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Thermostat:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/2376"><strong>CT2.1&nbsp;</strong></a></li><li><strong>Columns:&nbsp;</strong><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/1633"><strong>Eurospher II 100-5 C18, 150 x 4.6 mm&nbsp;</strong></a></li><li>Eurospher II 100-10 C18, 150 x 4.6 mm&nbsp;</li><li>Eurospher II 100-15 C18, 150 x 4.6 mm&nbsp;</li><li>Eurospher II 100-20/45 C18, 150 x 4.6 mm &nbsp;</li></ul></li><li><strong>Software&nbsp;</strong><ul><li>ClarityChrom 10.1&nbsp;</li><li>ClarityChrom 10.1 PDA extension</li></ul></li></ul><h4><strong>CONCLUSION&nbsp;</strong></h4><p>The back pressures of four C18 150 x 4.6 mm columns, which differed only in particle size were measured and compared at different flow rates and solvent compositions. As expected, the 5 µm column showed the highest and the 20/45 µm column the lowest back pressure at all tested conditions. The pressure curves of ethanol and methanol gradients were similar, with a maximum pressure at approximately 50% solvent. The pressure curve of the acetonitrile gradient differed from the other two, showing the highest pressure at a lower organic solvent content of approximately 35%, after which the pressure dropped. Ethanol showed the highest pressure, followed by methanol and then acetonitrile. Determining the column back pressure at an analytical scale is an important tool during preparative method development. Ideally, if a linear scale up from the analytical to the preparative scale is conducted, the column back pressure should stay the same. This helps to predict if the method can be scaled up to the desired size in terms of back pressure.</p><h3><strong>3. Shimadzu / ASMS: Enhanced Quantification of Emerging UV Filter Contaminants in Drinking Water Using Optimized LC-MS/MS Technique</strong></h3><ul><li>Poster</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/TP_121_Enhanced_Quantification_of_Emerging_UV_Filter_Contaminants_in_Drinking_Water_Using_Optimized_LC_MSMS_Technique_e733c64828.pdf"><strong>Full PDF for download</strong></a></li></ul><p>Ultraviolet (UV) filter chemicals from sunscreens and personal care products are increasingly recognized as emerging contaminants of concern in drinking water1 . Their persistence and reported biological effects highlight the need for sensitive and reliable monitoring approaches2 . The objectives were to optimize quantitation to achieve ppt level detection without offline extraction and assess the occurrence of these compounds in multiple drinking water matrices. In this study, 20 UV filters were analyzed using a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=1&amp;search=LCMS-8060RX"><strong>Shimadzu LCMS8060RX triple quadrupole mass spectrometer.</strong></a></p><h4><strong>Conclusion</strong></h4><p>A highly sensitive, precise, and robust direct injection LC–MS/MS method enables sub-ppt to high-ppb quantification of 20 UV filters in drinking water. Overall, the highly sensitive and robust Shimadzu LCMS-8060RX Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer combined with this extraction-free workflow provides a simple, reliable, and high-throughput approach for quantifying emerging UV filters at ng/L concentrations in drinking water.</p><h3><strong>4. Thermo Fisher Scientific / HPLC Symposium: Comparison of biocompatible and inert UHPLC systems for LC-UV quantitation of large RNA</strong></h3><ul><li>Poster</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/po_004752_hplc_vanquish_amplify_metal_sensitive_analyte_analysis_po004752_na_en_ff99cfde49.pdf"><strong>Full PDF for download</strong></a></li></ul><p>Accurate LC-UV analysis of large RNA and oligonucleotide therapeutics requires highly inert chromatographic flow paths because interactions between the negatively charged phosphodiester backbone and metallic surfaces can cause analyte loss, peak broadening, and reduced quantitative sensitivity, particularly at low concentration.&nbsp;</p><p>Here, an inert UHPLC system – Vanquish Amplify system, incorporating inert-coated flow path components was evaluated against a biocompatible UHPLC configuration using MP35N alloy capillaries and additionally against a commercially available inert UHPLC platform. Large RNA fragments of 500 and 5000 nucleotides were analyzed by IP-RPLC to assess the difference between these systems. To further investigate flow path interactions, adenosine 5′- (α,β-methylene) diphosphate (AMPcP), a metal-sensitive analyte, was analyzed alongside adenosine, a noninteracting reference compound.</p><h5><strong>Material and Methods</strong></h5><ul><li><strong>Instrumentation: </strong>Thermo Scientific Vanquish Amplify UHPLC system</li><li><strong>Column:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=3&amp;search=SurePac+Oligo"><strong>Thermo Scientific SurePac Oligo RP MDi HPLC column</strong></a>,<br>2.5 µm 2.1 X 50 mm (P/N: 43712-052132</li><li><strong>Data Analysis: </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/76"><strong>The Thermo Scientific Chromeleon Software 7.3.2 MUc Chromatography Data System (CDS)</strong></a> was used for all data acquisition and analysis.