MASSMATTERS
Careers in Mass Spectrometry
INTERVIEW: Carol Robinson...
Editor’s letter
Hi Everyone,
I hope this belated issue of Mass Matters finds you all well and surviving in lockdown. The reason for the delay was to wait until a decision had been made about the Annual Meeting and whether to cancel or to have a virtual meeting. Ashley explains the decision on the Annual Meeting in his Chair’s Report. In this difficult time, it has been fantastic to see the way the global mass spectrometry community has joined together towards targetting the Covid-19 virus through sharing knowledge, especially in the areas of sample preparation and data processing. See the BMSS website for more information.
We have taken the decision to make this edition, the first non-print version of Mass Matters as we’ve assumed many people wouldn’t be getting their post and we can take advantage of the new website facility to e-mail all our members.
The theme of this issue is careers as it follows some of the feedback we had about discussing some of the types of roles within mass spectrometry. Hopefully these articles will give you an idea of the variety of roles available. Thanks to all who contributed, if anyone is inspired to share their own day-to-day activities, we would love to hear from you. I have removed the ‘Dates For Your Diary’ section from this issue as many meetings are being cancelled (or likely to be in the near future), some of these may become virtual meetings but have not been included. Several of the BMSS Special Interest Groups are having smaller virtual meetings, keep an eye on the BMSS website for details.
I would like to take this opportunity to offer an apology to a former colleague of mine, Dr. Catherine Duckett, whose article in the last issue was in part assigned to her PhD student in error. This will be my last issue of Mass Matters as I hand the reins over to Jonathan Jones who is taking over as Publicity Secretary, I have moved over to the General Secretary role.
Andy Ray BMSS Publicity Secretary
Chair’s Report
A warm welcome to the next edition of MassMatters. As I write this, my last Chair’s report, the world has been in lockdown for several weeks due to an invisible & nasty enemy in the form of COVID-19 and we all face uncharted waters day by day as everything slowly comes back to what may well be a ‘new normal’. I, probably like everyone, came into 2020 on January 1 with great plans for both personal and work goals which have now been put on hold for the foreseeable future. That said, most of us will never experience a time like this again in our lifetimes, and I have certainly seen things like never before. Watching nature coming to life after a long Winter hour by hour, day by day. Bird song rather than car or aircraft noise filling the skies, and trees and flowers blossoming as the warmth of Spring comes through. And for those with children, a new experience of home schooling which brought challenges for both parents and children alike. All that said, I do sincerely hope that everyone has been able to stay safe, wherever possible, and ensured that they have kept close to their loved ones in whatever form of communication has allowed for some normality of life.
Regarding the BMSS activities, we just held our May Committee Meeting virtually, with everyone sitting in their homes joining via video conference which went well with no real gremlins in the system. Going forward, this will have to be the new way we have our committee meetings, as a substitute for face-to-face meetings which is required to meet our constitutional duties. As you will have seen, our SIG groups have had to cancel their meetings, but in the spirit of innovation the Bio-Macromolecular SIG has set up a bi-weekly series of 2 lectures per event which has been well received and with the numbers of attendees growing at each event. I’m sure as things move forward, the other SIGs will move in a similar direction as face-to-face meetings are likely not to be possible for some
significant time. Stayed tuned on this topic.
As lockdown came into force in late March, the meetings sub-committee came together to discuss options for the 2020 Annual Meeting scheduled to be at Sheffield Hallam this September. As the pandemic unfolded, it was clear that the Annual Meeting was in jeopardy of not going ahead as other societies such as ASMS and HUPO begin to either postpone or cancel the events entirely. Running the Annual Meeting takes a lot of meticulous planning and effort. Things were shaping up nicely with a really engaging programme of lectures and of the course the social events for networking and getting together with friends and colleagues. Following an online consultation of our members and supporters, and that it was becoming apparent that any social gatherings of any size will not be possible for the foreseeable future, it was clear that the Annual Meeting had to be cancelled – which was with great sadness to have to make such a decision. A virtual 3 day event was also considered but after further consultation with professional providers and our members, the appetite for trying to hold such an event at a very high costs to the Society was decided to not be feasible. We are, however, looking at running the ‘Introduction to MS Course’ as a virtual one and like the Bio-Macromolecular SIG looking at ways to have some other virtual BMSS events later in the year. As a registered charity, we also have to complete an AGM which is typically done at the Annual Meeting. This AGM has to go ahead and we are consulting with the Charity Commission on how we can do this, which will most likely be via a virtual meeting. More notice to come on this.
So, that’s it – 8 years on the BMSS Committee is coming to an end. I joined in 2012 as a Ordinary Member and Trustee, moving into the Treasurer’s Exec Position, then
Vice-Chair and ultimately Chair for the last 2 years. I had hoped that 2020 was going to be another good year for the BMSS especially with the planned Annual Meeting and I was really looking forward to welcoming everyone to Sheffield, but it’s not to be. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time serving on the BMSS committee – I’ve worked alongside some fantastic people, been part of some significant changes in the daily operation of the Society and over the last 4 or so years, seen an invigoration of a vibrant Society which is here to serve the UK Mass Spectrometry community. The Society has a bright future and is in great hands moving forward but if people reading this have ever considered being part of the BMSS, I can wholeheartedly recommend putting your name forward for election as it is a great way to gain experience for your own personal development as well as being able to give something back to the science of mass spectrometry you enjoy. I look forward to seeing folks at future BMSS events. Stay tuned for more news items. And continue to Stay Safe!
