Overview of Research in Aston Labs

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Research Areas (Click the link for details)

Accelerated Reactions in Confined Volumes

Accelerated Reactions in Confined Volumes

The rate of many reactions can be dramatically increased in microdroplets and thin films compared with bulk phase. This is thought to occur through increased reagent concentration due to desolvation, pH extrema, Le Chatilier's principle, as well as decreased reaction activation energy at the partially desolvated droplet/thin film surface.
Brain Cancer Diagnostics by DESI

Brain Cancer Diagnostics

Molecular measurements by mass spectrometry in the surgical suite allow for rapid identification of tissue types, estimation of tumor infiltration, and recognition of the presence of prognostic mutations by monitoring of oncometabolites and phospholipids.
MRM Profiling

MRM-Profiling for Lipidomics and Metabolomics

Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-profiling searches for metabolites with precursor and neutral loss scans in a representative sample and uses these transitions to discriminate samples between healthy and diseased.
High Throughput Synthesis and Analysis

High Throughput Synthesis and Analysis

High-throughput mixture anaylsis arrays using desorption eelectrospray ionziation allow for on-line process rate that approach 104 reactions per hour. Data are analyzed automatically by MS using in-house software to produce intensity plots in standard array format.
Ion Trap Development

Ion Trap Developments

Novel ion trap scanning methodologies to allow for data-independent analysis of complex mixtures in a single linear quadrupole ion trap mass analyzer with applications in miniature mass spectrometry.
3D-Printed Ion Mobility Spectrometer at Ambient Pressure

Ambient Pressure Ion Manipulation and Ion Mobility Spectrometry

Rapid prototyping methods are used to fabricate lens systems and produce devices for ion focusing, separation, and detection at ambient pressure.
Forensic and Public Safety Applications of Ambient Ionization

Forensic and Public Safety Applications of Ambient Ionization

Application of ambient ionzation and mass spectrometry to current problems in analytical chemistry, including detection of drugs, explosives, and chemcial warfare agents.
Mass Spectrometry in the Undergraduate Laboratory

Mass Spectrometry in the Undergraduate Laboratory

Development of novel, mass-spectrometry based laboratory excercises for undergraduate students.