</li></ul><h4><strong>Conclusions&nbsp;</strong></h4><p>Using AMPcP with the Vanquish Amplify system demonstrated up to a twofold increase in sensitivity compared to systems with MP35N fluidics under conditions where metal interactions are most pronounced&nbsp;</p><p>For large RNA, the Vanquish Amplify UHPLC system delivered 1.25–1.35× higher signal intensity compared to systems with MP35N fluidics, enabling reduced sample consumption and improved quantitative reliability.&nbsp;</p><p>The Vanquish Amplify UHPLC system demonstrated comparable system inertness under the tested conditions for larger RNA fragments (5,000 nt) and slightly better system inertness for smaller fragments (500 nt) in this study than the MaxPeak HPS containing system, based on peak height and area comparisons using an external UV detector</p><h3><strong>5. Waters Corporation / HPLC Symposium: Development and Transfer of Quantitative Analytical Methods using Universal Detectors</strong></h3><ul><li>Poster</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/720009493_8cbe4c3cc2.pdf"><strong>Full PDF for download</strong></a></li></ul><div><div><section><div><div><div><div><div><div><p>Universal detectors such as <strong>Charged Aerosol Detection (CAD)</strong> and <strong>Evaporative Light Scattering Detection (ELSD)</strong> provide valuable alternatives to traditional LC detectors including UV, fluorescence, and mass spectrometry, particularly for analytes lacking chromophores. Although both detectors are suitable for quantitative analysis, they rely on different detection principles—CAD measures the electrical charge transferred to aerosol particles, whereas ELSD detects light scattered by dried analyte particles. Because both detectors exhibit non-linear responses, quantitative methods typically require calibration models such as log-log linear or quadratic regression rather than conventional linear calibration. The poster discusses key considerations for developing robust quantitative methods and highlights the challenges associated with transferring methods between different universal detection platforms.</p><p>To demonstrate detector transferability, the authors migrated a <strong>HILIC method for sugar analysis in fruit juice</strong> from ELSD to CAD. The separation was performed on a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/306"><strong>Waters Arc HPLC System</strong></a> equipped with an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=5&amp;search=XBridge+BEH+Amide"><strong>XBridge BEH Amide</strong></a><strong> (4.6 × 150 mm, 2.5 μm)</strong> column using a water/acetonitrile gradient containing triethylamine. While the chromatographic conditions remained unchanged, CAD detector parameters were optimized. Both detectors produced highly comparable quantitative performance across a calibration range of <strong>50–1000 μg/mL</strong>, achieving calibration coefficients (R²) above <strong>0.995</strong>, area RSD values below <strong>1.5%</strong>, and nearly identical concentrations of fructose, sorbitol, glucose, and sucrose in an apple juice sample. These results demonstrate that quantitative HILIC methods can be successfully transferred between ELSD and CAD with only detector-specific optimization.</p><p>The poster also evaluates method transfer between different CAD platforms using the <strong>USP Deoxycholic Acid assay</strong>. The method was implemented on a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/198"><strong>Waters ACQUITY UPLC H-Class PLUS System</strong></a> with an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/1823"><strong>XBridge BEH C18</strong></a><strong> (4.6 × 150 mm, 3.5 μm)</strong> column and compared against a competing LC/CAD system. After scaling the method according to <strong>USP Chapter &lt;621&gt;</strong>, both systems met all USP system suitability requirements, including repeatability and signal-to-noise criteria. Quantitative results for deoxycholic acid and related impurities were virtually identical, confirming that validated CAD methods can be reliably transferred between different vendors' LC/CAD platforms without compromising analytical performance.</p><p>Overall, the study demonstrates that both ELSD and CAD are robust universal detection techniques for quantitative liquid chromatography. While method transfer between identical detector types is generally straightforward, successful migration between ELSD and CAD—or between different CAD systems—requires careful optimization of detector parameters while preserving chromatographic conditions. The presented workflows illustrate that with appropriate calibration and detector tuning, laboratories can achieve equivalent sensitivity, precision, and quantitative accuracy, facilitating method standardization and transfer across analytical platforms.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></section></div></div>

