science

Targeted mass spectrometry

Targeted mass spectrometry is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Targeted mass spectrometry rather than just read about it. In short: Targeted mass spectrometry is a mass spectrometry technique that uses multiple stages of tandem mass spectrometry (MSn with n=2 or 3) for ions of specific mass (m/z), at specific time. The values of the m/z and time are defined in an inclusion list which is derived from a previous analysis.

Key takeaways

Targeted mass spectrometry belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Targeted mass spectrometry to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Targeted mass spectrometry from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Targeted mass spectrometry is a mass spectrometry technique that uses multiple stages of tandem mass spectrometry (MSn with n=2 or 3) for ions of specific mass (m/z), at specific time. The values of the m/z and time are defined in an inclusion list which is derived from a previous analysis.

Applications Targeted analysis allows the thorough analysis of all ions, at all abundance range above the noise level, at any time window in the experiment. In contrast, non-targeted analysis would, typically, only allow detection of the most abundant 50-100 ions over the entire experiment time. Such limitation of non-targeted analysis makes it less suitable for analyzing highly complex, highly dynamic sample such as human blood serum. However, the methods of utilizing targeted mass spectrometry are still at a primitive stage, in the sense that the inclusion list used in the targeted analysis is typically manually typed-in by scientists. In addition to that, only one inclusion list is allowed for the entire experiment. Such manual process is both labor-intensive and error-prone. This is largely due to the lack of software to control the mass spectrometer.

Automation There have been some efforts in automating the generation of inclusion lists through the solution of external software. In 2010, Wu et al. introduced a semi-automatic method in an effort of identifying low-abundance glyco-peptide. They implemented the automation through iterative experiments and the open-source software GLYPID. With minor modification, this approach can be used in analyzing any other simple or complex samples. In addition to the advantage mentioned before, this semi-automated approach also saves substantial amount of time and efforts for scientists in manually picking ions and re-calibrating instruments.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Targeted mass spectrometry

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Targeted mass spectrometry claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Targeted mass spectrometry before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Targeted mass spectrometry ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Targeted mass spectrometry

In research: Targeted mass spectrometry appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Targeted mass spectrometry in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Targeted mass spectrometry is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Mass spectrometry, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Targeted mass spectrometry outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Targeted mass spectrometry in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Targeted mass spectrometry means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Targeted mass spectrometry out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Targeted mass spectrometry in simple terms?

Why does Targeted mass spectrometry matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Targeted mass spectrometry?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Targeted mass spectrometry.