9th CONFERENCE OF THE CZECH SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY - BOOK OF ABSTRACTS

Importance of the Topic

Mass spectrometry continues to drive breakthroughs across analytical chemistry, enabling sensitive detection of biomolecules, metabolites and pathogens. At the Ninth Annual Conference of the Czech Society for Mass Spectrometry, researchers presented methods addressing key challenges in metabolomics, proteomics, lipidomics, microbiological diagnostics and structural biology. These advances underpin applications in clinical diagnostics, drug discovery, environmental monitoring and fundamental biological research.

Objectives and Study Overview

Contributors sought to improve:

• Data quality in untargeted metabolomics by advanced feature filtering.
• Quantitative assays for proteins and glycoproteins using optimized LC-MS/MS workflows.
• Noninvasive biomarkers for infections via siderophore detection.
• Characterization of 3D cell models and organoids by targeted proteomics and lipidomics.
• Structural MS techniques (FPOP, HDX, top-down MS, ion mobility) for protein–DNA complexes and protein interaction networks.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Key techniques included:

• UHPLC coupled to high-resolution Orbitrap and Q-TOF instruments for metabolomic and lipidomic profiling.
• Triple-quadrupole LC-MS/MS for targeted workflows in clinical and pharmaceutical analysis.
• Capillary electrophoresis–ICP-MS and CE-ESI-MS for ultra-trace siderophore determination.
• MALDI-TOF and FT-ICR imaging for spatial metabolite mapping and direct tissue analyses.
• Variable-temperature nanoESI, cyclic ion mobility and FPOP combined with top-down MS for structural characterization.

Main Results and Discussion

Speakers reported up to 50% gains in proteomic sensitivity by reducing mobile-phase acidifier, an 88% reduction of false positives in untargeted metabolomics via retention-time filtering, and detection of pathogen-specific siderophores in clinical samples with 100% sensitivity. Novel assays quantified 50 proteins in single cerebral organoids and profiled ganglioside changes during organoid aging and Alzheimer’s models. Structural approaches resolved isobaric phosphopeptides and mapped interaction interfaces in protein-DNA complexes.

Contributions and Practical Applications

These developments offer robust platforms for:

• Early disease biomarker discovery and monitoring of inherited metabolic disorders.
• Noninvasive infection diagnostics in urine and breath condensate.
• Quality control of biopharmaceuticals and high-throughput clinical assays.
• Enhanced understanding of protein folding, complex assembly and post-translational modifications.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Attendees highlighted integration of high-sensitivity MS with AI-driven data analysis, expansion of single-cell proteomics, and deployment of MS imaging for in situ metabolomics. Emerging ion mobility platforms promise deeper structural insights, while microsampling and alternative biofluids open new avenues for point-of-care testing.

Conclusion

The conference showcased a broad spectrum of mass spectrometry advances, from novel analytical workflows to cutting-edge structural techniques, reinforcing MS as a central tool across life sciences, clinical diagnostics and beyond.

Instrumentation Used

A diverse instrument suite was employed, including ultrahigh-performance LC coupled to Orbitrap, Q-TOF, triple-quadrupole, CE-ICP-MS, CE-ESI-MS, MALDI-TOF, FT-ICR, nanoESI sources, ion mobility spectrometers and customized photochemical oxidation platforms.