<p><strong>Multiscale materials are assembled from different types of nanomaterials, which themselves have unusual properties. By combining and integrating them into higher-order hierarchies, smart matter with unique functionalities and surprising applications in many different fields can be obtained. A consortium of eight partners from academia and research, led by the J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, has received financial support from the Programme Johannes Amos Comenius of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in the amount of CZK 480 million for research with this focus. Specifically, it was the Excellent Research Call aimed at supporting research with the potential for excellent results applicable in practice.</strong></p>
<p>The development of advanced materials with the required parameters and their integration into functional structures while maintaining their maximum utility value is the common denominator of modern materials research. Current directions in materials science draw inspiration from nature, where beyond naturally occurring elements and compounds, nature enables so-called material genetics, i.e. the targeted folding and &quot;cross-breeding&quot; of material components in 3D space.</p>
<p>Scientists are combining zero-dimensional (quantum dots), one-dimensional (e.g. nanotubes), and two-dimensional (e.g. graphene) materials in the lab to give them new and unusual properties. The challenge is to develop advanced, so-called multiscale materials with a wide range of applications, e.g. in electrical engineering, medicine, or environmental technologies.</p>
<p>Eight partners cooperate in the AMULET (Advanced MUltiscaLe materials for key Enabling Technologies) project. The coordinator is the <a href="https://www.jh-inst.cas.cz/"><strong>J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry of the CAS</strong></a>. Other members of the consortium involve the Institute of <a href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/companies/62"><strong>Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS</strong></a> (PI: <a href="https://cigler.group.uochb.cz/cs"><strong>Dr. Petr Cígler</strong></a>), the Faculty of Science of Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, the Institute of Photonics and Electronics of the CAS, the Institute of Physics of the CAS, the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics and the Faculty of Science of Charles University, the Nuclear Physics Institute of the CAS and the <a href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/companies/11"><strong>University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague</strong></a>.</p>
<p>Linking the above institutions aims to promote the widest possible use of the anticipated newly developed unique materials. Experts will investigate how multiscale materials interact with the biological environment, whether they can be used for electrochemical or optical sensors, in electro-photochemical catalysis for the removal of pollutants from air and water, and last but not least, they will test new nano/micro-devices that can be used for energy conversion, production, and storage.</p>
<p>The AMULET project succeeded in the competition of 66 projects submitted to the Excellent Research call in the Programme Johannes Amos Comenius. This call is aimed at supporting research with the potential for excellent results applicable in practice. In total, 26 projects were supported for a total value of CZK 12.2 billion. The money is earmarked for excellent research teams, which will help Czech scientific institutions deepen their relations with foreign partners and strengthen the Czech Republic&#39;s competitiveness in the long run.</p>


Material genetics will be pursued by the AMULET project, which succeeded in the Excellent Research Call

Quantitative determination of olefins in pyrolysis oils from waste plastics and tires using selective adsorption by Ag–SiO2 followed by GC×GC-FID

<p><strong>On 14–15 April 2025, the Faculty of Pharmacy of Charles University in Hradec Králové hosted the First Annual International Conference of the project New Technologies for Translational Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences (NETPHARM), co-funded by the Jan Amos Komenský Operational Programme (OP JAK). The project aims to bridge cutting-edge pharmaceutical research with clinical practice and the application sphere, advancing the development of new therapeutic approaches, (nano)formulations, and advanced drug delivery systems.