Over 6,000 scientists flocked to the ASMS conference in Anaheim, proving that this is still the main event for the mass spectrometry community. Beyond showcasing state-of-the-art advances aimed at achieving faster, more sensitive and precise analyses, the conference serves as a great hub for fostering collaborations, particularly in the growing field of metabolomics. Here are our key takeaways from the event.
Key takeaways
ASMS 2024 provided important insights into the latest advances in instrumentation, essential for planning the future development of biocrates’ kit technology. The conference offered an opportunity to explore newly launched MS platforms and their software firsthand. Speaking to behind-the-scenes scientists about their work in developing and testing these technologies allowed us to gather application tips and troubleshooting ideas, surpassing typical interactions with company representatives. Notable advances included Thermo’s new Stellar and Astral mass spectrometers, SCIEX’s Echo MS Plus system, and Waters’ MRT Mass Spectrometer.
Discussions on the translation and validation of biomarker signatures emphasized rigorous quality control in the early stages, aligning with biocrates’ commitment to standardized, quantitative and highly reproducible metabolomics approaches. The consensus was clear: a lack of quantification and quality standards often undermines biomarker projects from the start, reflecting the sentiments of a significant portion of the community.
The poster sessions were equally useful, with information to understand and address challenges, such as insufficient robustness of signals from certain target compounds under chromatographical and/or MS conditions. Insights from discussions with other kit users provided valuable feedback and suggestions for potential target compounds of interest. Additionally, the conference emphasized standardizing metabolomics workflows globally, which is crucial for consistency and reliability in research outcomes.
Advances shared in the poster sessions by biocrates and collaborators included high-resolution metabolomics, artificial intelligence applications in data analysis, urinary metabolomics profiling for biomarker discovery, collaborative ring trials for methodology standardization, and technologies for automated sample preparation. These all highlight ongoing innovations in metabolomics research.
Networking and collaboration
ASMS 2024 was an excellent opportunity to expand our network and foster collaborations. The bustling activity at the biocrates booth was unprecedented, indicating strong interest in metabolomics and quantitative mass spectrometry. Researchers exploring metabolomics or seeking to enhance their platforms found our ready-to-use solutions particularly compelling.
The conference also gave us a chance to meet researchers from our established customer network. It was exciting to hear how our technology simplifies their work from a capacity, budgetary and organizational perspective. For example, one customer shared that they had increased their group size, while being able to move from a considerable budget deficit to a surplus. Another noted that our bile acids kit was more cost-effective than their in-house assay due to reduced reagent needs and increased throughput.
A third customer shared their experience with an alternative metabolomics method that yielded insignificant differences. Initially hesitant to invest in another metabolomics method and adopt our technology, they were thrilled with the results, citing high reproducibility, broad coverage, and confidence in metabolite identification as key factors enabling them to connect results to biological questions.
ASMS is also an opportunity to reconnect with some of our former colleagues and mentors. Celebrating Dr. Elizabeth Neumann’s research award, networking with and mentoring early career scientists and hearing from Jenny Broadbelt within the Females in Mass Spectrometry network, were highlights for members of the biocrates team.
We were pleased to welcome Allumiqs to our Certified Laboratory Program as the only Contract Research Organization (CRO) in North America. Derek Gooderham, CCO at Allumiqs, highlighted, “Working with biocrates enables us to enhance our multiomics customer experience, offering validated and efficient metabolomics data and insights. This collaboration promises to bring significant additional value to our customers’ discoveries”.
Impact
To many in our team, and certainly to many in our network as well, ASMS feels like a family reunion. It offers a fantastic opportunity to catch up with customers, engage face-to-face, and discuss technology across various mass spectrometry applications. The strong emphasis on metabolomics and quantitative mass spectrometry was particularly thrilling. Numerous customers shared how biocrates technology has simplified their work, addressing challenges related to capacity, budget and organizational efficiency.
Overall, ASMS 2024 was a worthwhile event, providing valuable insights, fostering connections, and highlighting the importance of quality control and standardization in metabolomics. The conference reinforced the community’s shared vision for the future of metabolomics and the pivotal role of quantitative and reproducible approaches. We look forward to building on these discussions and advancing the field through continued innovation and collaboration.