<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

How Separation Science Is Taught vs. How It’s Actually Used

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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.

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<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>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

<div><h4><strong>Latest advances in RT-MALS</strong></h4><p><strong>The ultraDAWN RT-MALS sensor integrates inline or online with downstream unit operations to monitor essential biophysical attributes such as molecular weight, nanoparticle size, physical titer and – for AAV or similar small viral vectors/VLPs – full capsid ratio, empty and full titer and more. Now, with the addition of an embedded dynamic light scattering (DLS) module, an ultraDAWN reveals even more product attributes in real time: hydrodynamic size and polydispersity.</strong></p><p>In addition to RT-DLS, we introduce the latest RT-MALS product – ultraDAWN Pilot - designed for inline operation with pilot scale DSP unit ops such as preparative chromatography or LNP-mRNA encapsulation.</p><h4><strong>What you will learn:</strong></h4><ul><li>How RT-MALS/RT-DLS accelerates process development, deepens process knowledge and enables model-free, CQA-based process control for recombinant proteins, viral vectors, LNPs and polysaccharide conjugate vaccines</li><li>How the ultraDAWN integrates with DSP unit ops inline at bench scale, and online at any scale.</li><li>How the ultraDAWN’s high measurement frequency means more complete process characterization and faster feedback for process control.</li><li>How the ultraDAWN Pilot enables smooth transfer of light-scattering-based PAT methods from PD to production.</li></ul><h4><strong>Who should attend?</strong></h4><p>This webinar is designed for :</p><ul><li>Scientists, Engineers, PAT leads and MSAT personnel involved in downstream process development or production of recombinant proteins, viral vectors, VLPs, LNPs, biologics, polysaccharides, etc.</li><li>CDMO, CRO and other organization who are interested in streamlining process development and production.</li></ul><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter: </strong>Daniel Some, Ph. D.<strong> </strong>(Sr. Principal Product Manager, Waters | Wyatt Technology)</p><p>Dan Some currently leads product, application and market development for Waters’ real-time light scattering product line.</p><p>Previously he contributed to Wyatt’s scientific and technical marketing, and developed instrumentation and software for characterizing biomolecular interactions.</p><p>Dan obtained his Ph.D. in physics from Brown University, then carried out postdoctoral research at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Weizmann Institute of Science. Prior to joining Wyatt he was involved in defense technology and the semiconductor industry.</p></blockquote><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter:&nbsp;</strong>Udayabagya (Bud) Halim (Sr. Product Marketing Analyst, Waters Corporation)</p><p>Bud Halimis a senior marketing analyst at Waters | Wyatt Technology with a PhD in physical chemistry from UCLA.</p><p>He began his career teaching biochemistry and chemistry and contributing to laboratory manuals before transitioning into the scientific instrumentation industry as an applications scientist.</p><p>At Waters, he supports researchers in the characterization of peptides, biologics, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), and viral vectors.</p></blockquote></div>

Waters Corporation: Scale up, see more - latest advances in real-time light scattering as inline/online PAT for downstream bioprocess

Scale up, see more: latest advances in real-time light scattering as inline/online PAT for downstream bioprocess

Learn how ultraDAWN RT-MALS and RT-DLS accelerate bioprocess development. Monitor CQAs like full/empty capsid ratios and LNP size in real time

Real-Time Light Scattering (RT-MALS) as Bioprocess PAT

<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>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>When (bio)pharma formulation components have little or no UV response, HPLC methods can take longer to develop and optimize, become harder to transfer, and leave uncertainty around critical results. The right universal LC detector can help reduce method development effort, improve detection confidence, and support more robust routine workflows.</strong></p><p>Using one of the most challenging formulation excipients to characterize as a concrete example, we will walk you through how to analyze Polysorbate 80 using <strong>Thermo Scientific™ Vanquish™ Charged Aerosol Detector (CAD) </strong>and compare with results generated by ELSD. Additional case studies from lipid nanoparticle sample testing will show how the two detectors compare in practice, explain key differences in parameter settings, and offer practical advice on how to evolve your methods from ELSD to CAD.</p><p>Join us for a practical guide to evaluate a more robust path for detecting challenging analytes in your formulation.</p><h4><strong>Who should attend:</strong></h4><ul><li><strong>HPLC users who rely on ELSD</strong> but struggle with time-consuming optimization, sensitivity limits, noisy baselines, reproducibility, or transfer of methods into QC</li><li><strong>Analytical development, QC, and formulation teams </strong>working with complex (bio)pharma excipients, polysorbates, lipid nanoparticle formulations, related lipids, impurities, degradants, or other analytes with little or no UV response.</li></ul><h4><strong>Attendees will gain practical strategies to:</strong></h4><ul><li><strong>Improve detection confidence</strong> for low-abundance, non-chromophoric analytes</li><li><strong>Build more robust, transferable HPLC methods</strong> for development and QC workflows</li><li><strong>Reduce method transfer risk </strong>by understanding which detector settings affect ELSD-to-CAD performance</li></ul><p><strong>Register now to gain practical guidance for improving confidence in universal HPLC detection.</strong></p><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter: </strong>Chris John, PhD (Research Scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific)</p><p>Chris John received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Michigan State University in 2019. He then joined PPD’s Biopharmaceuticals Method Development team where he led the development and validation of HPLC methods for quantifying excipients, impurities, and APIs in biopharmaceutical products. Chris later transferred to PPD’s Cell and Gene Therapy group as an HPLC subject matter expert where he continues to lead method development and validation activities.</p></blockquote><blockquote><p><strong>Presenter: </strong>Adam Punke (Sr. Research Scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific)</p><p>Adam Punke has 15+ years of experience conducting HPLC/UPLC analyses in a GMP Environment. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology at the University of Wisconsin, he joined PPD’s inhalation department and performed testing to support stability studies of dry powder inhaled (DPI) products.</p><p>In 2011, Adam transitioned to PPD’s Biopharmaceuticals group to lead stability testing associated with a protein-based DPI. In 2015 Adam earned his master’s degree in chemistry from the University of North Carolina.</p><p>He is currently an HPLC subject matter expert in the method development and validation team in the PPD Gene and Cell Therapy department where he oversees method development/validation projects and provides internal support to troubleshoot chromatographic issues.</p></blockquote></div></div></div>

Thermo Fisher Scientific: How to save time and gain confidence in complex excipient analysis with universal LC detection

How to save time and gain confidence in complex excipient analysis with universal LC detection

Discover how Vanquish CAD improves HPLC detection of non-UV analytes and compare its performance with ELSD for biopharmaceutical analysis.

Save time and gain confidence with universal LC detection

<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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