Chemistry

Biographical Info

Research in our group is devoted to using special mass spectrometric techniques to study the reactivity and properties of many different ionic systems in the gas phase – from atoms to antibodies. While our work is strongly based in physical chemistry, we have collaborated heavily with inorganic, organic, and analytical chemists in the past, and will continue to work with them and the members of the Department’s biochemistry division in the future. Almost all of our experiments use one of three Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometers to form and trap ions for reactivity and spectroscopy studies, as well as to carry out mass analysis.

Many of our current research projects use electrospray ionization (ESI) to transport pre-formed ions from solution into the gas phase for mass spectrometric analysis. The ions in solution range from atomic ions, for elemental analysis and speciation studies, to doubly- or triply-charged organic and inorganic species, to very large multiply-protonated biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. With special care, one or more solvent molecules can be left attached to the ions when they enter the FTICR mass spectrometer, thus allowing the effect of solvation on reactivity or other ion properties, such as spectra, to be studied.