</strong></p><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/FF_UK_Uspesne_setkani_spickovych_vedcu_Prvni_vyrocni_mezinarodni_konference_projektu_NETPHARM_3_b6c493b2d0.jpg" alt="FF UK/Ing. Jan Škop/Mgr. Martina Kopecká Jurčeková: Successful Gathering of Leading Scientists: The First Annual International NETPHARM Conference" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_FF_UK_Uspesne_setkani_spickovych_vedcu_Prvni_vyrocni_mezinarodni_konference_projektu_NETPHARM_3_b6c493b2d0.jpg 208w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="900"></p><p>The conference was opened with an introductory speech by the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Charles University, <strong>Assoc. Prof. Jaroslav Roh</strong>, followed by an overview of the NETPHARM project, which was presented by the research project manager <strong>Prof. Petr Pávek</strong>.</p><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/FF_UK_Successful_Gathering_of_Leading_Scientists_The_First_Annual_International_NETPHARM_Conference_298129dde1.jpg" alt="FF UK/Ing. Jan Škop/Mgr. Martina Kopecká Jurčeková: Successful Gathering of Leading Scientists: The First Annual International NETPHARM Conference (Assoc. Prof. Jaroslav Roh)" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_FF_UK_Successful_Gathering_of_Leading_Scientists_The_First_Annual_International_NETPHARM_Conference_298129dde1.jpg 208w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="900"></p><p>On 16 April 2025, the second <strong>International Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB)</strong> meeting was held after the conference, which provided valuable recommendations for further development of the project based on the presentations delivered.</p><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/FF_UK_Uspesne_setkani_spickovych_vedcu_Prvni_vyrocni_mezinarodni_konference_projektu_NETPHARM_5_65b5668094.jpg" alt="FF UK/Ing. Jan Škop/Mgr. Martina Kopecká Jurčeková: Successful Gathering of Leading Scientists: The First Annual International NETPHARM Conference" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_FF_UK_Uspesne_setkani_spickovych_vedcu_Prvni_vyrocni_mezinarodni_konference_projektu_NETPHARM_5_65b5668094.jpg 208w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="900"></p><p>In his closing remarks, Professor Petr Pávek expressed his gratitude to all attendees for their active participation and extended his appreciation for the insightful guidance provided by the ISAB.</p><p>Both the conference and the ISAB meeting received overwhelmingly positive evaluations in terms of scientific content as well as organizational and technical aspects. Participants appreciated the high level of presentations, the welcoming and friendly atmosphere, and the professional background of the entire event.</p><p>The First Annual Conference of the NETPHARM project clearly demonstrated the tremendous potential of international collaboration in advancing scientific excellence and education. The NETPHARM project is already delivering significant scientific results, fostering personal connections, and strengthening international partnerships.</p><p>The organizing team and all involved extend their sincere thanks to the project partners, ISAB members, and young promising researchers for their commitment, enthusiasm, and outstanding contributions.</p><p><strong>We wish everyone continued success in achieving the next project milestones and look forward to future NETPHARM events!</strong></p><blockquote><p><strong>For more information about the project, please visit:</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.faf.cuni.cz/NETPHARM/?lang=cs-cz"><strong>NETPHARM | Farmaceutická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy</strong></a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://portal.faf.cuni.cz/Projects/NETPHARM-project/"><strong>NETPHARM project | Vědecký portál - Farmaceutická fakulta UK</strong></a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.faf.cuni.cz/NETPHARM-Conference/Programme/"><strong>Programme | Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy</strong></a></p></blockquote>

Successful Gathering of Leading Scientists: The First Annual International NETPHARM Conference

<p><strong>Fired cartridge cases are common evidence at shooting crime scenes. While fingerprints are often damaged and insufficient for identification, human scent traces may remain intact even after a gun is fired.</strong></p><p>In this pilot study, a simulated crime scene was created in which a volunteer loaded a weapon before firing. The scent remaining on fired cartridge cases was analyzed and compared to reference samples from several volunteers using olfactronics and olfactorics. Results suggest that scent analysis can support investigations by linking cartridge cases to the individual who handled the ammunition.</p><blockquote><h4><strong>The original article</strong></h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.analchem.4c06231"><strong>Analysis of the Human Scent on Fired Cartridge Cases from a Simulated Crime Scene</strong></a></h4><p>Ulrika Malá*, Václav Vokálek, Pavel Vrbka, Jana Čechová, Petra Pojmanová, Oleksii Kaminskyi, Veronika Škeříková, Štěpán Urban</p><p>Anal. Chem. 2025, 97, 7, 3799–3803</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.4c06231">https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.4c06231</a></p><h6>licensed under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"><strong>CC-BY 4.0</strong></a></h6></blockquote><p><strong>Selected sections from the article follow. Formats and hyperlinks were adapted from the original.