10 FAQs to Get You Started on Your MS Journey Published: October 30, 2023 by Jean-Philippe Couture, PhD, Scientific Sales Manager Mass spectrometry is a pretty complex science. In fact, it is so complex that some scientists even try to stay away from it and turn to basic molecular techniques to get answers to their questions. Well, fear no more! We’re about to answer 10 of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) on mass spectrometry to demystify these amazing instruments (and secretly make you like it!). Question 1: What is a mass spectrometer? A mass spectrometer is a fancy scale. Of cours ..read more

Why should you choose Sherbrooke? Choosing the place where you want to establish your roots can be a difficult decision. Whether it’s to move your family, to get a new job, or simply to change your environment, it’s a decision that leaves no one indifferent. Will I have access to my favorite activities? Will I have all the necessary services nearby? Is it a place where I can settle my family? What about the cost of living? What about the schools for my kids? What about job prospects? Salaries? Although my opinion on the subject is most likely biased, let me tell you why you should consider mov ..read more

by Jean-Philippe Couture, PhD, Scientific Sales Manager How to identify an unknown protein by mass spectrometry We’ve all been there. The research is going great, the results are coming in and a picture of how everything works together is starting to emerge. Then, you hit that wall: an annoying unknown protein sitting in the middle of the model. The project has gone smoothly, except for this question mark. And now, your PI asks you to identify that missing player to resolve the mystery. So, you go on Google or PubMed and start looking for ways to identify unknown proteins. The answer to your ..read more

by Jessica Nickerson, R&D Scientist at Allumiqs As proteomics moves forward at a rapid pace, so must the sample prep tools that support our workflows.  At Allumiqs we’re committed to helping researchers reimagine organic solvent precipitation-based workflows to afford maximized recovery and surfactant depletion for robust recovery of a proteome sample.  In previous blog posts, we’ve covered the development of the ProTrap XG filtration cartridge by Dr. Alan Doucette’s research group (I’m a former member of this group) to facilitate and simplify organic solvent-based protein precip ..read more

by Victoria Miller, Senior Scientist & Jean-François Noël, R&D Scientist As Allumiqs and PhenoSwitch Bioscience came together earlier this year one of the key scientific focus areas was integrating the experiences and deep omics knowledgebase from Sherbrooke with the ProTrap XG universal sample prep cartridge.  Lab members from Halifax and Sherbrooke collaborated to create a sample SDS buffer to dilute and denature samples and a companion buffer to provide optimized conditions for the digestion of that cleaned-up sample. The goal was to provide customers with ready-to-use buffers ..read more

by Stoyan Stoychev (PhD), Head of Proteomics, ReSyn Biosciences We are ReSyn Biosciences and we specialize in high-performance, high-capacity magnetic microsphere products for the most demanding scientific applications.  We aim to improve the reproducibility and automation of mass spec and bioseparation workflows with our proprietary polymer microparticle technology platform. Our innovation came to life through studying the properties of the novel material and then optimizing it to achieve the highest possible capacity for the capture of proteins and superior performance over traditional ..read more

by Victoria Miller, Senior Scientist Mass spec results can be compromised in many ways; everything from the detergents used during extraction and solubilization to the chemical grades of the solvents during the analysis can impact the results. Polyethylene glycol or PEG is one of those contaminants that can sneak up on you in unexpected ways. The only ‘good’ thing about a PEG contamination is when it’s there, you know what it is. That pesky +44 Da repeat is not what anyone wants to see in a chromatogram- unless of course, you are studying PEG! The problem with PEG is you can find it just about ..read more

by Jessica Nickerson, Research Associate Precipitation has previously been plagued by low recoveries and biases towards the recovery of hydrophilic, high molecular weight, and acidic proteins. As we know, the mass spectrometry data can only reflect the fraction of the sample that gets injected, so it is critical that every step of the preparative workflow conserves the native profile of the proteome. From extraction to clean-ups to fractionation and enrichment approaches, there are ample opportunities for the proteome profile to become skewed. It is easy to imagine how these types of biases co ..read more

by Jessica Nickerson, Research Associate Even the best mass spectrometer in the world can only detect the portion of the proteome that is successfully extracted and conserved across the sample prep workflow—so it is critical that the extraction buffer and denaturants that are employed are optimal to recover the entire biological proteome. This applies especially to membrane proteins, known for their roles in cell-to-cell communication and as drug targets, making them extremely important analytes in clinical research and applications, as well as in the development of precision and personalized ..read more

by Victoria Miller, Senior Scientist Sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) also known as sodium lauryl sulfate, is recognized as one of the best detergents for solubilizing protein. It is in use in countless protein labs throughout the world as a solubilizer and a denaturant. Most lab scientists are familiar with its role in SDS-PAGE, unravelling the proteins present and associating with the proteins through both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, imparting a negative charge proportional to the protein size. This ability of SDS is exploited in SDS-PAGE to allow separation based exclusively on ..read more