Ashley Sage, BMSS Chair
Ashley Sage, BMSS Chair
2020 BMSS membership subscription
Don’t miss out, renew your BMSS membership subscription for 2020
Don’t miss out, renew your BMSS membership subscription for 2020! You can renew quickly and easily on-line by visiting the BMSS Website, www.bmss.org.uk Why not also encourage colleagues to join the BMSS? As a member of the BMSS they will:
• Be part of a community of people with similar interests
• Have the opportunity to keep up to date with recent technological developments, learn more about MS and share knowledge and experience e.g. by joining Special Interest Groups (SIG’s)
• Be eligible to apply for grants towards small items of equipment, summer studentships and conference travel
• Be entitled to discounts for BMSS meetings
• Benefit from reduced subscription fees to the European Journal of Mass Spectrometry
• Receive copies of Mass Matters, the official publication of the BMSS, published three times a year
• Benefit from 20% off relevant book titles when purchased via Wiley Publishing (discount code required)
Students: Can benefit from our education programme by applying for travel grants, presenting research at meetings and by taking part in the Barber oral prize and Bordoli poster prize competitions. All student members also receive a general mass spectrometry text book upon joining.
New & Established spectrometrists: Can benefit from courses, careers events, links with other societies (such as ChromSoc. & RSC) and networking via the BMSS Annual Conference and Special Interest Group Meetings.
Any membership queries should be directed to:
Lisa Sage, BMSS Administrator
T: (01606) 810562
E: admin@bmss.org.uk
An inclusive award aimed at all those who have had a sustained input into the society Eligibility criteria:
• Respected position within the UK mass spectrometry community
• Member of BMSS for a significant amount of career
• Made notable contributions to the Society, attending and or making regular scientific contributions to BMSS sponsored meetings
• See BMSS.ORG.UK for details
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Recent publications by BMSS members...
Long-range conformational changes in monoclonal antibodies revealed using FPOP LC-MS/MS. O. Cornwell, N. J. Bond, S. E. Radford, A. E. Ashcroft, Anal. Chem., 91, 15163-15170, 2019. doi: 10.1021/ acs.analchem.9b03958.
Differences in conformational dynamics between two full-length monoclonal antibodies, differing in three residues, were probed using Fast Photochemical Oxidation of Proteins (FPOP) followed by proteolysis and LC-ESI-MS/MS analyses. Residue-level identification of the differences in oxidative labelling revealed long-range effects indicating conformational changes specifically in the heavy chain complementarity determining regions suggesting a change in the structure and orientation of the CL –CH1 interface.
A Single Synonymous Variant (c.354G>A [p.P118P]) in ADAMTS13 Confers Enhanced Specific Activity. Ryan Hunt, Gaya Hettiarachchi, Upendra Katneni, Nancy Hernandez, David Holcomb, Jacob Kames, Redab Alnifaidy, Brian Lin, Nobuko Hamasaki-Katagiri, Aaron Wesley, Tal
Kafri, Christina Morris, Laura Bouché, Maria Panico, Tal Schiller, Juan Ibla, Haim Bar, Amra Ismail, Howard Morris, Anton Komar and Chava Kimchi-Sarfaty
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20, 5734; doi:10.3390/ijms20225734
We investigated a synonymous polymorphism variant [p.P118P] of the ADAMTS13 gene, encoding a large (200kD) multidomain plasma protease regulating thrombogenesis through von Willebrand Factor (VWF) degradation, and unexpectedly showing higher specific activity. Mass spectrometric analysis of the O- and C-Glycome in WT and variant ADAMTS13 showed no notable differences but identified three previously unreported glycosylation markers.
Point Analysis of Foods by Sheath-Flow Probe Electrospray Ionization/Mass Spectrometry (sfPESI/MS) Coupled with a Touch Sensor.
Kenzo Hiraoka, Stephanie RankinTurner, Satoshi Ninomiya, Ryo Sekine, Hiroshi Wada, Masaya Matsumura, Sachiyo Sanada-Morimura, Fukuyo Tanaka, Hiroshi Nonami, and Osamu Ariyada
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2020, doi: 10.1021/acs. jafc.9b06489
Sheath-flow probe electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (sfPESI/MS) coupled with a touch sensor has been developed for the quick and non-invasive analysis of food and agricultural products. The sfPESI probe has been fitted with a new touch sensor which detects contact with the sample surface, enabling the automated, highthroughput analysis of biological samples, with an overall analysis time of less than 10 seconds per sample.
Metabolomic study of the exhaled breath of swimmers: evidence for alternative elimination profiles of disinfection by-products and potential markers of airway responses to chlorinated water exposure.
Heaney L.M., Kang S., Turner M.A., Lindley M.R., Thomas C.L.P. Indoor Air 2019; doi: 10.1111/ ina.12630.
Swimming is the most popular recreational activity in the UK. Swimming pool hygiene is commonly maintained by
disinfection using sodium hypochlorite. Chemical reactions with bodily fluids (e.g. sweat, urine) produce undesirable chemicals such as chloroform. Previous works noted the uptake and retention of chloroform for several hours after swimming. This study applied a sensitive exhaled breath sampling approach and uncovered that the processing and elimination of disinfection by-products is not ubiquitous across individuals.
Investigation of the 12-month stability of dried blood and urine spots applying untargeted UHPLCMS metabolomic assays.
Palmer E.A., Cooper H.J. and Dunn W.B.
Analytical Chemistry 2019, 91(22), pp.14306-14313.
