The BMSS Education Initiative
To support this initiative a new BMSS officer role, specific to
education was also established, along with the formation of an education
sub-committee within the BMSS committee. A number of key areas
within mass spectrometry education have been identified for attention.
The main themes of the education initiative are:
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Funding of travel grants for conference attendance
This will continue to be a core activity of the BMSS and is a
major benefit of membership to students.
•
The BMSS Lecturer:
The BMSS have appointed Dr
Malcolm Clench as the BMSS Sponsored Lecturer for 2006-2007.
The role of the lecturer is to promote mass spectrometry and the
activities of the BMSS, to the wider scientific community. This
will help develop a greater understanding of the power of MS and
hopefully generate a greater interest in the subject amongst researchers,
students and the general public. This promotion of MS will be achieved
by the presentation of a series of high impact, research based lectures,
describing the lecturers particular field of MS research.
Dr Clench’s research interests lie in the area of matrix
assisted laser desorption ionisation mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS).
This technique is used to solve a range of bioanalytical problems.
In particular a range of projects are in progress, which are concerned
with the utilisation of MALDI-MS for imaging the distribution of
xenobiotics and endogenous compounds in biological tissue. Malcolm
has published widely in this area over the past few years and further
details of Dr Clench’s research can be found at:
http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/bmrc/sp_malcolm_clench.htm
The BMSS lecturer will be available to present a number of lectures
at UK academic institutions during the 2006-2007 academic year.
As the lectures are sponsored by BMSS, there will be no cost to
the host institution.
The preliminary list of lecture titles are:
•
Through a Glass Darkly - Imaging Mass Spectrometry
of Biological Tissue
•
Half a Million Pound Weighing Machines?
The Role of Mass Spectrometry in Post Genomic
Science
•
Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Mass
Spectromety of Small
<1kDa Molecules
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•
MS For Schools Talk
In 2005 a large number of BMSS members provided a variety of material,
which has been used to generate a series of modules that can be
used for mass spectrometry presentations for schools. These modules
are readily available to any BMSS member who plans to provide mass
spectrometry talks to schools in their area. The modules cover a
number of applications of mass spectrometry and include forensics,
food analysis, security, space exploration, pharmaceutical analysis
and fuel analysis. It is hoped that such presentations will demonstrate
to the students the incredible variety of interesting applications
of mass spectrometry. A second benefit to the schools is that the
students will be able to meet people who have made a career in chemistry.
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•
Web based MS training packages.
The options for web-based training are being assessed. When this
process is completed, web based training packages will be developed.
A survey of the MS training courses and MS training packages.
Two surveys have been prepared. The first is aimed at those using
MS in industry be they specialists in MS, non- specialist / new
users, or scientists receiving MS data from others. The second is
aimed at those using MS in higher education.
The surveys will be available on the BMSS website in the near future.
The BMSS committee would be very grateful if you would take a little
time to fill in the questionnaire, so that we can ensure that you
have access to the MS training you require.
A database of the currently available mass spectrometry training
courses, training packages and books. As a resource to the BMSS
membership, we are currently compiling databases of MS books and
training resources. Once complete, theses will be made available
via the BMSS website.
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Training materials via the BMSS newsletter, Mass
Matters
We are currently finalising the main topics for inclusion in Mass
Matters. We propose to include such areas as the basics of ionisation,
ion optics, vacuum systems and mass analysers. A broad range of
applications (food, toxicology, forensics, proteomics) and also
a decision tree or flow chart to help with technique selection.
We also hope to have contributions describing careers in MS.
If you would like further information on the BMSS Education Initiative,
please contact the BMSS Education Officer.
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Best Practice for accurate mass measurement of
small molecules
The Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) have provided us
with a guide to best practice for accurate mass measurement of small
molecules, written in conjunction with the EPSRC National Mass Spectrometry
Centre in Swansea. This provides a complete methodology for
general laboratory usage.
Click here to download the PDF
file - please note it is nearly 1MB, so will take some time
for users with low bandwidth.
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•
Best Practice for Generating Mass Spectra
The Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) have provided us
with a guide to best practice for Generating Mass Spectra, written in conjunction with the EPSRC National Mass Spectrometry
Centre in Swansea, the University of Southampton and the University of Greenwich. This provides a complete methodology for
general laboratory usage.
Click here to download the PDF
file - please note it is nearly 1MB, so will take some time
for users with low bandwidth.
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