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Related Concept Videos

MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry01:19

MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry is a powerful characterization technique that can identify and separate a wide variety of compounds ranging from chemical to biological entities, based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). The instruments that allow this detection, known as mass spectrometers, have three components: an ion source, a mass analyzer, and a detector. These spectrometers differ based on the nature of their ion source and analyzers.Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) is a commonly...
Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI)01:08

Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI)

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) is a powerful analytical technique used in mass spectrometry. It enables the identification and characterization of various biomolecules, including proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. MALDI is an ionization technique, widely employed in biological and medical research, as well as in fields like pharmacology and biochemistry.The analyte of interest, a biomolecule or a mixture of biomolecules, is mixed with a suitable matrix...
Rapid Identification of Pathogens01:25

Rapid Identification of Pathogens

MALDI-TOF MS has transformed clinical microbiology by offering a rapid and reliable method for pathogen identification. The traditional approach to microbial identification typically involves time-consuming culture techniques and biochemical tests, which can delay the initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy. MALDI-TOF MS avoids these delays by using characteristic ribosomal protein mass patterns of microbial cells, enabling accurate species-level identification within minutes.Principle...
Tandem Mass Spectrometry01:21

Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Tandem mass spectrometry is a technique that uses multiple mass analyzers in series to obtain a higher selectivity and reduce chemical noise during analyte detection. Instruments with multiple analyzers separated by an interaction cell enable secondary fragmentation and selected study of the fragment ions.Secondary fragmentations occur in the interaction cell and can be induced by various factors. Fragmentation induced by collision with inert gases, such as N2, Ar, He, etc., is called...
Peptide Identification Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry01:33

Peptide Identification Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Tandem mass spectrometry, also known as MS/MS or MS2, is an analytical technique that employs two mass analyzers. Essentially it is a series of mass spectrometers that helps isolate a particular biomolecule and then helps study its chemical properties.
This technique helps gather information regarding the protein from which the peptide was obtained and to study the peptides’ amino acid sequence. Identifying peptides from a complex mixture is an important component of the growing field of...
Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis01:21

Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis

Mass spectrometry is an important technique for the identification of pure compounds. However, it has some limitations for the analysis of complex mixtures, often due to excessive fragmentation making the spectrum too complicated to decipher. Mass spectrometry can be combined with suitable separation methods in sequence, forming hyphenated methods, which are useful in the analysis of complex mixtures.
GC–MS is a powerful hyphenated method commonly used in forensics and environmental...

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Analysis and Quantitation of Glycated Hemoglobin by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry.

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Evolution of Quantitative MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry for Clinical Applications.

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The future of biological mass spectrometry.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Intact Proteins Larger than 100 kDa
07:49

Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Intact Proteins Larger than 100 kDa

Published on: September 9, 2013

Modern MALDI time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Marvin L Vestal1

  • 1Virgin Instruments Corporation, Sudbury, MA, USA. marvin.vestal@virgininstruments.com

Journal of Mass Spectrometry : JMS
|January 15, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) revolutionized time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry, enabling new biological applications. Improved MALDI-TOF instruments offer enhanced performance for complex analytical challenges.

Area of Science:

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Biotechnology
  • Mass Spectrometry

Background:

  • Time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry was historically limited to specialized ion studies.
  • The advent of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) created a need for advanced TOF applications.
  • Nonvolatile molecules were challenging to analyze before breakthrough ionization techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the development of improved time-of-flight mass spectrometry instruments and software.
  • To present a theoretical framework for designing and optimizing MALDI-TOF instruments.
  • To evaluate the performance of MALDI-TOF for complex biological applications.

Main Methods:

  • Development of enhanced time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry instrumentation.

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Whole-body Mass Spectrometry Imaging by Infrared Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption Electrospray Ionization (IR-MALDESI)
10:47

Whole-body Mass Spectrometry Imaging by Infrared Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption Electrospray Ionization (IR-MALDESI)

Published on: March 24, 2016

Characterization of Synthetic Polymers via Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry
06:56

Characterization of Synthetic Polymers via Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry

Published on: June 10, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Intact Proteins Larger than 100 kDa
07:49

Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Intact Proteins Larger than 100 kDa

Published on: September 9, 2013

Whole-body Mass Spectrometry Imaging by Infrared Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption Electrospray Ionization (IR-MALDESI)
10:47

Whole-body Mass Spectrometry Imaging by Infrared Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption Electrospray Ionization (IR-MALDESI)

Published on: March 24, 2016

Characterization of Synthetic Polymers via Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry
06:56

Characterization of Synthetic Polymers via Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry

Published on: June 10, 2018

  • Application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) for ionizing nonvolatile molecules.
  • Theoretical modeling for instrument design and optimization.
  • Experimental validation of resolving power, mass accuracy, sensitivity, and dynamic range.

    • Main Results:

    • Experimental data demonstrated excellent agreement with theoretical predictions for resolving power and mass accuracy.
    • High kilohertz laser rates yielded significant improvements in sensitivity and dynamic range.
    • MALDI-TOF performance was validated for challenging biological analyses.

    Conclusions:

    • Improved MALDI-TOF instruments significantly enhance analytical capabilities for biological samples.
    • Theoretical design approaches optimize instrument performance for specific applications.
    • MALDI-TOF, especially when combined with advanced separations, offers superior throughput and dynamic range compared to electrospray LC-MS.