Aston Labs
We think of mass spectrometry as the science and technology of ions. Our interests therefore involve the construction and modification of mass spectrometers, fundamental studies of microdroplet chemistry as well as ion reactions and collision processes, and mass spectrometry applications to medicine, biochemistry, organic chemistry, and drug discovery.
News
07/2025 Prof. Cooks will be awarded the IUPAC Analytical Chemistry Medal which recognizes lifetime achievement in any field of analytical chemistry evidenced by sustained and outstanding research contributions, by active involvement in international partnerships and by commitment to the training of the next generation of analytical chemists. The award will be presented in the IUPAC World Chemistry Congress in Kuala Lumpur. See here the news release.
04/2025 Prof. Cooks will be awarded the 2025 Othmer Gold Medal at the Science History Institute in Philadelphia. Registration for the award ceremony is available here.
04/2025 Lexie and Myles have been awarded the Hass Memorial Fellowship and the Robert Squires Scholarship, respectively, from the Department of Chemistry. Congrats!
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Research
A central current interest is in ambient ionization mass spectrometry and its application in drug discovery, tumor resection guidance, therapeutic monitoring in biofluids, and microorganism biotyping. Each of these experiments involves minimal sample workup. Another strong interest is in preparative mass spectrometry, both by soft landing ions onto surfaces in vacuum to generate new materials and also by collecting the products of accelerated reactions occurring in microdroplets. This accelerated chemistry also provides unique insights into the prebiotic origin of biomolecules and chirality. In situ analysis using miniature mass spectrometers coupled to ambient ion sources for environmental, clinical, and public safety applications is of interest. So, too, is online reaction monitoring and high-throughput experimentation.
Check out the Cooks Group Research Poster for the latest research!
Publications
Nitrogen fixation using metallic lithium nanoparticles formed by electrospray deposition. Chemical Science (2025). DOI: 10.1039/D5SC02558C
Serine Octamer Clusters Direct the Chirality of Peptides Formed in Water Microdroplets. Journal of Physical Chemistry A (2025). DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.5c00473