</strong></p><p>Forensic olfactronics is a new field of forensic analysis whose aim is to analyze scent samples using advanced analytical chemistry techniques. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1−3)</a> Unlike olfactorics (the odorology method using specially trained canines), forensic olfactronics is an objective method. On the other hand, the olfactory system of a canine is still more sensitive than the best contemporary instruments of analytical chemistry usable for human scent analysis. This is why both methods should be used for these purposes in the future during criminal investigations, so they can complement each other and be a desirable chain of evidence to present before the court. Cartridge cases are often one of the traces that can appear on the crime scenes usually connected with a shooting, mainly in the cases of very serious crimes. Unfortunately, the fingerprints tend to be partially spoiled; thus, they cannot be compared with the dactyloscopy database. In a previous study, <a href="javascript:void(0);">(4)</a> it was found that the less volatile substances that seem to be more significant for the individual identification of human scent <a href="javascript:void(0);">(5)</a> resist high temperatures for a short time (up to 500 °C for 1 min). That led to a presumption that at least a part of the human scent remaining on the cartridge after loading the gun and even after the gun’s firing would be sufficient for an individual identification. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(4)</a></p><h4><strong>Experimental Section</strong></h4><h5><strong>Instrumentation</strong></h5><p>For this experiment, only one gun type was used (a Sauer 38H, Sauer Sohn Germany, caliber 7.65 Browning, ammunition, type FMJ 73 grs, produced by Sellier Bellot, Czech Republic).</p><p>The samples were measured by a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=7980B"><strong>7980B GC two-dimensional gas chromatograph</strong></a> (Agilent, USA) coupled with a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=24&amp;search=Pegasus+BT+4D"><strong>Pegasus BT 4D time-of-flight analyzer mass spectrometer</strong></a> (LECO, USA). The columns were connected in reverse order. The primary column was a semipolar Rtx-200MS (30 m + 2 m precolumn, Restek, USA), and the secondary column was a nonpolar <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/products/1745"><strong>TG5-HT</strong></a> (1.1 m, Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA). The diameter of the columns was 0.25 mm, and the thickness of the stationary phase was 0.25 μm. Helium (purity 5.5, Linde CZ) was used as a carrier gas for gas chromatography. The sample was injected in a volume of 1 μL in splitless mode (2 min) at a temperature of 280 °C. The temperature gradient on the primary column started at 40 °C, held for 2 min, and ended at 320 °C, held for 10 min. The temperature increased at a rate of 5 °C/min. The temperature on the secondary column was always 5 °C higher than that on the primary column. The modulator between the two columns always had a temperature 15 °C higher than the secondary column. The cryogenic modulation at −80 °C with three modulation periods of 6, 8, and 10 s were used. The carrier gas flow rate was 1.5 mL/min. The interface between GC and MS was heated to 280 °C. The mass detector used electron ionization with an energy of 70 eV ionizing electrons, and the temperature of the ion source was 250 °C. Data collection took place in TIC (total ion current) mode, with a mass interval of 29–800 (<i>m</i>/<i>z</i>); data collection took place at a speed of 200 spectra/s. The time required to elute the solvent was set to 500 s. To increase the detection sensitivity, a 200 V higher voltage was set on the detector compared to tuning. The ratio of the signal and the noise was set at S/N 300.</p><h4><strong>Results and Discussion</strong></h4><p>By comparing the chromatograms of the scent samples collected on the original and the prewashed cartridges, significant differences supporting the necessity of the cleaning procedure before the collection itself were not found. The chromatogram area where the lubricant peaks were found was more concentrated on the original cartridges, but the differences were not significant. From a practical point of view, that is efficient for our experiments, as it gets closer to reality at the crime scene. Other experiments were carried out on nonprewashed ammunition based on these results.