News from LabRulezLCMS Library - Week 29, 2026

Article

Scientists

Environment

Poster

Since its establishment in 2011, CEITEC has quickly developed into a cutting-edge infrastructure for research which performs highly alongside the best institutes in Europe. Among the main priorities of CEITEC are the promotion of a motivating and dynamic international scientific environment, the provision of state-of-the-art research infrastructure, and the policy of open communication and equal opportunities.

CEITEC

Everything from the world of analytical chemistry in one place. We connect people in solving their problems. At Labrulez you will find all the necessary information easily, quickly and clearly. Stop searching and start finding.

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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

Separation Science

Technology Networks

Phenomenex

Thermo Fisher Scientific

SelectScience

SCIEX

SciY/Mestrelab Research

<h4><strong>Three professors. One topic. New perspectives.</strong></h4><p>We're bringing the classroom straight to you with <strong>From the lecture hall: Mass spectrometry fundamentals.</strong></p><p>This 3-part webinar series brings you inside a virtual classroom led by professors from top-tier institutions, who will break down the basics of mass spectrometry. Zero dull moments and no heavy textbooks required.</p><p>Whether you’re new to mass spectrometry or looking to brush up on your knowledge, you’ll walk away with new perspectives.</p><h5><strong>Join us to learn about:</strong></h5><ul><li>Basic concepts from mass-to-charge ratio to resolution</li><li>Key instrumentation such as triple quadrupoles and time-of-flight systems</li><li>Real-world applications</li><li>Interpreting data with confidence</li></ul><p>It’s not every day you get a seat in a classroom like this.</p><blockquote><p><strong>Speaker: </strong>Deborah French, PhD (University of California San Francisco)</p><p><strong>Speaker:&nbsp;</strong>Alec Saitman, PhD (Oregon Health and Science University)</p><p><strong>Speaker:&nbsp;</strong>Adina Badea, PhD, DABCC (Brown University)</p></blockquote>

SCIEX: From the lecture hall: Mass spectrometry fundamentals

From the lecture hall: Mass spectrometry fundamentals - Part I

Learn mass spectrometry fundamentals in a 3-part webinar series covering instrumentation, data interpretation, and practical applications.

From the lecture hall: Mass spectrometry fundamentals

<h4><strong>Three professors. One topic. New perspectives.</strong></h4><p>We're bringing the classroom straight to you with <strong>From the lecture hall: Mass spectrometry fundamentals.</strong></p><p>This 3-part webinar series brings you inside a virtual classroom led by professors from top-tier institutions, who will break down the basics of mass spectrometry. Zero dull moments and no heavy textbooks required.</p><p>Whether you’re new to mass spectrometry or looking to brush up on your knowledge, you’ll walk away with new perspectives.</p><h5><strong>Join us to learn about:</strong></h5><ul><li>Basic concepts from mass-to-charge ratio to resolution</li><li>Key instrumentation such as triple quadrupoles and time-of-flight systems</li><li>Real-world applications</li><li>Interpreting data with confidence</li></ul><p>It’s not every day you get a seat in a classroom like this.</p><blockquote><p><strong>Speaker:&nbsp;</strong>Alec Saitman, PhD (Oregon Health and Science University)</p></blockquote>

