MASS SPECTROMETRY AT POINT-OF-CARE: SIMPLE YET POWERFUL SOLUTIONS FOR BETTER HEALTH

The superior sensitivity and selectivity obtained with mass spectrometry (MS) is hardly matched by other analytical technologies, therefore it is an indispensable tool for modern society. Traditionally, MS is coupled with chromatography separation and performed in centralized analytical laboratories, which often requires extensive sample preparation and expensive instrumentation. With the advancements in the field of ambient MS and miniature MS, MS analysis at point-of-care (POC) has become a reality. Ambient MS includes a variety of methods for sampling and ionization, but they all share a common feature: they require little to no sample preparation. This has made rapid analysis of untreated sample possible and speed of MS analysis is significantly improved. Miniature MS, on the other hand, shrinks down the sizes of conventional benchtop instruments so they become portable or fieldable. In this dissertation, I documented the developments of ambient MS methods and applications of miniature MS for a variety of health-related topics, which include preclinical pharmacokinetics, intraoperative diagnosis, drug adherence monitoring and food safety.