This presentation reveals the profound ways in which isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) can provide information about the geographic origin and history of almost everything around us, including our fellow humans. The presentation explains the ways in which we are and are not exactly what we eat, and it explains how researchers use IRMS measurements of hair to determine the geographic origin and travel histories of animals and humans.

Dr. Todd Harrop and Dr.

The oceans contain the largest proportion of carbon atoms that participate in biogeochemical cycles on Earth's surface over timescales ranging from less than a second to thousands of years.  Radiocarbon (¹⁴C) measurements suggests that most (~95 %) of the carbon atoms bound within organic molecules in seawater can persists for thousands of years.  The abundances of these atoms at each time and place in the ocean are complete records of their histories according to the laws of conservation of mass, thermodynamics, and kinetics.&nb

Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) show significant progression-free survival benefit when they are treated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), have been recommended as the first-line therapy for NSCLC patents with EGFR-sensitizing mutations.¹ Unfortunately, the vast majority acquire resistance after 9-12 months of treatment.

Single-cell analysis is an active research area focused on deciphering cellular processes from a single living cell.¹ Various crucial biological phenomena are either invisible or only partially characterized when analyzed with standard techniques that utilize bulk cell populations or entire tissues.

Emerging contaminants in water is a major focus of many environmental and public health organizations worldwide.^1-2 Specifically, emerging contaminants of concern are pharmaceuticals such as over the counter drugs, hormonal supplements, and veterinary medicines. It is known that trace amounts of these chemicals are present in drinking water and in surface water.

Glycopolymer is an important class of synthetic molecules that emulate many biological and structural characteristics of cell-surface glycoproteins or glycolipids.

Sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) carbohydrates are long, linear, acidic polysaccharide chains abundant on the surface of virtually all mammalian cells[1,2]. Non-template driven modifications affect many biological functions through protein-binding interactions[3]. The complex structure and low natural abundance of GAG oligomers remains a significant analytical challenge.