This study investigated the endogenous metabolite stability of dried blood spots and dried urine spots applying an untargeted UHPLC-MS approach. The results demonstrate that storage at room temperature for 2-4 weeks is acceptable with limited instability detected. Longer term storage frozen is recommended.
International ring trial of a highresolution targeted metabolomics and lipidomics platform for serum and plasma analysis.
Thompson J.W., Adams K.J., Adamski J., Asad Y., Borts D., Bowden J.A., Byram G., Dang V., Dunn W.B., Fernandez F., Fiehn O., et al. Analytical Chemistry 2019, 91(22), pp.14407-14416.
This study assessed the applicability of the Biocrates p400 assay kit in an international ring trial. The manuscript describes a strict system suitability testing (SST) criteria used to evaluate each laboratory’s readiness to perform the assay. The study found approximately 250 metabolites were routinely quantified in the sample types tested, using Orbitrap instruments.
Feasting and Mobility in Iron Age Ireland: Multi-isotope analysis reveals the vast catchment of Navan Fort, Ulster.
Madgwick R., Grimes V., Lamb A., Nederbragt A., Evans J., McCormick F. Scientific Reports 2019, 9: 19792
This paper uses strontium (87Sr/86Sr), sulphur (δ34S), carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis of faunal bone collagen and dental enamel from Iron Age Navan Fort, the legendary ancient capital of Ulster. Wide-ranging strontium values demonstrate that the fort drew in people and animals from across Ireland for great feasts at the fort.
Strong anion exchange-mediated phosphoproteomics reveals extensive human non-canonical phosphorylation.
Hardman G., Perkins S., Brownridge P.J., Clarke C.J., Byrne D.P., Campbell A.E., Kalyuzhnyy A., Myall A., Eyers P.A., Jones A.R., Eyers C.E. EMBO J. 2019 Oct 4;38(21):e100847. doi: 10.15252/ embj.2018100847. Epub 2019 Aug 21.
Phosphorylation is a key regulator of protein function under (patho)physiological conditions, and defining site-specific phosphorylation is essential to understand basic and disease biology. In vertebrates, investigation has focussed on serine, threonine and tyrosine phosphorylation, but mounting evidence suggests that phosphorylation of other "non-canonical" amino acids also regulates critical aspects of cell biology. We have developed a new MS-based analytical pipeline that permits identification of histidine (His), arginine (Arg), lysine (Lys), aspartate (Asp), glutamate (Glu) and cysteine (Cys) phosphorylation sites on human proteins, accounting for ~ one-third of all identified phosphorylation sites. Our resource reveals the previously unappreciated diversity of protein phosphorylation in human cells, and opens up avenues for high-throughput exploration of non-canonical
phosphorylation in all organisms.
Isotope Depletion Mass Spectrometry (ID-MS) for Accurate Mass Determination and Improved Top-Down Sequence Coverage of Intact Proteins
Kelly J. Gallagher, Michael Palasser, Sam Hughes, C. Logan Mackay, David P. A. Kilgour, David J. Clarke J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2020, 31, 3, 700-710
We highlight the advantage of using proteins depleted in stable heavy isotopes of carbon and nitrogen (i.e. C13 and N15) for increased sensitivity in intact protein mass spectrometry analysis and sequence coverage in top-down fragmentation workflows.
Advancing Liquid Atmospheric Pressure Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Toward UltrahighThroughput Analysis
Henriette Krenkel, Evita Hartmane, Cristian Piras, Jeffery Brown, Michael Morris, and Rainer Cramer Analytical Chemistry 2020, 92 (4), 2931-2936
DOI: 10.1021/acs. analchem.9b05202
Currently, label-free mass spectrometric analysis of biomolecules is mainly done with ESI. To achieve ultrahigh-throughput necessary for compound-screening purposes, a more rapid technique is required. In this article, large-scale
liquid AP-MALDI sample analysis with speeds >5 samples per second is shown for three substance classes (peptides, antibiotics, and lipids) and complex biofluids (milk extracts), which is highly competitive with other techniques.
“KairosMS: A New Solution for the Processing of Hyphenated Ultrahigh Resolution Mass Spectrometry Data” Remy Gavard, Hugh E. Jones, Diana Catalina Palacio Lozano, Mary J. Thomas, David Rossell, Simon E. F. Spencer, and Mark P. Barrow Anal. Chem., 2020, 92, 5, pp. 37753786
DOI: 10.1021/acs. analchem.9b05113
KairosMS provides the ability to efficiently process hyphenated FTMS data using a new algorithm, import assignments, visualize results, and compare samples. Within minutes, it becomes possible to produce EIC’s, measure areas under individual EIC’s, plot results as a function of time, and download graphics or processed data. KairosMS has so far been tested with liquid chromatography and gas chromatography, coupled with FTICR and Orbitrap instruments.
FEATURE: CAREERS
Demo chemist
Caitlyn Da Costa – Waters.
Interacting with scientific and instrument vendors across mass spectrometry is a routine activity for many working within the industry and research sectors. It is, therefore, highly likely that many of you have, or will, encounter a demonstration (demo) scientist at some point during your career.
Demo chemists are vital members of an organisation that facilitate client-vendor interactions as well as pre- and post-sales support to many. For our speciality, we are a group of technically skilled mass spectrometrists and analytical chemists that act as a scientific bridge between the internal sales organisation or business development teams and new/ existing customers.
We exist for two very important purposes, to generate data that demonstrates the performance of the mass spectrometer for any given analytical challenge and to support customers and ensure their success. However, this does not come without difficulties.
