Molecular desorption
mass spectrometry research group at the Department of Physics
of the University of Colombo formed in early eighties through
a research link with the Uppsala University, Sweden. Our group
initially began research with home built plasma desorption
(PD) mass spectrometers. At present we are equipped with matrix-assisted
laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and electrospray ionization
(ESI) mass spectrometers coupled with time-of-flight (TOF)
mass analyzers. These are the only MALDI mass spectrometers
available in Sri Lanka.
Present activities of the project are focused
in four main fields, namely
(i) instrumentation development
(ii) mechanistic studies related to ion physics
and ion chemistry
(iii) applications of mass spectrometry relating
to natural product chemistry, biology and medicine
(iv) providing of mass spectrometry services
to chemists, bio-chemists and molecular biologists.
In the area of instrumentation development,
our group had a home built PD-TOF mass spectrometer equipped
with a second order ion reflector. Later the group had constructed
a delayed ion extraction MALDI-TOF instrument with an ion
reflector and also a multi reflection MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer.
Recently our group received an ESI-TOF instrument from Uppsala,
Sweden, which is in the installing stage.
In the area of mechanistic studies our group
members have engaged in the studies of meta-stable decomposition
of secondary ions and ionization mechanisms, studies on fast
heavy ion induced luminescence studies from amino acids and
some organic compounds and studies on matrix effects of low
molecular weight compounds (such as alkaloids) using fast
heavy ion and laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry.
The group has been engaged in research applications
of mass spectrometry to natural products and biologically
important compounds since 1990’s. This involves the
analysis of active compounds isolated from medicinal and other
plants grown in Sri Lanka. Our group has initiated an important
project in collaboration with the cancer hospital. In this
work, an attempt is being made to study the unspecific proteins
developed in red cell membranes leukaemia AIHA (Post CLL)
patients using MALDI mass spectrometry after separating them
by SDS-page gel electrophoresis. It is believed that, if successful,
this project may help diagnosis of the decease at early stages.
The group is now in a position to provide
mass spectrometer facilities to natural product chemists,
bio-chemists and to others who need them. In Sri Lanka, only
a very few research institutions have conventional mass spectrometers,
and are limited to GCMS instruments equipped with EI/CI ion
sources, which are not suitable for mass analysis of heavy
bio molecules such as proteins. |