From the lecture hall: Mass spectrometry fundamentals - Part II

From the lecture hall: Mass spectrometry fundamentals II

<p><strong>This webinar is co-hosted by SciY (a Bruker company) and Novalix, who have jointly developed and will deliver the content of the session.</strong></p><p><strong>“Confused” (or perhaps overwhelmed) when hearing semantics, ontologies, schema, knowledge graphs and digital twins? This webinar is different. As experimental scientists, Julien Marin (Novalix) and Anna Codina (SciY) will focus on how automation and AI-powered experimentation are applied in day-to-day experimental settings, from discovery to manufacturing.</strong></p><p>Through concrete examples, we will show how labs are moving beyond isolated automation toward connected, end‑to‑end workflows: integrating data directly from instruments, enriching it with scientific context, applying automated analysis, and using AI to guide the next experimental step.</p><p>We will walk through practical scenarios such as reaction screening, structure verification, and closed loop experimentation, as well as their extension into AI piloted self-contained distributed manufacturing. The emphasis is not on theory, but on what works in practice: what has been built, what has been tested, and what delivers value today.</p><p>Attendees will come away with a clear understanding of how to move from fragmented tools and manual workflows to connected experimentation systems where data, automation, and AI are combined to accelerate decisions.</p><h4><strong>Learning Points</strong></h4><ul><li>What real workflow automation looks like beyond concept diagrams</li><li>How to connect instruments, data, and systems into end-to-end experimental workflows</li><li>How experimental data is captured, structured, and reused to enable automation and AI</li><li>How closed loop experimentation works in practice</li><li>How AI can move from post data analysis to actively guiding experiments and processes</li><li>How these approaches extend from R&amp;D into process optimisation and continuous manufacturing</li></ul><h4><strong>Who should attend</strong></h4><p>This webinar is ideal for professionals who want to move from concepts to real implementation:</p><ul><li>Scientists and lab leads working with automation or high throughput experimentation</li><li>R&amp;D and digital lab leaders looking to turn strategy into execution</li><li>Automation, robotics, and workflow engineering teams</li><li>Data, informatics, and AI teams supporting experimental workflows</li><li>Process development, PAT, and manufacturing innovation teams</li><li>CRO/CDMO leaders interested in scalable, connected experimental platforms</li></ul><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter:</strong> Julien Marin, PhD (Chief Operating Officer, Novalix)</p><p>Julien Marin is Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Novalix. He joined the company in 2006, and, over two decades, has held progressive leadership roles, including Head of Synthetic Chemistry, Business Unit Director for Chemistry, and Director of Research Services.</p><p>Throughout the first part of his career, Julien oversaw collaborations in research services, primarily in drug discovery, within the pharmaceutical sector, but also in agrochemicals, cosmetics, and fine chemicals. He has led multidisciplinary R&amp;D teams in Belgium, France, and Spain, deployed new services, and played a key role in talent development. Currently, Julien is contributing to developing the Novalix strategic roadmap and ensuring its deployment and implementation across the company.</p><p>Julien holds a PhD in Chemistry from Strasbourg University and a Master’s degree in Strategic Business Unit Management from HEC Paris. He completed postdoctoral training with S. Hanessian at the University of Montreal, where he worked on various projects in asymmetric synthesis and medicinal chemistry, including a drug discovery program with a pharmaceutical company.</p></blockquote><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter:</strong> Anna Codina, Ph.D. (Senior Director Strategy and Business Development, SciY)</p><p>Anna Codina is Senior Director of Strategy and Business Development at SciY, where she focuses on enabling data-driven orchestration across the pharmaceutical value chain. With a background in experimental science, analytical development, and digital innovation, she works at the intersection of data, automation, and AI to accelerate scientific workflows and decision-making.</p><p>Anna holds a Ph.D. in protein NMR from the University of Barcelona and completed postdoctoral research at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. She spent seven years in Analytical R&amp;D at Pfizer, specializing in reaction monitoring, impurity characterization, and regulatory submissions, and was recognized with a Pfizer Worldwide Achievement Award for implementing NMR-based reaction monitoring in an open-access environment.</p><p>Since joining Bruker, Anna has held multiple leadership roles across applications, product management, and biopharma business development and market management. In her current role at SciY, she drives strategy for vendor-agnostic data platforms and digital solutions that connect instruments, robotics, and enterprise systems enabling orchestration, AI-powered experimentation and scalable workflows across R&amp;D, CROs/CDMOs, and manufacturing.</p></blockquote>

SciY: No More Boxes on Slides. Examples of Workflow Orchestration and Their Impact from R&D to Production on Demand

No More Boxes on Slides. Examples of Workflow Orchestration and Their Impact from R&D to Production on Demand

Learn how SciY and Novalix apply AI-powered automation to experimental workflows. Move from isolated tools to connected, closed-loop R&D systems