<named-content></named-content><named-content></named-content></p><p>Our olfactronic analysis showed successful individual separation/variance between different volunteers on the glass beads (see <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.analchem.4c06231#fig3">Figure 3</a>). However, the system could not link the human scent extracted from the gun-fired cartridge cases to the volunteers. This could have been caused by the different kinds of background material that was provided by glass beads (see <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.analchem.4c06231#fig1">Figure 1</a>) and cartridge cases (see <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.analchem.4c06231#fig2">Figure 2</a>), despite the fact that data editing was done in an attempt to eliminate these differences. Another option could be that even if the significant substances for the identification withstand high temperatures, the explosion heat could slightly change them. Therefore, one of the solutions could be to equalize the conditions before the extraction by heating the glass beads to the same temperature to which the bullets are exposed when fired. Nevertheless, the surface differences from which the unknown trace was collected at the crime scene do not seem to play a significant role. This is important for further investigation, as the cartridge cases remaining at the crime scene could lay on many kinds of surfaces, and the analyses of the evidence must not depend on them. The inconsistency of the result from the previous experiment <a href="javascript:void(0);">(4)</a> where the cartridge cases were successfully linked to the volunteer who had loaded the gun before the shooting could be based on the fact that another mass spectrometer (Pegasus BT-4D) with new commercial software (ChromaTOF, version 5.51.06.0) was used for this experiment. The software having issues with processing the chromatograms (mainly peak areas) may have contributed to the inconsistency.</p><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Anal_Chem_2025_97_7_3799_3803_Figure_1_Chromatogram_of_a_volunteer_s_sample_from_our_small_database_captured_on_the_glass_beads_f34c95896c.jpg" alt="Anal. Chem. 2025, 97, 7, 3799–3803: Figure 1. Chromatogram of a volunteer’s sample from our small database captured on the glass beads. The x axis represents the retention time of the first column [s], and the y axis represents the retention time of the second column [s]. The areas corresponding to individual groups of substances are indicated in the image." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Anal_Chem_2025_97_7_3799_3803_Figure_1_Chromatogram_of_a_volunteer_s_sample_from_our_small_database_captured_on_the_glass_beads_f34c95896c.jpg 215w," sizes="100vw" width="2100" height="1524"></p><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Anal_Chem_2025_97_7_3799_3803_Figure_2_Chromatogram_of_an_unknown_sample_from_the_cartridge_case_736c975356.jpg" alt="Anal. Chem. 2025, 97, 7, 3799–3803: Figure 2. Chromatogram of an unknown sample from the cartridge case. The x axis represents the retention time of the first column [s]; the y axis represents the retention time of the second column [s]. The areas corresponding to individual groups of substances are indicated in the image." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Anal_Chem_2025_97_7_3799_3803_Figure_2_Chromatogram_of_an_unknown_sample_from_the_cartridge_case_736c975356.jpg 207w," sizes="100vw" width="2100" height="1577"></p><h4><strong>Conclusions</strong></h4><p>Two methods for comparing four scent traces from a simulated crime scene with 22 different volunteer scent samples were used. The aim was to find a certain volunteer who loaded the gun using eight analogous cartridges. Four samples of cartridge cases were then subjected to olfactronic analysis. These were collected from a heterogeneous crime scene. These four analogous samples were also compared by trained police canines. The olfactory method was successful and correctly identified the shooter. Both methods indicated that the surface (plastic sheet, wooden palette, and concrete floor) from which the scent traces were collected does not play a significant role in the identification. The results from the forensic olfactronic method showed the ability to distinguish each volunteer sampled on the glass beads; however, it has not yet been possible to link the fired cartridge cases to any of the volunteers. In the future, this problem can be eliminated by solving the problems with processing the peaks with commercial software that comes with the two-dimensional gas chromatograph. On the other hand, the issue could also be solved by equalizing the parameters on both surfaces (cartridge cases and glass beads) by heating the glass beads after the scent is collected on them. This heating would partly simulate the process of firing the gun.</p><p>Additionally, olfactronic identification could also be complemented by a dactyloscopy comparison as well. Since both can be crucial for the investigation and together can form a desirable chain of evidence. The only question is in which order should the methods be used for the optimal analysis of both.</p><p>The future prospects for the study include expanding the research to involve more volunteers and diversifying the types of weapons and ammunition tested. Additionally, further optimization of the sample preparation process is necessary, particularly to determine whether heating the glass beads to simulate gunfire can effectively link unknown samples to the shooter. Finally, addressing the issue of data alignment will be a critical step moving forward.</p>

