MaSpeQC: An easy-to-use Interactive Pipeline to Assess the Performance of LC-MS/MS Instrumentation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research
• Analytical chemistry
• Mass spectrometry

Background:

• Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is crucial for identifying and quantifying biomolecules.
• Instrument performance is critical, necessitating regular quality control (QC) using QC samples.
• Existing QC software primarily supports proteomics, lacking comprehensive solutions for metabolomics and lipidomics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a versatile and user-friendly QC tool for LC-MS/MS systems.
• To address the need for integrated QC solutions across proteomic, metabolomic, and lipidomic analyses.
• To provide a customizable platform for monitoring instrument performance and detecting issues early.

Main Methods:

• Developed MaSpeQC, a free, installable, and customizable web application.
• Designed MaSpeQC to be vendor-agnostic, accepting diverse QC sample types.
• Integrated an intuitive web interface with customizable email alerts for performance monitoring.

Main Results:

• MaSpeQC effectively tracks LC-MS/MS performance across multiple workflows.
• The application is compatible with various QC samples, extracting relevant performance metrics.
• Provides early issue detection through customizable email notifications.

Conclusions:

• MaSpeQC offers a comprehensive solution for LC-MS/MS quality control in biomedical research.
• The tool enhances data reliability by enabling continuous performance monitoring.
• Facilitates improved efficiency and accuracy in proteomic, metabolomic, and lipidomic studies.