Connected Experimentation: Lab Automation and AI in Practice

<p><strong>Metabolomics is a core pillar of modern systems biology, offering deep insights into the dynamic metabolic phenotypes that underpin human health and disease. Realizing its full potential requires generating high-quality and reproducible representations of complex metabolomes and enabling accurate comparison among them.</strong></p><p>In this SelectScience® TechTalk, Dr. Matthew Lewis, Bruker Daltonics' Vice President of Metabolomics &amp; Lipidomics, makes the case that metabolomics advances when quality is in focus. With the timsMetabo™ and its 4D data richness as the foundation, he examines what it takes to achieve confidence at scale, employing advanced quality control to monitor measurement precision, annotation scoring to ensure accurate connection to biochemical processes, and hybrid workflows that allow quantitation and discovery to thrive on the same platform.</p><p>The timsMetabo's multidimensional, AI-ready data and the digital metabolome archive turns the question from: Have I ever seen this before? into an executable query, using MetaboScape to connect spectra and annotations across distinct studies. Dr. Lewis sets out how this connected future is taking shape, and why Bruker, as a full solutions provider, is best positioned to deliver it.</p><p>By registering, you will learn how this connected approach reduces re‑runs, strengthens data comparability across studies, and equips you to generate the robust, AI‑ready datasets that accelerate discovery and support more reliable systems‑level insights.</p><p><strong>Certificate of attendance</strong><br>If you attend the live TechTalk, you will automatically receive a certificate of attendance, including a learning outcomes summary, for continuing education purposes. If you view the on-demand TechTalk, you can request a certificate of attendance by emailing editor@selectscience.net.</p><p><strong>TechTalk details</strong></p><ul><li>Cost: Free to attend</li><li>Location: Online</li><li>Duration: 20 minutes</li></ul><p><i>Registration is required to secure your place. If you register but can’t attend live, you will receive a link to the on‑demand recording once it becomes available.</i></p><blockquote><p><strong>Speaker: </strong>Dr. Matthew Lewis (Vice President, Metabolomics &amp; Lipidomics, Bruker Daltonics)</p><p>For the past 25 years, Dr. Matthew Lewis has pursued his interests in better understanding biochemical processes and improving the analytical tools and techniques used to measure them. At Imperial College London, he served as the chief operating officer of the UK's National Phenome Centre and head of the academic section of Bioanalytical Chemistry in the Faculty of Medicine. Here, he worked to advance the understanding of human disease phenotypes using advanced bioanalytical and data analysis techniques for metabolic profiling at a previously unprecedented scale.</p><p>Lewis transitioned to industry in 2022 to more directly further the development of research-enabling solutions through his role at Bruker Daltonics. He takes great pleasure in extensive engagement in interdisciplinary team science and large-scale scientific collaborations, supporting advancements in the fields of metabolomics and lipidomics.</p></blockquote>

Bruker: Building confidence at scale in 4D‑Metabolomics with data quality, depth and connectivity in focus

Building confidence at scale in 4D‑Metabolomics with data quality, depth and connectivity in focus

Discover Bruker's 4D-metabolomics workflows. Learn how timsMetabo delivers high-quality, AI-ready datasets and robust annotations via MetaboScape.

Building Confidence at Scale in 4D-Metabolomics

<p><strong>Environmental monitoring programs depend on accurate fungal identification to support contamination investigations, trend analysis, and risk assessment. However, some fungal isolates can be difficult to characterize using routine methods, creating uncertainty and potentially requiring additional testing or external resources. As manufacturing environments become more complex, laboratories are seeking reliable approaches to improve confidence in fungal characterization.</strong></p><p>In this webinar, experts will examine current challenges in fungal identification and discuss practical strategies for achieving more consistent species-level characterization. Attendees will gain insights into considerations that can help strengthen environmental monitoring workflows and support informed decision-making.</p><h5><strong>Attend this webinar to:</strong></h5><ul><li>Review comparative performance data for molecular assays targeting the full ITS, D2, and ITS2 regions across a representative panel of environmental fungal isolates</li><li>Understand the role of target region selection and reference library design in supporting species-level fungal characterization</li><li>Explore common challenges associated with characterizing difficult fungal isolates within environmental monitoring workflows</li></ul><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter: </strong>Christian Reuter, PhD (Field Applications Scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific)</p><p>&nbsp;Dr. Reuter is a field applications scientist with Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Pharma Analytics team. In this role, Christian is responsible for providing technical support and expertise to BioProduction customers across Central Europe.&nbsp;</p></blockquote>

Thermo Fisher Scientific: Advancing Confidence in Fungal Identification Workflows

Advancing Confidence in Fungal Identification Workflows

Learn strategies for accurate fungal identification in environmental monitoring. Compare ITS and D2 assays for robust species-level characterization

