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This week's Mass Spec News

The Impactful 2024 Power List; how gut disruptions can lead to obesity and more…

08/23/2024 | 3 min read | News

The Analytical Scientist Power List 2024 shines a spotlight on 60 trailblazing scientists whose contributions span health, environmental protection, and technological innovation.

Leading the way in scientific impact are mass spectrometrists, who are making remarkable strides in addressing some of humanity's most urgent challenges.

From Perdita Barran’s MS-based diagnostics for Parkinson’s disease and Gary Siuzdak’s metabolomics work to Damia Barcelo Culleres’ and Diana Aga’s planet protecting research on emerging contaminants like PFAS, mass spectrometry is at the forefront of clinical and environmental research.

This year, we also emphasize the crucial role of Instrumental Innovators, who may go under the radar – especially those outside of academia. The pioneering work of individuals such as Alexander Makarov, Ljiljana Pasa-Tolic, and Gunda Kollensperger (to name just a few) has not only enhanced the capabilities of mass spectrometry, but also paved the way for transformative research and practical applications across various fields. Recognizing their impact is essential to appreciating the full scope of innovation in our community.

You can view here the full list of remarkable scientists who are driving innovation and making a difference in mass spectrometry – and beyond.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF) and gut microbiome disruptions are both associated with metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Could there be a link between all three?

Researchers from Penn State combined mass spec, metagenomics, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to analyze the impact of early-life TCDF exposure on gut microbiota and metabolic health.

MS-based metabolomics revealed reduced levels of A. muciniphila – a beneficial gut microbe – and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in TCDF-exposed mice, as well as decreased gut hormones – suggesting POP exposure leads to significant disruptions in microbiome structure and function.

“Our work in mice demonstrates that early life exposure to an environmental pollutant may increase the risk of metabolic disorders later in life through disruption of the gut microbiome,” concluded the authors in their paper.

Canadian researchers use mass spectrometry-based proteomics to analyze and reconstruct animal diets from Early Dynastic Mesopotamia – for the first time. Link

Coupling the Orbitrap with data-independent acquisition, Noah Lancaster and colleagues successfully map 30,000 human and 81,120 mouse phosphorylation sites rapidly. Link

A new LC-ESI-HRMS workflow could help monitor restricted chemicals in recycled textile, after successfully detecting 49 textile substances – including six regulated PMT chemicals. Link

SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in transplant recipients are similar to those in immunocompetent individuals, suggests study employing Ig-MS – an MS-based serological approach. Link

Scientists from the University of Turin successfully detect 25 PFAS – with more than 80 percent recovery rate – from dried blood spots with UHPLC-MS. Link

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