Analysis of the Human Scent on Fired Cartridge Cases from a Simulated Crime Scene

<p><strong>From September until the end of 2025, the global GC/MS community can look forward to a diverse program of conferences, scientific schools, and training courses. These events are a great opportunity to discover new trends, learn advanced methods, and network with peers from around the world. Whether you are interested in fundamental research, applied solutions, or software training, there is plenty to choose from in the upcoming months.</strong></p><h5><strong>Shimadzu at 10th Lipidomics Forum</strong></h5><ul><li>14–17 September 2025 | Vienna, Austria</li><li><strong>Organizer:</strong> Shimadzu Corporation</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/907">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Shimadzu_at_10th_Lipidomics_Forum_aae43f6640.jpg" alt="Shimadzu: Shimadzu at 10th Lipidomics Forum" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Shimadzu_at_10th_Lipidomics_Forum_aae43f6640.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1390" height="390"></p><h5><strong>10th Lipidomics Forum</strong></h5><ul><li>14–17 September 2025 | Vienna, Austria</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>University of Vienna</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/896">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>14th International Conference on Instrumental Methods of Analysis (IMA-2025)</strong></h5><ul><li>14–17 September 2025 | Kefalonia, Greece</li><li><strong>Organizer:</strong> National Technical University of Athens</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/795">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>53rd Conference on Synthesis and Analysis of Drugs 2025</strong></h5><ul><li>17–19 September 2025 | Kurdějov, Czech Republic</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>Masaryk University</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/678">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>21th ISC ‘Modern Analytical Chemistry’</strong></h5><ul><li>18–19 September 2025 | Prague, Czech Republic</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>European Chemical Society (EuChemS)</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/839">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>MSACL 2025 – 15th Annual Conference &amp; Exhibits</strong></h5><ul><li>21–26 September 2025 | Montréal, Canada</li><li><strong>Organizer:</strong> MSACL</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/731">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/MSACL_2025_cover_image_762faaf59f.jpg" alt="MSACL: MSACL 2025" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_MSACL_2025_cover_image_762faaf59f.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1920" height="1080"></p><h5><strong>7th International Mass Spectrometry School (IMSS) 2025</strong></h5><ul><li>21–26 September 2025 | Vorau, Styria, Austria</li><li><strong>Organizer:</strong> International Mass Spectrometry Foundation</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/906">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>Mass Spectrometry Symposium 2025</strong></h5><ul><li>23–26 September 2025 | Costa Mesa, CA, USA</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>Local MS societies (CASSS)</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/897">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>ISSS 2025 – 29th International Symposium on Separation Sciences</strong></h5><ul><li>25–27 September 2025 | Belgrade, Serbia</li><li><strong>Organizer:</strong> International Symposium on Separation Sciences (ISSS)</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/730">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2025</strong></h5><ul><li>29 September – 1 October 2025 | Karlsruhe, Germany</li><li><strong>Organizer:</strong> Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh)</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/755">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>International Symposium on Preparative and Process Chromatography (PREP) 2025</strong></h5><ul><li>29 September – 2 October 2025 | Philadelphia, PA, USA</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>LD Organisation srl</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/899">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>21st Raman Imaging Symposium</strong></h5><ul><li>29 September – 1 October 2025 | Ulm, Germany</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>Oxford Instruments</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/898">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/21st_Raman_Imaging_Symposium_13c3033654.jpg" alt="Oxford: 21st Raman Imaging Symposium" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_21st_Raman_Imaging_Symposium_13c3033654.