Advanced Fungal Identification in Environmental Workflows

<p><strong>High‑throughput LC‑MS/MS workflows using complex matrices are often limited by column degradation, leading to poor peak shape, rising backpressure, and unplanned downtime that impact productivity and cost. &nbsp;Endrix LC columns address these challenges through a hardware‑driven approach, combining proven Kinetex and Luna Omega chemistries with proprietary design to extend usable column lifetime without compromising performance. &nbsp;Real‑world results from a 75‑analyte pain management panel demonstrate significantly increased column lifetime while maintaining consistent chromatographic integrity. &nbsp;By reducing column replacement frequency and minimizing troubleshooting, Endrix enables greater instrument uptime, improved efficiency, and lower cost per injection in demanding, high‑throughput workflows.</strong></p><h4><strong>Key Learning Points</strong></h4><ul><li>Identify key factors that limit LC column lifetime in high‑throughput and complex‑matrix workflows</li><li>Understand how hardware design impacts column durability, beyond stationary‑phase chemistry</li><li>Implement strategies to extend column lifetime, reduce downtime, and lower cost per injection</li><li>Assess when guard columns are optional and how to simplify workflows without sacrificing performance</li></ul><h4><strong>Who Should Attend</strong></h4><ul><li>Any LC-MS/MS scientists in clinical, toxicology, and pharmaceutical laboratories, as well as analytical chemists working with complex or “dirty” matrices such as urine, plasma, and tissue samples.</li></ul><h4><strong>Viewing Options</strong></h4><h5><strong>Session 1</strong></h5><p><strong>Tuesday, July 21, 2026</strong></p><ul><li>Los Angeles: 10:00 AM PT | New York: 1:00 PM EST<br>Mexico City: 12:00 PM CDT</li></ul><h5><strong>Session 2</strong></h5><p><strong>Wednesday, July 22, 2026</strong></p><ul><li>London: 9:00 AM BST | Berlin: 10:00 AM CEST&nbsp;<br>Mumbai: 1:30 PM IST</li></ul><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter: </strong>Grace Guo &nbsp;(Senior Technical Specialist, Phenomenex)</p><p>&nbsp;Grace Guo graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Master’s degree in Material Science and Engineering. She joined Phenomenex Technical Team in 2017 providing technical support globally. With more than 9 years of experience in SPE, HPLC and GC, she delivered 90+ seminars and webinars globally covering food and environmental, clinical, pharma and biopharma industry.&nbsp;</p></blockquote>

Phenomenex: From Downtime to Data: How Long‑Life Endrix Columns Transform High‑Throughput Labs

From Downtime to Data: How Long‑Life Endrix Columns Transform High‑Throughput Labs

Discover how Phenomenex Endrix LC columns transform high-throughput workflows. Extend column lifetime and maintain peak shape in complex-matrix LC-MS

Long-Life Endrix LC Columns for High-Throughput Labs

<div><div container-id="cq-colctrl-lt0" comp-id="A1"><div><p><strong>Sterility testing remains a critical component of batch release and overall sterility assurance. This webinar provides a practical overview of compendial approaches, linking method selection, media considerations, and workflow execution to product-specific needs. Participants will explore testing strategies aligned with USP General Chapter &lt;71&gt; Sterility Testing alongside modern, rapid approaches, with emphasis on risk-based decision-making, operational efficiency, and alignment with key microbiological chapters to support robust, compliant sterility programs.</strong></p><h5><strong>Learning Objectives:</strong></h5><ul><li>Explain sterility testing within a holistic sterility assurance strategy</li><li>Differentiate methods based on product characteristics</li><li>Select appropriate media and evaluate bottled formats</li><li>Identify critical controls in traditional sterility testing workflows</li><li>Describe principles and benefits of rapid sterility methods</li></ul><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter: </strong>Leslie Furr, Principal Scientist, United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP)</p><p>Leslie Furr is a Principal Scientist in the Microbiology Unit at the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP). She has been with USP since 2018, serving as a documentary standards scientist for the Microbiology Expert Committee (MEC). In this role, she contributes to the development and revision of microbiology standards and guidance for global stakeholders. Leslie also serves as the primary liaison for the Endotoxins and Pyrogens Subcommittee, an MEC subcommittee focused on documentary standards for this topic.</p><p>She holds a B.S. in Microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and an M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Florida. Leslie has been certified by the American Society for Microbiology as a Specialist Microbiologist in Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices since 2012.</p><p>Prior to joining USP, she spent 14 years in the pharmaceutical industry as a Senior Microbiologist, focusing on method development, research and development, and manufacturing support.</p></blockquote></div></div></div>

Thermo Fisher Scientific: Sterility testing remains a critical component of batch release and overall sterility assurance

Sterility testing remains a critical component of batch release and overall sterility assurance

Learn sterility testing strategies, compendial and rapid methods, media selection, and risk-based approaches for pharmaceutical quality assurance.