The challenges that we regularly encounter are broad, varied and often dynamic in nature. These range from optimisation of chromatographic separations and routine quantification on nominal mass systems, through to highresolution screening and applied
research experiments in areas such as imaging and ion-mobility. The approaches are usually guided by the requests from customers and so we are forever kept on our toes with what the next task might entail.
A typical project will last a couple of weeks, beginning with a factfinding mission. This generally involves a customer call to discuss the proposed analysis in a technical manner (e.g. what compounds are we trying to analyse?, what sensitivity do we need to achieve?, what is the goal of the experiment?) but often transpires into a more in-depth conversation to try to truly understand their goals and aspirations. Once expectations are set, we then receive the necessary samples and begin the analysis.
Sometimes this is a straightforward process. However, this can also lead to that stomach-wrenching feeling of having to attempt a set of tasks suitable for a PhD thesis, albeit with only a week to turn it all around. Running the instrumentation to generate data is only half the task. We are then required to present the data, along with any details of the required hardware and/or software, to the customer. At this point, our hopes and dreams are based on the work being met with applause, not only from the customer but also from the account manager.
One positive outcome is the successful sale of a mass spectrometer with all parties
involved confident that the system will be a good fit into their laboratory. Moving forward we look to continue a positive relationship with the customer by providing technical support and assistance with their instrumentation and desired applications. As we have often already completed the analytical protocols of interest prior to the sale, we usually have a plethora of tips and tricks to share.
The aspects mentioned above form just a small snapshot of the role – in reality it is much more diverse. As we sit in a rather unique position in being customer facing but also with a strong technical knowledge, we are often called upon to provide additional internal and external support. This may be through scientific conference attendance, invites to meetings for providing pre-sales guidance, or to share expertise internally when developing and testing new products. This makes the job overall particularly difficult to categorise. However, the role provides the opportunity for continued learning, the exposure to and overcoming of challenges, and to share our expertise with a wealth of different people.
Call for Research Support Grants
Members (of at least 12 months standing) may apply for small grants of up to £2,000, with matched funding, to aid their research.
The BMSS Research Support Grant aims to support small research endeavours including, but not exclusive to:
• Generating pump priming data for grant applications or research areas.
• Incoming or outgoing visits to initiate new MS-relevant collaborations/training (standard class travel/accommodation).
• MS taster for new MS users (who must join the society).
• Instrumentation (updates, repairs, add-ons, new developments of existing kit etc.).
• Promotion of industry-academic collaborations.
Full details of eligibility, how to apply and conditions for awarding grants are available on the BMSS website at www.bmss.org.uk.
Characterisation in biopharmaceuticals
identify and quantify changes on what may affect these.
Professional History:
My first experience with mass spectrometry was during my year in industry for my degree. I was working in the Proteomics Facility at the University of Warwick and was trained by my first mentor, Sue Slade. This led me to pursue a PhD in mass spectrometry-based proteomics with Jim Scrivens using ion mobility mass spectrometry and online two-dimensional liquid chromatography. After my PhD I moved away from proteomics and joined Carol Robinson’s group in Oxford as a post-doc for 3 years working on native mass spectrometry of large soluble protein complexes. I knew I wanted to go into more practical applications of protein mass spectrometry and Biopharma and so I joined UCB as a Scientist.
Job Description:
I work in the Characterisation group in a biopharmaceutical company. Our main goal is to support the development of biological therapeutics (e.g. antibodies) starting from the point after candidate selection, all the way through to commercial. The fundamental goal of the whole group is to provide detailed molecular and biophysical characterisation of our drug molecules. Mass spectrometry is key to almost every aspect of characterisation. We measure biophysical characteristics such as post-translational modifications after process changes (e.g. changes in expression and/or purification) to help better understand/improve manufacturing and to ensure product quality. An assessment of product quality is made depending on what is critical to safety, function and immunogenicity of the product. Mass spectrometry is used to help
Description of a Day:
A typical day for me will involve measuring and analysing data, helping out my team (or colleagues in another team) with mass spec. queries and writing up experiments. On the day that I write this, I helped a team member with incorporating intact mass data into a BLA (biological drug licence application). This draws upon your skills to summarise your data concisely and it is also satisfying to see the direct impact of your data. At the moment I am also working on summarising some intact mass analysis I performed to help understand one of our drug manufacturing processes and writing this into an electronic notebook. These are examples of what is considered my core job. I am also lucky to be able to allocate time to develop new techniques to improve the way we work or to provide new information. This year I am developing hydrogendeuterium exchange (HDX) MS approaches for structural studies, so a large part of my day involves filtering HDX data and reading papers. Previously I have helped develop native online separation and native direct infusion mass spec techniques.
Favourite Part of Job:
I enjoy being able to work in a team who are working towards solving the same problems. I particularly enjoy an investigation which enables me to draw upon my experiences or gives me an opportunity to develop new approaches.
Advice:
Keep learning (papers, conferences, webinars etc) but also keep sharing. I am lucky to work in an environment that encourages open discussions of science and I have learnt how to
tackle challenges by talking to other people in the company. I regularly discuss my scientific findings to anyone that will listen!
Nisha Patel, UCB Celltech.
FEATURE: CAREERS
Extractables and leachables
Nick Morley, Hall Analytical.