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="627"></p><h5><strong>SciX 2025</strong></h5><ul><li>5–10 October 2025 | Covington, KY, USA</li><li><strong>Organizer</strong>: The Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies (FACSS)</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/796">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>ASMS – 39th Asilomar Conference on Mass Spectrometry</strong></h5><ul><li>10–15 October 2025 | Monterey, CA, USA</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>ASMS</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/747">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>Gulf Coast Conference (GCC) 2025</strong></h5><ul><li>14–15 October 2025 | Galveston, Texas, USA</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>Gulf Coast Conference</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/905">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>Live from the Lab: Solutions for Environmental and Food Contaminant Testing</strong></h5><ul><li>16–23 October 2025 | Europe / North America / Online</li><li><strong>Organizer:</strong> Thermo Fisher Scientific</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/920">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Live_from_the_Lab_Solutions_for_Omics_Research_9cbb774bb0.jpg" alt="Thermo Fisher Scientific: Live from the Lab - Solutions for environmental and food contaminant testing" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Live_from_the_Lab_Solutions_for_Omics_Research_9cbb774bb0.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1541" height="686"></p><h5><strong>SOFT 2025</strong></h5><ul><li>26–31 October 2025 | Portland, OR, USA</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>Society of Forensic Toxicologists</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/767">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><p><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/SOFT_2025_1c3812bfee.jpg" alt="Society of Forensic Toxicologists Inc.: SOFT 2025" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_SOFT_2025_1c3812bfee.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1360" height="747"></p><h5><strong>ASMS – 36th Fall Workshop</strong></h5><ul><li>3–4 November 2025 | Seattle, WA, USA</li><li><strong>Organizer</strong>: 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2025</strong></h5><ul><li>17–19 November 2025 | Plainsboro, NJ, USA</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>Eastern Analytical Symposium and Exposition</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/902">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>Invited Lecture – Jana Roithová</strong></h5><ul><li>18 November 2025 | IOCB Prague</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>IOCB Prague</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/709">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>TIAFT 2025</strong></h5><ul><li>23–27 November 2025 | Auckland, New Zealand</li><li><strong>Organizer: </strong>The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/768">More information and registration at this link</a></li></ul><h5><strong>The Gas Chromatographers’ Training 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Global GCMS Conferences and Training 2025 – LabRulez

<p>🎤 <strong>Presenter</strong>: Jan Hlavsa (Czech Technical University, Prague, Czech Republic)</p><p>💾 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/paper/28872"><strong>PDF presentation</strong></a></p><blockquote><p>💡 <strong>Book in your calendar: </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/787"><strong>17th Multidimensional Chromatography Workshop (MDCW)</strong></a><strong> 13 - 15. January 2026</strong></p></blockquote><h3><strong>Abstract</strong></h3><p><br><strong>We present a method for the recognition of the identity and sex given a GC×GC chromatogram of a scent sample. In all stages, the method is fully automatic. First, the chromatogram is aligned by identifying 2D peak locations of pre-determined compounds that have been found to be present in all samples. The peak location is the point of maximum correlation with a machine-learned prototype of its spectrogram within a pre-learned part of the chromatogram. The </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?instrumentationItems=2"><strong>GCxGC</strong></a><strong> space is triangulated and affine warped to canonical coordinates. In the second step, the aligned chromatogram is flattened to a 1D vector whose values are, depending on the experiment, the total mass recorded at a given time, or the output of a spectrometer. The vector is the input of the identity or sex classifier. Two types of classifiers were trained and evaluated - the SVM (polynomial and RBF kernels) and a shallow convolution neural network.