Sterility testing 

<div><div container-id="cq-colctrl-lt0" comp-id="A1"><div><p><strong>Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates (AOCs) represent a growing class of next-generation biotherapeutics, offering targeted delivery of highly potent payloads. However, their structural complexity—combining proteins, linkers, and small molecule or oligonucleotide components—introduces significant analytical challenges, including characterization of labile modifications, payload distribution, and low-abundance species.</strong></p><p>This webinar will showcase advanced LC-MS workflows designed to address these challenges, enabling comprehensive characterization at multiple levels, from native intact mass and subunit analyses to peptide mapping and oligonucleotide profiling. Leveraging high-sensitivity detection and complementary fragmentation approaches, these workflows support detailed insight into critical quality attributes, conjugation sites, and structural heterogeneity.</p><p>Attendees will learn how integrated LC-MS strategies can streamline analysis, enhance detection of low-level variants, and provide deeper structural confidence for complex conjugated therapeutics. By enabling robust and scalable characterization, these approaches support informed decision-making throughout development, from early discovery to process optimization.</p><h5><strong>By attending this webinar, you will:</strong></h5><ul><li>Understand key analytical challenges in ADC and AOC characterization, including structural heterogeneity, labile modifications, and detection of low abundance species&nbsp;</li><li>Learn how advanced LC MS workflows, including native SEC MS, intact and subunit analysis, peptide mapping, and oligonucleotide profiling, enable comprehensive, multi-level characterization</li><li>Explore how high-sensitivity detection and advanced fragmentation strategies support deeper structural insight, including payload localization, PTM characterization, and isomer differentiation</li></ul><h5><strong>Who should attend?</strong></h5><ul><li>Analytical and bioanalytical scientists working on ADCs, AOCs, and other complex biotherapeutics&nbsp;</li><li>Process development and CMC teams looking to better understand product heterogeneity and critical quality attributes&nbsp;</li><li>Mass spectrometry users and lab leaders seeking deeper structural insight with high-sensitivity LC MS and native SEC MS workflows</li></ul><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter: </strong>Haichuan Liu PhD (Staff Scientist – Biopharma | SCIEX)</p><p>Haichuan Liu is currently a Staff Scientist at SCIEX. He specializes in the characterization of antibody- and oligonucleotide-based therapeutics using a variety of LC-MS approaches. Haichuan is an author of over 50 peer-reviewed articles. He has also published numerous technical notes on biotherapeutic characterization.</p><p><strong>Presenter: </strong>Jingwen Ding (Senior Technical Product Manager | SCIEX)</p><p>Jingwen Ding is a Senior Technical Product Manager at SCIEX, where she is focused on the development and refinement of icIEF-UV/MS workflows to address the need for reliable charge heterogeneity information. She earned her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Connecticut and her undergraduate degree from Nankai University.</p></blockquote></div></div></div>

SeparationScience: Novel Conjugated Therapeutics Demand New Analytics: LC‑MS Approaches for ADCs and AOCs

Novel Conjugated Therapeutics Demand New Analytics: LC‑MS Approaches for ADCs and AOCs

LC-MS workflows designed to address novel ADCs / AOCs challenges including characterization of labile modifications, payload distribution