I fell into my career in mass spectrometry by chance. After completing my degree in chemistry, I wasn’t sure what was next for me. My first job was at a small pharmaceutical company in their QC lab. supporting both the manufacturing and R&D departments. It was a great place for me to get experience in a wide range of analytical techniques. This was my first exposure to mass spectrometry, I mainly used single quad LC-MS to detect low concentrations of targeted analytes.
My next role was a contracting role at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in an analytical team supporting a project team developing a new inhalation device. The majority of the analysis was performed using LC-UV with a large focus on sample preparation. After enjoying work at GSK, a permanent position became available in another team which used a broader range of analytical
techniques, so I jumped at the chance to apply. This role was in a team focused on extractable and leachable analysis (E&L). I didn’t know much about this field at the time, but the role sounded interesting, especially as it involved mass spectrometry.
The field of E&L uses mass spectrometry for the detection and identification of unknown trace level (<ppm) organic and inorganic compounds, typically, GC-MS, high resolution LC-MS and ICP-MS. There is a large variation in the types of samples which require analysis including: polymers; components; drug products (small molecule and proteins); e-cigarettes; consumer healthcare products; and food packaging. The combination of unknown trace level containments in complex matrices makes the role of an E&L analyst one of the most challenging (in my opinion) in analytical chemistry. Additionally, samples can contain hundreds of unknown compounds which need
identification, therefore skillsets such as structural elucidation are highly desired.
Over the years my role at GSK changed from a bench analyst (conducting the work) to leading and directing long term E&L projects for various biopharmaceutical and cell and gene therapy drugs. An opportunity arose for me to join Hall Analytical in a role which was a mix between technical and commercial. This was a great opportunity for me to increase my knowledge of mass spectrometry and E&L whilst learning new skills on the commercial side by using my knowledge of the field of E&L to support customers.
I’ve really enjoyed my career in mass spectrometry because of the numerous opportunities it has opened up for me. The field of E&L and mass spectrometry has offered me opportunities to interact with a wide range of people including toxicologists, process engineers,
project managers, formulators, regulatory agency inspectors and a variety of highly skilled analysts.
The great thing about a career in mass spectrometry is that it doesn’t always just mean a career in the lab, it can lead down many different career paths where knowledge and expertise in mass spectrometry is valued. For me this included roles as a bench analyst, project lead and technical business development. I would highly recommend a career in mass spectrometry for anyone who
Analytical scientist in research and development
My role is that of Analytical Scientist in the Research and Development department of British American Tobacco. As the industry has moved into the new areas of e-cigarettes and tobacco heating products, the nature of the role and the challenges and opportunities it brings have changed. Where we once had a large routine testing laboratory, carrying out duty-of-care analyses and a team investigating new developments in combustible tobacco products, we now have a highly skilled team working on a vast array of aspects of novel devices, ingredients and technologies.
As an analytical scientist, I can be asked to liaise with internal stakeholders, such as product developers or consumer product safety to answer an analytical question they have. The challenges that the team may be tasked with can involve developing entirely new methods to quantify a new target compound, adapting existing methods for a new matrix or acting as a technical point of contact for more routine analysis carried out by external suppliers.
A project I was recently involved with was part of a duty-of-care study looking at developing a library of thermal degradation products
of flavour ingredients used in e-liquids; this was achieved by the use of untargeted GC-TOF MS scan analysis to allow a screening of all ions produced. Other analyses use LC-MS/MS to look for target analytes of interest using specific MRM transitions. GCxGC-MS, GC-MS/MS and LC-TOF MS are also used in the laboratory for a variety of targeted and untargeted analyses on a range of matrices and there is the potential for me to be assigned to any one of these techniques.
Working in a busy R&D laboratory gives me the chance to put skills I learned during my PhD research to use and continue to develop
as an analytical chemist with the opportunity to gain experience of a wide range of techniques and instrumentation.
Steph Powley, British American Tobacco.
Instrument marketing
Krisztina Radi, ThermoFisher. Education: PhD in Bioanalytical/ Biological Mass Spectrometry.
Professional History:
After finishing my Master’s degree in Chemistry, I had joined the pharmaceutical industry as an analytical chemist. Having spent a year working with mass spectrometers for my thesis in the pharma world during the last year of university it seemed straightforward.
I found analytical chemistry logical and satisfying my investigative mind, somehow a more fitting route than trying to master organic chemistry reactions. I have found mass spectrometry fascinating, a very versatile technique which can be used to analyse many different types of samples in many industrial labs. After spending a couple of years in the small molecule analytical lab my heart finally pulled me towards analysing bigger molecules and I started a PhD at the University of Warwick in the UK. Working in the pharma industry gave me the sense that I am doing something useful supporting the development of future drugs, and I was lucky enough that my PhD allowed me to work on something similarly practically useful and medically relevant, diagnosing haemoglobin disorders. Gaining knowledge in analysing biomolecules opened the MS world up more and after my PhD and postdoc I could return to industry supporting drug development of biopharmaceuticals.
After a few years, however, I was longing for a career outside the lab and working with regulatory aspects of pharmaceutical quality methods, where analytical knowledge is useful, but not limited to working in a lab, seemed once again a straightforward career direction and I joined the British Pharmacopeia team within the MHRA. But soon enough I started missing mass spectrometry and was very happy when I was
the successful candidate to join the marketing team in Thermo Fisher Scientific a little less than 2 years ago.