</strong></p><p>Experiments were carried out on data collected from the palms of 40 volunteers onto glass beads, extracted into ethanol, and analysed by a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?instrumentationItems=2-13&amp;manufacturerItems=25"><strong>LECO</strong> <strong>GC×GC-ToF</strong> </a>over a three year period ( 2019-2022) . Each volunteer provided at least 10 samples, each a week apart. In case of the gender identification, by finding an optimal linear projection of the Total Ion Chromatogram data, we achieve approximately 85% validation accuracy in sex identification using 10-fold cross-validation on a balanced dataset (50% male, 50% female) of 504 measurements from 40 identities. The top 5 validation accuracy for classifying 20 identities is approximately 60%.</p><h3><strong>Video transcription</strong></h3><p>Jan Hlavsa presented research focused on <strong>automatic sex classification and identity verification</strong> from human scent chromatograms using <strong>GC×GC-ToFMS</strong>. The project is a collaboration between the Czech Technical University in Prague and the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, with computational support from the <strong>LUMI supercomputer</strong> (over 120,000 GPU hours).</p><h4><strong>Data and Methods</strong></h4><ul><li><strong>Samples:</strong> 2,528 chromatograms collected from 252 volunteers, analyzed by GC×GC-ToFMS.</li><li><strong>Data representation:</strong> raw outputs with no pre-processing, stored as 3D tensors (mass spectrum, 1st retention time, 2nd retention time). Each dataset ~4 GB.</li><li><strong>Chromatogram alignment:</strong> fully automatic registration using 24 chemical marker compounds and piecewise linear transformation.</li><li><strong>Model:</strong> convolutional neural networks (CNNs) applied for both sex classification and identity verification tasks.</li></ul><h4><strong>Sex Classification</strong></h4><ul><li><strong>Task:</strong> determine the biological sex of a donor from a human scent chromatogram.</li><li><strong>Results:</strong><ul><li>Reduced spectral dimension data: <strong>84.5% accuracy</strong>.</li><li>Full data: <strong>94.5% accuracy</strong>.</li></ul></li></ul><h4><strong>Identity Verification</strong></h4><ul><li><strong>Task:</strong> verify whether two scent samples come from the same individual.</li><li><strong>Evaluation metric:</strong> AUC (Area Under the ROC Curve).</li><li><strong>Results:</strong><ul><li><strong>Training set:</strong> AUC = 0.96.</li><li><strong>Validation set:</strong> AUC = 0.93.</li></ul></li></ul><h4><strong>Key Advantages</strong></h4><ul><li>Fully automated workflow requiring <strong>zero manual intervention</strong> during chromatogram registration.</li><li><strong>Reproducible results</strong> with open-source Python code soon to be available.</li><li>High accuracy in both <strong>sex classification</strong> and <strong>identity verification</strong> tasks.</li></ul><h4><strong>Conclusion</strong></h4><ul><li>This study demonstrates that <strong>GC×GC analysis of human scent</strong>, combined with convolutional neural networks, can successfully differentiate sex and verify identity with high accuracy. Future work will focus on expanding the datasets and further optimizing the methodology.</li></ul><blockquote><p><strong>This text has been automatically transcribed from a video presentation using AI technology. It may contain inaccuracies and is not guaranteed to be 100% correct.</strong></p></blockquote>

Sex and person identity recognition from GC×GC analysis of scent samples (Jan Hlavsa, MDCW 2025)

<p>🎤 <strong>Presenter</strong>: Ulrika Malá (University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic)</p><p>💾 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/paper/28876"><strong>PDF presentation</strong></a></p><blockquote><p>💡 <strong>Book in your calendar: </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/events/787"><strong>17th Multidimensional Chromatography Workshop (MDCW)</strong></a><strong> 13 - 15. January 2026</strong></p></blockquote><h3><strong>Abstract</strong></h3><p><strong>Two-dimensional gas chromatography offers various applications due to its higher separation efficiency. This GC system could also be valuable for forensic purposes. This pilot study focuses on the human scent analysis on the crime scene, particularly on the cartridge cases. Although dactyloscopic fingerprints can sometimes be found on cartridges, they are often partial, lacking sufficient minutiae for successful database comparisons. However, the perpetrator also leaves behind its scent on the cartridges, which could be useful for both the individual as well as class identifications.