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
08/2026 We say goodbye to Prof. Evandro Piccin after a year-long visit!
07/2026 Congratulations to Dr. Yunfei (Veronica) Feng on a successful dissertation!
06/2026 Congratulations to Dr. Mahdiyeh Shahi on a successful dissertation!
03/2026 Congratulations to Brison on being awarded the 2026 ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Graduate Fellowship sponsored by Agilent Technologies!
11/2025 Welcome to Elaine (Ling) Yi, our new senior administrative assistant!
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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
Accelerated Chemistry in Microdroplets. Accounts of Chemical Research. DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.6c00099
Mass Spectrometry in Chiral Analysis and Synthesis. Chirality. DOI: 10.1002/chir.70126
Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Mutation Assessment in Human Glioma Using Desorption Electrospray Ionization–Multiple Reaction Monitoring. Anal. Chem. DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6c00520
Water-Derived Radical Species Initiate Six-Electron Oxidation of Cyclic Ketones in Microdroplets. Angew. Chem. DOI: 10.1002/anie.1888676
Serine Octamer Substitution Reactions With α-Hydroxy Acids. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. DOI: 10.1002/rcm.70133