Storming the Fort
We spoke to co-chair Kevin Schug about the 43rd International Symposium on Capillary Chromatography and the 16th GC×GC Symposium – aka “Riva in Texas”
How is the program looking?
ISCC and GC×GC is known for showcasing the latest advances in capillary and comprehensive separation sciences, and this year is no exception. We have worked hard to bring together a high-impact scientific program filled with the key opinion leaders you would expect, as well as a host of new faces. Topics I’m particularly looking forward to include new GC detector technologies, portable microscale and microchip GC and LC platforms, cannabis analysis, on-line
comprehensive LC×LC, bio/omics, and petrochemical analysis.
What’s new this year?
The symposia will feature dedicated discussion sessions on GCxGC, state-of-the-art capillary LC, and GC column selection. In GC×GC, one question to be answered is whether this rapidly evolving technology is ready for prime-time in routine industrial applications. For capillary LC, going smaller has some major benefits chromatographically, but few commercial sources of capillary columns exist – we want to explore why the technology appears to be taking longer to adopt than it should. The plethora of column choices can be bewildering in GC, with continual advancements in column chemistries. In this session, experts from industry and academia will discuss practical aspects to choosing the right column for your application.
What else is going on?
We have a record number of posters that will be on display this year, with numerous poster prizes, an engaging vendor exhibition and many opportunities to network through a Texas-style social program. If you are newer to the field of separation science, short courses on GC×GC, capillary LC, ionic liquids in analytical chemistry, basic HPLC, and sample preparation for capillary chromatography are available. Join us on Sunday and Monday to prime your pump for the whirlwind of great science to follow throughout the week. I could go on and on about the location in the heart of walkable and historic downtown Fort Worth, the plans for happy hours and conference dinners to facilitate networking and information exchange, the line-up of breakfast and lunch-time vendor seminars where all of the latest commercial developments will be highlighted, the awards and plenary program featuring the brightest minds in separation science… suffice to say I’m very excited and looking forward to seeing you there!
ISCC & GC×GC 2019 will be held May 13–16 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, www.isccgcxgc.com.
Look out for highlights from the event in forthcoming issues.
After studying biology at Imperial College London, I got my start in biomedical publishing as a commissioning editor for healthcare journals, and I’ve spent my career covering everything from early-stage research to clinical medicine.
