Professor Franz Hillenkamp of Germany’s University of Munster pioneered Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry starting in 1988. In MALDI-TOF, a laser pulses into a sample contained in a light-absorbing matrix causing a small explosion that vaporizes and ionizes the sample. A high electric field accelerates the ions down an evacuated flight tube in the mass spectrometer. As large particles travel more slowly than small ones, masses of the ionized particles are determined by measuring their arrival time at the end of the tube. Hillenkamp's original work utilized one of our nitrogen lasers and UV absorbing matrices. Professor Hillenkamp continues to explore new frontiers in MALDI-TOF including the investigation of IR absorbing matrices with our µ-TEA CO₂ laser.

MALDI-TOF has many applications in biochemistry and bioresearch. It is used to characterize and identify proteins, peptides, carbohydrates, polymers, and other large molecules. MALDI-TOF is used in the pharmaceutical industry for QA/QC of synthetic peptides and oligonucleotides, real time monitoring of enzyme reactions, and in combinatorial chemistry. It is used in DNA sequencing for forensics and research applications. Recently MALDI-TOF was used to rapidly identify different strains of flu virus leading to the production of more effective vaccines. MALDI-TOF research provides a better understanding of the building blocks of life and will lead to the development of new treatments for cancer, diabetes, emphysema, and immune system disorders.

MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is one of the fastest growing segments of the analytical instrumentation industry. Laser Science, Inc. supplies lasers to individual researchers and on an OEM basis to the manufacturers of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometers.

Professor Hillenkamp's Home Page

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