The seminar aims to provide a broad coverage of some of the key life sciences applications currently under active investigation and to describe some of the wide range of mass spectrometry approaches that offer insight into them. Selenium speciation has been highlighted as a topic
that is currently generating considerable interest in this field, particularly for the possibilities it may offer in cancer prevention and treatment. The programme has been balanced to provide an overview of both the life sciences applications and the current methodology together with
research reports of the most recent and important advances in the field. The speakers are acknowledged leaders in their respective topics, both from the UK and overseas. A small
exhibition and poster display will provide an opportunity during the day for networking and to hear about recent developments in instrumentation.
Introduction:
Many common metals and other elements have long been recognised to have both beneficial and harmful effects on the environment and health. Clearly, this depends not only on their concentration but also on their chemical form and the toxicity of a wide range of such compounds is documented. It is also now well understood that more subtle, but extremely important, effects can arise from the presence of a wide variety of organo-metallic compounds (species) and complex bio-molecules containing metallic or semi-metallic elements. As a result, applications of speciation analysis have been growing steadily over the past 10 years. Initially, priority lay with environmental issues but in recent years there has been growing interest in the life sciences, particularly in nutritional, health and clinical applications.
A wide range of analytical techniques have been applied to problems in these areas but mass spectrometry has been by far the most extensive and successful. Early speciation applications were based on organic mass spectrometry coupled to gas or liquid chromatography but today use of ICP-MS with the same hyphenated separation techniques is also of major importance, including speciation analysis of phosphorus and sulphur compounds. In many cases the two approaches provide complementary information, particularly when dealing with new or unidentified species, and it has become increasingly common to bring both to bear on the same problem. The development of separation systems compatible with both mass spectrometry techniques has added to the value, and ease of use, of this approach. In many cases the species of interest are labile, necessitating the development of appropriate extraction and cleanup procedures as well as state of the art separation science and mass spectrometry
This important topic should be of direct concern to a wide range of researchers in the health, pharmaceutical, chemical and life sciences sectors, as well as academic groups and instrument suppliers. The meeting will also enable interested users, legislators, industrialists and other stakeholders to obtain a broad overview of current applications and recent advances in the field as well as to meet informally with key players.
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