Job Description:
My job is within the Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry Division and involves executing vertical marketing strategy, specifically aimed at analytical scientists in the Pharma and BioPharma industry. I do work on campaign development, vertical content generation, manage collaborations and my job also involves helping sales teams to be more successful in the Pharma & BioPharma market. I see this as a job where I help distributing the relevant information and tools to the sales teams to more easily reach (and convince!) our target customers –via relevant scientific content, social media, and other tools (e.g. video interviews) that customers may respond positively to. I aim to find the right information and find a way to share it with the people within or outside my organization who can benefit from it.
Describe Your Day Today:
I work from home, and as every day is different, I may not have a set start and finish time. One day I may be on the phone to our commercial team in China – requiring an early start, the following day I may have a meeting early evening with a scientist based in California. I have a good mixture of short term and long-term projects, working with many stakeholders around the globe, and it became quickly apparent that time management would be the most challenging part of this role.
Short term projects might be as simple as reviewing some instrument data produced by our application scientists, writing a blogpost or a white paper. A longer-term project might involve managing a collaboration with a biopharma company or a research
facility. We love to partner with these organisations, firstly because they’re fun to work with and secondly because they are showing how our technology is used to support development of medicines which can help save lives.
Typically, a large part of my day is given over to developing and implementing our latest marketing strategy. This usually involves managing inputs from multiple departments within the organization, so a lot of communication. A lot of money and time is spent on marketing content, coordinating input from many scientists is often a must, so it’s a huge responsibility. But when I see my marketing material online and in print, it’s a great feeling!
Favourite Part of Job:
Meeting customers is my favourite part, seeing their faces lighten up when they share their stories how they overcame a challenge analysing complex biomolecules. I am very focused on learning what challenges scientists have and learning how my favourite technique, mass spectrometry helps them, and how much they love Orbitraps just like I do. I love finding the right analytical solutions and delivering customer success for biotherapeutic research and drug development through sharing the stories I learn. But I also very much like the part of my job when I get to interact with the many great minds within my company who develop these techniques.
Having the opportunity to learn about new and exciting science every day is something which makes me a happy (out-of-the lab) mass spec. fan, and a student for a lifetime.
Advice:
It’s vital to stay on top of what is going on in the biopharma and pharma industry, and what innovations other analytical technology vendors are working on,
including our competitors. To learn what’s going on part the best way is always attending a conference or talk to customers, talk to sales teams who talk to customers. Reading scientific papers is a must, but good to get the extra little insights when you talk to the scientists who did the work. I take every opportunity to take training, you can never know too much in this business. From an internal company perspective, I’ve found the most important thing has been to develop my network of contacts across the organisation. We work for such a huge company, and if you don’t know – you can guarantee someone else does!
Mass spectrometry expert in agrochemicals
Maria Ashe, Department of Product Metabolism & Analytical Sciences, Syngenta Ltd, Jealott’s Hill International Research Centre.
Syngenta is one of the world’s leading agrochemical companies with more than 26,000 employees in over 90 countries. The company has a global reach, and our aim is to help growers increase crop productivity, and provide healthy, high quality food while protecting the environment. Crop protection is a core component of the Syngenta business, with a significant product portfolio covering the major agricultural sectors. The R&D site where I work employs over 800 R&D scientists and is imperative to providing new solutions for our customers.
This is my first industrial role working for a global bioscience company after completing my PhD five months ago. My functional role within the department is to undertake identification and structural characterization of metabolites and degradation components generated by agrochemicals. This allows the project team to elucidate the metabolic pathways and determine the fate of active ingredients to support product registrations and ongoing research within Syngenta. To achieve this we use the latest analytical equipment, such as the Orbitrap Tribid high-resolution accurate mass (HRAM) instrument,
My role is both stimulating and challenging, and no single day is the same. We are interested in detecting and determining the structure of any potential reaction product when an active ingredient interacts with the environment or with crops. Because of the heterogeneity of these mixtures, our analysis usually requires various extraction protocols, followed by chromatography coupled with MS and MS/MS analysis. Normally I
am given samples for analysis but if I want - and more importantly, have time - I can prepare samples myself. The complexity of the work varies; sometimes it can be as easy as confirmation of a structure when you have a reference standard available. However, the majority of my work is identification of unknowns for new active ingredients (AI) or existing products. My responsibility encompasses more than the mass spectrometry analytical work; I am assigned a project role for each of the AI’s I work on and can be working on up-to three AI compounds per year. The main part of my role is sample analysis to elucidate structures of small organic molecules, but importantly, I have to communicate the results clearly to the AI project teams as the information I provide allows project teams to make key decisions on how to progress their studies.
I like thinking about what changes can have happened to an applied AI compound and where those modifications could occur. The determination of these modifications can be obtained by analysing MS/MS data to help assign potential structures, then putting all known analytical data together, proposing the possible modifications and their locations. Some of the AI compounds I am working with will have a 14C radio label which allows us to quantify and detect compounds by knowing the retention time via the radio profile. This assists in determining the m/z value of the metabolite or degradation product. In addition to the day to day work I carry out, I also look after our team’s instruments which comprises instrument calibration, troubleshooting and general maintenance.
The understanding of instrumentation and knowledge which I gained during my PhD, and am still improving upon,
helps with my role enormously, so I am very grateful to my PhD supervisor John Langley from The University of Southampton. My workplace gives me responsibility to work independently and provides opportunities for growth. I enjoy learning new methods, techniques and approaches which stretch my analytical thinking. My work on different AI projects provides me with plenty of challenges and learning opportunities for better understanding of MS/MS fragmentation and ways to translate this data into useful information for project teams.
