Overcome a "Big" Challenge: Progress on Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Large Molecules

Immunoassays and mass spectrometric assays are the two major methodologies in contemporary clinical chemistry laboratories. While immunoassays are highly automated and offer a faster turnaround time, mass spectrometry has several advantages over immunoassays. As mass spectrometry continues to expand in clinical chemistry, it is widely used for the measurement of small molecules, including drugs in urine, therapeutic drug monitoring, and hormones. However, the adoption of this technology for targeted protein analysis has been slower. This presentation will describe the key components of targeted protein quantitation using mass spectrometry, introduce recent advancements in clinical applications, and present available resources to enhance its efficiency for clinical laboratories.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the advantages of mass spectrometry in protein analysis.

2. Describe the workflow for targeted protein quantitation.

3. Apply the concepts to evaluate clinical protein assays.