LC‑MS Approaches for ADCs and AOCs

<div><p><strong>The rapid rise of glucagon‑like peptide‑1 receptor agonists (GLP‑1 RAs) has transformed the peptide therapeutics landscape, driven by their success in diabetes and obesity treatment and expanding potential across metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. As demand accelerates, biopharma QC teams face increasing pressure to perform high‑confidence GLP‑1 RA impurity profiling. These complex peptides require robust, well‑characterized analytical methods to ensure product quality, support regulatory expectations, and maintain lifecycle control.</strong></p><p>Discover in this SelectScience webinar with Pawel Bigos, Senior Scientist, Waters Corporation, how a case study using Exenatide, a GLP‑1 RA used in type 2 diabetes therapy, uncovered 20 impurity peaks through a streamlined, risk‑based approach for developing lifecycle‑ready liquid chromatography (LC) methods. Bigos will demonstrate how applying analytical quality‑by‑design (AQbD) risk assessments, Design of Experiments (DoE), and Method Operable Design Regions (MODRs) enables deeper method understanding.</p><p>Bigos will also explore peak‑tracking strategies, orthogonal mass detection, Pareto analysis, and resolution mapping, which together provide a blueprint for high‑confidence impurity profiling in complex peptide therapeutics.</p><h4><strong>Who should attend?</strong></h4><ul><li>Professionals in biopharmaceuticals</li><li>Quality control professionals</li><li>Quality assurance professionals</li><li>GLP-1 researchers</li></ul><h4><strong>What will this webinar cover?</strong></h4><ul><li>How to apply AQbD principles to GLP-1 impurity method development by using risk assessments and DoE to systematically build robust, lifecycle-ready methods.</li><li>Strategies for identifying and resolving complex peptide impurities using orthogonal mass detection, Pareto analysis, and data-driven optimization tools to improve peak tracking and separation performance.</li><li>How to develop scalable, reproducible methods for routine testing by establishing method design spaces and transferring optimized methods across UPLC and HPLC platforms.</li></ul><h4><strong>Join the webinar to get answers to these questions:</strong></h4><ul><li>How can AQbD principles and risk assessments be applied to develop robust GLP-1 RA impurity methods?</li><li>How does DoE help to systematically optimize GLP-1 impurity profiling?</li><li>What strategies improve the identification and resolution of complex peptide impurities?</li><li>How can orthogonal mass detection and Pareto analysis enhance peak tracking and separation?</li><li>How do you establish method design spaces to transfer optimized methods across UPLC and HPLC platforms for routine testing?</li></ul><h5><strong>Certificate of attendance</strong></h5><ul><li>If you attend the live webinar, you will automatically receive a certificate of attendance, including a learning outcomes summary, for continuing education purposes.</li><li>If you view the on-demand webinar, you can request a certificate of attendance by emailing editor@selectscience.net.</li></ul><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter:</strong> Pawel Bigos (Senior Scientist, Waters Corporation)</p><p>Pawel Bigos is a Senior Scientist at Waters Corporation in the QA/QC Biologics group in Milford, Massachusetts. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of South Florida. Prior to Waters, Bigos gained valuable experience at Frequency Therapeutics, Novartis, and Symbiotic Research. Since joining Waters in 2022, he has concentrated on biomolecule separations and plays a critical role in providing analytical support in the development, commercialization, and application of Waters' innovative products.</p><p><strong>Moderator:</strong> Olivia Long (Editorial Team, SelectScience)</p><p>Olivia Long is a science editor specializing in pharmaceutical and applied science. She has a BSc in Pharmacology, and an MSc in Neuroscience, where she investigated neuro‑oncology drug‑resistance pathways using patient‑derived cell models. Her laboratory experience spans R&amp;D hygiene testing, controlled‑environment sample production, and protocol development, giving her a broad understanding of analytical workflows and the scientific principles underpinning GLP-1 impurity profiling</p></blockquote></div>

Waters Corporation: Accelerate GLP-1 impurity profiling with Analytical Quality by Design (AQbD)

Accelerate GLP-1 impurity profiling with Analytical Quality by Design (AQbD)

Discover AQbD, DoE, and LC-MS strategies for robust GLP-1 RA impurity profiling and lifecycle-ready LC methods for peptide therapeutics.

GLP-1 impurity profiling with Analytical Quality by Design

<div><div container-id="cq-colctrl-lt0" comp-id="A1"><div><p><strong>UV detection has traditionally been the standard approach for protein analysis in capillary electrophoresis (CE) workflows used in biopharmaceutical development and quality control. However, fluorescence-based detection methods are increasingly being adopted to address analytical challenges that require greater sensitivity and selectivity.</strong></p><p>In this live webinar, you will learn how the two main fluorescence detection approaches used in CE—native fluorescence (NF) and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF)—work and where they can provide advantages over conventional UV detection. Through practical application examples, we will explore how fluorescence detection can support protein characterization workflows, including charge heterogeneity and fragment analysis.</p><h4><strong>What you will learn</strong></h4><ul><li>The principles of native fluorescence (NF) and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection in CE</li><li>Key differences between fluorescence and UV detection methods</li><li>When fluorescence detection can provide greater sensitivity and selectivity</li><li>Applications of NF and LIF for protein analysis in biopharmaceutical workflows</li><li>Real-world examples of charge heterogeneity and fragment analysis using fluorescence detection</li><li>Considerations for selecting the most appropriate detection strategy for your analytical goals</li></ul><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter: </strong>Stephen Lock (Sr. Market Development Manager – Biopharma, SCIEX)</p><p>Steve obtained his PhD in Physical Organic Chemistry from the University College of Swansea in 1993 and is a chartered chemist and a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.</p><p>He has worked for SCIEX in various technical roles for over 20 years and has presented at over 80 international meetings around the world.</p><p>He currently works closely with customers in the biopharmaceutical industry. Steve is also currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pannonia.</p></blockquote></div></div></div>

SCIEX: Understanding the benefits of fluorescence detection in capillary electrophoresis (CE)

Understanding the benefits of fluorescence detection in capillary electrophoresis (CE)

Explore NF and LIF detection in capillary electrophoresis for biopharma protein analysis, charge heterogeneity and fragment analysis.

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