</strong></p><p>In this study, cartridge cases were collected from a simulated crime scene from four different surfaces. These cases were extracted using ethanol and the extract was analyzed with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?instrumentationItems=3-13-2"><strong>GC×GC-MS/TOF</strong></a> using liquid injection. Additionally, four different volunteers were sampled to be compared their scents with the samples from the simulated crime scene.</p><p>The results showed that the surface from where the traces were collected did not play significant role for the identification. While the ability to distinguish each volunteer´s scent was observed, it was not yet possible to link the fired cartridge cases to any of the volunteers. This issue could be resolved in the future by target analysis focused on genetically determined substances or by solving present problems with peak processing in the commercial software that accompanies the two-dimensional gas chromatograph.</p><blockquote><p>This study is supported by Ministry of The Interior of The Czech Republic by the project No. VK01010240.</p></blockquote><h3><strong>Video transcription</strong></h3><h4><strong>Background and Motivation</strong></h4><ul><li>Fingerprints on cartridge cases are often partial and unsuitable for individual identification.</li><li>Human scent can survive extreme conditions – thermal stability up to 500 °C for one minute.</li><li>This residual scent could remain on cartridge cases even after firing.</li><li>Scent analysis may provide an alternative route to individual or class identification.</li></ul><h4><strong>Experimental Setup</strong></h4><ul><li>Simulated crime scene with <strong>4 volunteers</strong> (one designated as shooter).</li><li>Each volunteer provided 3 scent samples on glass beads.</li><li>4 unknown scent samples were collected from cartridge cases fired at the scene.</li><li>Surfaces: plastic sheet, wooden pallet, concrete floor.</li><li>Cartridges extracted in ethanol and analyzed by GC×GC-MS/TOF with liquid injection.</li></ul><h4><strong>Data Processing</strong></h4><ul><li>Data aligned using Kovats retention indices with internal standards.</li><li><strong>Focused on substances:</strong><ul><li>Present in at least one unknown sample.</li><li>Detected in ≥75% of known data.</li></ul></li><li><strong>Statistical evaluation:</strong><ul><li>Used peak areas and area ratios, not compound identity.</li><li>Selected first 150 area ratios (stable in time).</li><li>Cluster analysis applied.</li></ul></li></ul><h4><strong>Results</strong></h4><ul><li><strong>Volunteers’ samples on glass beads</strong>: clearly distinguishable.</li><li><strong>Cartridge case samples</strong>: not yet linkable to specific volunteers.</li><li>Possible limitation: imperfect data alignment (nonlinear shifts not accounted for).</li><li><strong>Surface effect</strong>: type of surface (plastic, wood, concrete) did not significantly impact identification.</li></ul><h4><strong>Conclusions</strong></h4><ul><li>Human scent shows strong potential as a forensic identification tool.</li><li>Volunteers distinguishable on glass beads, but not yet on fired cartridge cases with GC×GC-MS/TOF.</li><li>Key findings:<ul><li>Scent persists across different surfaces.</li><li>Dogs confirmed shooter identification, supporting feasibility.</li></ul></li></ul><h4><strong>Future Work</strong></h4><ul><li>Equalize sample conditions: heat glass bead samples to simulate firing temperature.</li><li>Shorten scent transfer time: in this pilot, shooter rubbed cartridges for 10 minutes before firing; future studies will use natural handling time only.</li><li>Combine scent analysis with fingerprint analysis on the same samples.</li><li>Expand study to more volunteers, various firearms, and ammunition types.</li><li>Improve GC×GC software processing for nonlinear retention shifts.</li></ul><blockquote><p><strong>This text has been automatically transcribed from a video presentation using AI technology. It may contain inaccuracies and is not guaranteed to be 100% correct.</strong></p></blockquote>

Analysis of the human scent on the cartridge cases using GC×GC-MS/TOF (Ulrika Malá, MDCW 2025)

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The Faculty of Pharmacy, with its seat in the town of Hradec Králové, was established by a government decree in 1969. This Faculty of Pharmacy has continued in the old and long-time tradition of the education of pharmacy at Charles University.

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The Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IOCB Prague) is a leading scientific institution in the Czech Republic, recognized internationally. Its primary mission is basic research in the fields of chemical biology and medicinal chemistry, organic and material oriented chemistry, chemistry of natural compounds, biochemistry and molecular biology, physical chemistry, theoretical chemistry, and analytical chemistry. 

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