Structure 2013

RSC Molecular Spectroscopy & NMR Discussion Groups with the British Mass Spectrometry Society:

Structure 2013

Detection, Identification & Elucidation at Low Level

26-27^th Feb, 2013

Loughborough, UK.

Building on the success of the inaugural “Structure” meeting in 2010 (Advances in Structure Elucidation), the second in this series of meetings was held at Burleigh Court, Loughborough University in February. The meeting was again a collaboration between the Molecular Spectroscopy and NMR Discussion Groups of the RSC and the BMSS, to bring together colleagues from across the UK in a joint cross-disciplinary meeting.

The theme for the 2^nd Structure meeting was “Detection, Identification and Elucidation at low level”, which is a challenge we are faced with more and more often, searching for lower limits of detection and pushing instrument sensitivity to its maximum capability. The meeting brought together delegates from industry and academia along with instrument vendors, software manufacturers and consumables suppliers to enjoy a series of plenary and invited lectures, a poster session, software seminars, instrument manufacturer presentations and the all important conference dinner!

Highlights from the invited speakers include the opening lecture by Prof David Cowan (Kings College, UK) who gave an excellent lecture covering the many advances that were made in order to deliver a world-class anti-doping analytical service for the London 2012 Olympics, achieving their primary goal of establishing a programme of such strength that helped deter drug misuse. This was followed by Dr Tony Bristow (AZ, UK) taking us through some of the latest advances in the Mass Spectrometry world, including novel ion source designs, on-line mass spectrometry, advanced mass analysers and novel techniques for structural characterization.

After Lunch, Prof. John Lindon (Imperial College, UK) gave our first plenary lecture on NMR- and MS-based based metabolic profiling (metabonomics) for disease diagnosis & prognosis and highlighted new developments in metabolic phenotyping to assist the goal of achieving stratified or more personalised healthcare. Following a minor geographical error, the program was switched around with Dr Andy Phillips (AZ, UK) next up describing advances in NMR Spectroscopy which have been employed to enable the analysis of genotoxic impurities and cleaning validation methodologies at ppm levels, so challenging the perception of NMR’s insensitivity. Prof. Jorg Baumbach then presented the first IMS lecture covering analysis of volatile metabolites in human & animal exhaled breath, with detection limits down to pg/L using ion mobility spectrometry coupled to multi-capillary columns. There then followed software seminars from ACD/Labs and MestreLab Research before the poster session and drinks reception leading to dinner.

The 2^nd day commenced with the 2^nd plenary speaker, Prof. Michael Phillips presenting his researcher into breath test analysis for biomarker and disease screening, describing the intricacies of analysing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath at very low (ppb-ppt) concentrations. There then followed two complimentary talks from Prof. Aldrik Velders (Wageningen University, Netherlands) on “Nanolitre NMR Spectroscopy” and Prof. Peter Fielden (University of Lancaster, UK) about “Analysis with Low Cost Sensing Systems”. Both speakers talked about miniaturisation approaches to sample analysis including microfluidic chip designs for NMR in the lower nanoliter range and the use of microseparations, such as chip-based isotachophoresis.

The final session of Structure 2013 began with Dr. G. John Langley (University of Southampton, UK) describing his research into the analysis of biodiesel using of HPLC-MS, GC-MS and SFC-MS (and MS-MS) to aid structural elucidation. The meeting was brought to a close by Simon Noble (Quotient Bioresearch, UK) giving a lecture covering the development and validation of sensitive MS based bioanalytical methods and the challenges faced in the extraction, chromatography and detection of very small amount of material.

The meeting gave some great insights into just what is achievable at the very limits of detection and provided an excellent networking opportunity for colleagues from diverse backgrounds.

Full details of the program and speakers can be found on the Structure 2013 website, www.structure2013.org.uk and the organising committee would like to thank all the exhibitors and sponsors for their support in making the 2^nd Structure another great success.