I can attend seminars, training courses and conferences to keep me updated on the latest scientific breakthroughs in the analytical and mass spectrometry field. For example, there is a weekly science seminar at Jealott’s Hill which covers a range of topics. This allows better understanding of the business and the research on site with a wider scientific community. Since joining Syngenta, I have been given the opportunity to get involved with a research collaboration project, which is exciting and helps me to keep up to date with new developments in the field. My colleagues are highly experienced, and their skill and knowledge are very helpful and supportive to further improve and develop my skill set in different areas of the Agrochemical registration process. I feel very fortunate and lucky to be able to work at Syngenta. The work I do helps to develop novel agrochemical products which support the food chain process and in the current crisis this is more important than ever. I am proud to be a part of this process.
Getting the most out of your BMSS membership
Checking that the email address within your membership locker is correct and up to date. Interacting with the BMSS Website using a different email address to that associated with your membership account means that you will be allocated a ‘guest’ account and will not be able to access BMSS member benefits such as discounts for meetings.
Ensure we have the correct full mailing address. In the case of a U.K. postcode, it’s helpful to leave a gap in between the 2 parts of the postcode. This will ensure you will receive Mass Matters, the BMSS Newsletter.
Register early for meetings to take advantage of the Early Bird discount.
Looking for a new job? Visit the BMSS job page, remember BMSS members can currently post jobs for free. PhDs and PostDoc positions are also posted on this board so keep a look out for your next position.
Engage with the wider MS community by registering your e-mail address on JISCmail. www.bmss.org.uk/membership/ jiscmail/
Become involved – the Committee is always looking for people to help with the BMSS Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Sub-Committee, the Financial Sub-Committee and all the Special Interest Groups. You can apply to join the Committee as a Co-Optee or to stand as a Committee Member (Deadline is 16th June 2020).
Every vote counts! Look out for Committee membership election announcements and vote for who you want to represent your views on the Committee.
Take advantage of the Grants available to members – Travel Grants, Research Grants and Carers Grants and Summer Studentship funding (note that for Travel Grants, Carers Grants and Summer
Call for Research Support Grants
Members (of at least 12 months standing) may apply for small grants of up to £2,000, with matched funding, to aid their research.
The BMSS Research Support Grant aims to support small research endeavours including, but not exclusive to:
• Generating pump priming data for grant applications or research areas.
• Incoming or outgoing visits to initiate new MS-relevant collaborations/training (standard class travel/accommodation).
• MS taster for new MS users (who must join the society).
• Instrumentation (updates, repairs, add-ons, new developments of existing kit etc.).
• Promotion of industry-academic collaborations.
Full details of eligibility, how to apply and conditions for awarding grants are available on the BMSS website at www.bmss.org.uk.
Studentship funding, payment is made retrospectively upon submission of receipts).
Vote on proposals by attending the AGM.
Ambient ionisation SIG meeting
6th Feb 2020
Simone Mathias & Toni Jackson, University of Surrey.
The 2020 BMSS Ambient Ionisation SIG Meeting took place on 6th February at the University of Surrey. The day was filled with a total of 10 talks that focussed on novel applications, of both accomplished and relatively new ambient ionisation techniques with a poster session and exhibition included too.
The University of Surrey’s own, Dr Melanie Bailey, opened the meeting with the keynote talk on ion beams and ambient ionisation, in which the advantages and disadvantages of each technique for application of tissue imaging were highlighted. This was followed with Frederick Li from IonSense discussing the automation of DART analysis for reaction monitoring with a high throughput of samples as the main aim. The conventional continuous gas flow employed in a DART system was switched out for a pulsed gas flow, improving the speed of analysis. A 384-well plate was able to be analysed in just 22 minutes. Two talks were presented by Toma
for the analysis and speciation of micro-organisms in pharmaceutical environmental samples. Results demonstrated the ability to speciate, even for samples that had been refrigerated for up to 72 hours. The analysis of fungi at different stages of growth was also shown, as this is critical for building a database for speciation of fungi. The second talk by Daniel Simon presented a novel LD-REIMS source for clinical applications.
Nick Marsden from the University of Manchester changed the direction with a talk on the analysis of atmospheric pollutants using a variety of mass spectrometry techniques. This talk demonstrated the ability to acquire long-term measurements, which can be useful for field studies. The Department of Atmospheric Science at the University of Manchester have opened an air quality supersite with a dedicated space for external researchers. Examples of data that can be obtained from the ambient air include aerosol composition, particle size distribution, elemental metal content and trace gas
of Liverpool, displaying the level of resolution that could be achieved of the standalone IMS. Initial work evaluated the interfacing to ESI and DAPCI.
Pauline Phillips from Syngenta presented some data on the use of SCIRIT for GC-HRMS on an existing LC-MS system. The SICRIT produced intense protonated molecules compared to EI and did not show the (M+NH4)+ ions observed with ammonia CI. Interesting spectra with multiple oxygen adducts were observed for benzene derivatives with multiple methyl groups. The potential application for hydrogen deuterium exchange was also shown and an example of application to structural elucidation demonstrated the advantage of this technique. Cristian Piras, University of Reading, showed the applicability of AP-MALDI for the early detection of mastitis in cows. Using a liquid matrix and automation, samples could be analysed in a very short amount of time. For initial work analysing phospholipids, a fast analysis could be used but for generation of multiply charged ions from proteins a longer experiment
certified amount.
Catia Costa, University of Surrey, closed the meeting with a discussion on the development of the analysis of drugs of abuse from fingerprints using paper spray. The analysis was shown to agree with the results from LC-MS although the paper spray method was not as sensitive. As both the drug and metabolites could be detected at low levels, it was possible to distinguish between the presence of drug due to contact and after consumption.
