Patent Issued to Prof. Vachet and Dr. Wilson for High Throughput Analysis of Proteins Using Mass Spectometry

UMass Amherst Chemistry Professor Richard Vachet and his former graduate student Dr. Jonathan Wilson were recently issued a patent on their invention of “Multiplexed Tandem Mass Spectrometry.”  Tandem mass spectrometry is a  technique  used routinely to identify and monitor the proteins involved in a variety of life processes.  Identifying proteins in and around cells is essential for unraveling the molecular basis of many diseases, and is crucial for the development of new drugs.

According to Prof. Vachet, “Normally, mass spectrometry is performed on one compound at a time.  Our invention uses a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer to produce higher throughput, leading  to faster discoveries of proteins important in biological processes and diseased states.  We expect that this invention will lead to faster drug discovery for a variety of ailments including cancer and Parkinson's.”  Using novel methods to adjust the electronic signals that control the mass spectrometer, Vachet and Wilson now obtain spectral information for multiple compounds in about the same time that it takes to obtain this information for one compound.  This invention allows measurements to be performed in parallel or on multiple compounds simultaneously, leading  to a 5- to 10-fold speed-up.

The head of Chemistry at UMass Amherst, Prof. Bret Jackson, added, “The Chemistry Department at UMass Amherst is filled with world-class researchers, making impacts in a variety of fields such as Energy, Nanotechnology and Drug Discovery.  This new patent by Vachet and Wilson is yet another breakthrough in our effort to understand the chemical basis of disease.”

(May 2007)