Corona: A Virtual Mass Spectrometer for the Development of Real-Time Mass Spectrometry Software.
Michael R Hoopmann1,2, Christopher D McGann1, Jesse D Canterbury3
1Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.
Analytical Chemistry
|June 17, 2026
Summary
Corona, a virtual mass spectrometer, accelerates real-time mass spectrometry (RTMS) application development. This tool allows rapid testing of novel acquisition methods without needing a physical mass spectrometer, overcoming lab bottlenecks.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Computational Chemistry
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Real-time mass spectrometry (RTMS) is crucial for analyzing mass spectral data during acquisition.
- Developing novel RTMS applications, particularly for proteomics and metabolomics, often involves third-party software interfacing with instruments like those from Thermo Fisher Scientific.
- Current development and testing of RTMS applications are slow and costly due to reliance on physical mass spectrometers, creating laboratory bottlenecks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce Corona, a virtual mass spectrometer designed for independent RTMS application development.
- To enable seamless integration and testing of RTMS applications developed using interfaces like Thermo Fisher Scientific's IAPI.
- To expedite the creation and validation of RTMS applications before their deployment on actual mass spectrometry hardware.
Main Methods:
- Development of Corona, a software-based virtual mass spectrometer.
- Integration of RTMS applications, specifically those utilizing the IAPI, with the Corona platform.
- Simulated mass spectrometry data acquisition and analysis within the virtual environment.
Main Results:
- Corona functions as a direct substitute for a physical mass spectrometer for RTMS application development.
- RTMS applications developed with IAPI connect and operate identically with Corona as with a physical instrument.
- The virtual environment allows for rapid iteration and testing of RTMS applications.
Conclusions:
- Corona significantly reduces the time and cost associated with RTMS application development.
- This virtual mass spectrometer facilitates faster innovation in proteomics and metabolomics by removing hardware dependencies.
- Corona enables efficient pre-deployment testing and validation of RTMS software, streamlining laboratory workflows.
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