What does "Tandem Mass Spectrometry" mean?
Table of Contents
Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS) is a technique used to study molecules, especially in the field of metabolomics, which looks at small molecules in biological samples. This method helps researchers understand what substances are present in a sample and how they might be related to health or disease.
How It Works
In this process, a sample is first broken down into its parts using a machine. Once the parts are identified, they are further analyzed to learn more about their structure and properties. This is done by measuring how these parts behave when they are broken apart again. The information gathered helps scientists compare what they find to known substances in a database.
Benefits
Tandem Mass Spectrometry can analyze many samples quickly, which is important for research. It allows scientists to find and identify a wide range of compounds at once. With improvements in technology, like computer programs that speed up the comparison process, it has become easier to work with large amounts of data.
New Developments
Recent advancements in this field are aiming to improve how different types of data can be compared. For example, researchers can now combine information from two different techniques that were not easily compared before. This makes it possible to gain more insights and helps researchers better understand the substances in their samples. Additionally, tools are being developed to ensure that the predictions made during analysis are reliable and accurate, reducing mistakes when identifying compounds.