Inaugural conference launches new Centre for Research in Mass Spectrometry at York University; leading North American researchers unveil new findings in field

TORONTO, September 28, 2000 -- The Centre for Research in Mass Spectrometry at York University will celebrate its official opening with an inaugural conference on Friday, Sept. 29. The conference will feature leading scientists from across North America who will share their new research on mass spectrometry in areas ranging from ion chemistry to instrument designs.

"The Centre for Research in Mass Spectrometry is York University's platform to foster a more vibrant and ongoing program of collaborative research in mass spectrometry, to promote and actively seek mutually beneficial research collaboration in mass spectrometry both within and outside of York University, and to offer a richer environment for graduate student and post-doctoral learning and training," says York Chemistry Professor Michael Siu, who is also York's NSERC/MDS Sciex Industrial Research Chair in Analytical Mass Spectrometry. "The Inaugural Conference allows us to celebrate the opening of the Centre and discuss new and invigorating research in analytical mass spectrometry."

Analytical mass spectrometry is used to identify a substance or to analyze for foreign compounds in samples -- for instance to detect herbicides in lake water, to analyze pharmaceuticals, or to test an athlete's blood.

The conference runs from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., and will be held in room 203 (south), Ross Building, York University, 4700 Keele St. The agenda follows:

9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.Scott McLuckey (Professor of Chemistry, Purdue)
Macro-ion Chemistry in a Quadrupole Ion Trap

10:15 a.m. -10:45 a.m. Alex Harrison (Professor Emeritus, Chemistry UofT)
Sequence-Specific Fragmentation of Deprotonated Peptides

11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Jochen Rudolph (Professor of Chemistry, York U.)
Stable Carbon Isotope Ratio Measurements of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in the Atmosphere

11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Bruce Thomson (Principal Research Scientist, MDS Sciex)
Two Dimentional Quadrupoles ñ Beyond the Collision Cell

12 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. Don Hastie (Professor of Chemistry, York U.)
Mass Spectrometric Studies of Atmospheric Particles

1:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Chrys Wesdemiotis (Professor of Chemistry, University of Akron)
Mass Spectrometry in Polymer Research

2:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. Terry McMahon (Professor of Chemistry, University of Waterloo)
Structure Energetics and Reaction Dynamics of Gaseous Ions

3:15 pm. - 3:45 p.m. Gary DeBrou (Research Scientist, Ontario Ministry of the Environment)
Ontario's Mobile Taga: Two Decades of Air Monitoring "On the Fly"

3:45 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. John Holmes (Professor Emeritus, Chemistry University of Ottawa)
Tandem Sector Mass Spectrometers; the Legacy of Fourty Years

Please Note: A tour of the Centre's new state-of-the-art laboratory will follow from 4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

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For more information, please contact:

Prof. Michael Siu
Department of Chemistry
York University
(416) 736-5246
kwmsiu@yorku.ca

Ken Turriff
Media Relations
York University
(416) 736-2100, ext. 22086
kturriff@yorku.ca
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