Research
Research
We develop measurement science across the full arc — from the physics of ion generation to clinical and biological discovery. Explore the directions that define the lab.
Ambient & Atmospheric-Pressure Ionization
New ways to turn molecules into ions — directly, in open air.
We study the fundamentals of how ions are generated at atmospheric pressure and build new ionization sources and instruments around them — from plasma and DART-based methods to triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) mass spectrometry. These ambient techniques let us analyze samples with little or no preparation, opening mass spectrometry to fast, real-world chemical measurement.
Mass Spectrometry Imaging
Mapping the molecular landscape of tissues, pixel by pixel.
We develop instrumentation and workflows that reveal where molecules are located within tissues and samples, building chemical images that connect molecular composition to biological structure. This spatial view of metabolites and lipids underpins our work in cancer biology and spatial omics.
Ion Mobility & Multidimensional Separations
Adding a new dimension to separate molecules by size and shape.
By coupling ion mobility spectrometry with mass spectrometry and liquid- phase separations, we resolve molecules that are otherwise impossible to tell apart. We build the hardware and methods that push the resolving power and information content of these multidimensional analytical platforms.
Metabolomics & Diagnostics
Reading the body's small-molecule signatures to detect disease earlier.
Our metabolomics and lipidomics programs search for the small-molecule signatures of health and disease. A long-standing focus is the early detection of ovarian cancer, alongside work on inflammatory bowel disease, traumatic brain injury, and other conditions — combining high-resolution mass spectrometry with machine learning to turn molecular data into candidate biomarkers.
Exercise Multi-omics (MoTrPAC)
Decoding the molecular transducers of physical activity.
As a chemical analysis site for the NIH Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC), we help map the molecules through which exercise improves health. The lab contributes large-scale, rigorously quality-controlled metabolomics measurements to this national effort.
Microbial Identification
Fingerprinting microorganisms by their molecules.
We apply mass spectrometry to identify and characterize microorganisms through their molecular fingerprints, supporting applications in diagnostics and environmental and biological analysis.
Global Health & Pharmaceutical Forensics
Detecting substandard and falsified medicines worldwide.
Substandard and falsified medicines cost lives across the globe. Working with partners including the WHO, USP, and field collaborators, we develop portable and laboratory mass spectrometry methods to screen medicine quality and trace the chemical signatures of counterfeit drugs.
Chemical Evolution & Origins of Life
Tracing the molecular steps from chemistry to life.
Through long-running collaborations including the NSF/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, we use mass spectrometry to study how simple molecules assemble into the complex chemistry that precedes life — probing prebiotic reactions and the emergence of molecular complexity.