The BMSS Ambient Ionisation SIG has really shown the development of the techniques over the last six years, where quantitation and automation were once just desirable, these are now possible. The number of commercially available ambient ionisation sources continues to grow, with still more being developed. It is amazing to see how many different areas of application ambient ionisation can be used – from pharmaceuticals, food safety, milk analysis, drugs of abuse, imaging, explosives detection, microbiological analysis and air quality.
Another talk discussing ambient ionisation for clinical purposes was that given by Valerio Converso from LGC. The work focussed on the development of a portable ASAP-MS system for the analysis of the substance, phenylalanine. Initial experiments evaluated the sample application: to pipette the sample onto the sample rod or simply dip the sample rod into the sample. The comparison between a rotary pumped system and a diaphragm pump was demonstrated, and with the use of an internal standard good linearity could be obtained. The system was then applied to the analysis of plasma and improved linearity was obtained, measurement of a NIST sample in plasma was within 2% of the
A big thank you to University of Surrey for hosting us and all the exhibitors for their support. The next meeting is pencilled in for the 27th January 2021 at AstraZeneca, Macclesfield.
As part of the meeting there was a lively poster session with manufacturers exhibition providing the opportunity for discussion of the latest data over coffee. Oliver Hale from the University of Birmingham won the Peter Ryan Award for his poster on “Spatially mapping intact proteins and protein complexes in tissue with native liquid extraction surface analysis mass spectrometry imaging”.
Reflections on a career in Mass Spectrometry
Professor Dame Carol Robinson, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford.
How did you first become interested in mass spectrometry?
I left school at 16 and went to work for Pfizer as it was the local industry in Kent. It was through my work as a technician there that I first became interested in mass spectrometry. I always felt like it was ‘me against the machine’ – most days it wouldn’t be working – so when it did work I got a tremendous sense of satisfaction.
What do you think are your greatest contributions in encouraging young people to pursue mass spectrometry as a career?
My greatest contributions I believe are in speaking at conferences, reaching a wide audience and making the subject more open and inclusive. There are now many new areas of application where mass spectrometry is making a significant impact.
In what new areas do you see mass spectrometry going into? Are new developments required?
Great strides have been made in proteomics, structural biology and imaging to name just a few areas of interest to me. There is always a call for greater sensitivity and resolution - these are ongoing ever since I started my career. New areas coming to the fore are single cell proteomics, greater detail for in situ imaging, as well as drug testing in complex cellular environments.
What advice would you give a scientist starting out in mass spectrometry?
Be bold, be different and be passionate about what you do. I have always thought it important to develop a niche – to be recognised for something rather than to follow a popular well-trodden path.
Where do you see the future of mass spectrometry in the next 10 years - can it still be a career path for young people?
Artificial intelligence will likely develop ways of interpreting mass spectra. I think however that there will always be a place for an individual to discover something unexpected by close scrutiny of raw-data. Mass spectrometry is expanding so rapidly in its application that I believe it will remain an excellent career path for young people.
Could you describe your lasting memories/most satisfying achievements of your career in mass spectrometry?
I often remember days when I recorded mass spectra that I doubted would ever be possible. For example, the first time I recorded mass spectra of very large complexes, or of membrane protein complexes, flying through the mass spectrometer intact. Those days are firmly etched in my memory.
TRAVEL GRANT REPORTS
The authors of these reports all wish to express their thanks to the BMSS for the award of a travel grant to allow them to attend these conferences.
BMSS Annual Meeting
5th September 2019, Manchester, UK
Travel Grant Recipient:
Pui Yiu (Yuko) Lam
University of Warwick
Supervisors: Professor Peter O’Connor
Abstract
Presentation Topic: Two Dimensional Mass Spectrometry (2DMS) – The Next Dimension in Proteomics
Two dimensional mass spectrometry (2DMS) has been applied in proteomic analysis for recent years. As a result, liquid chromatography (LC) is no longer an essential tool for separating the complex peptide/protein mixtures as the ions can be spatially separated and simultaneously detected in an ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) cell. Herein, we applied 2DMS to study a digested proteomic sample without prior LC separation and the peptides assigned in 2DMS was compared to the results obtained from the nanoLC experiment. We further applied 2DMS to an amyloid protein-ligand binding in a native-like buffer solution. The assignment of the peaks in the spectrum was directly achieved using the precursor ion scan line in the 2DMS spectrum. Our data also demonstrated 2DMS can study complex mixtures of proteinligand in a native–like buffer which was difficult to achieve in the past.
Report
Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is an essential tool as well as a standard and well-developed method for proteomic study. Lots of welloptimised proteomic protocols and user-friendly software are available. Reversed phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) with
C18 stationary phase material is the most common LC column used nowadays; this column is good at separating hydrophobic peptides and small size proteins while hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) column is generally used for separating hydrophilic peptides. These two columns (RP- and HILIC-LC) are welldeveloped for proteomics analysis; however, organic solvents are required to elute the analytes into a mass spectrometry (MS) which
excitation pulse (P1) then the ions inside the cell can have different phases under a time delay (t1). Another excitation pulse (P2 = P1) was then applied to the ions, and the ions that are in-phase with the excitation phase will excite to a higher orbit; while the ions that are out-of-phase will relax back to the centre of the cell. Radius dependent fragmentation techniques, such as infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD), are used to fragment the ions. The fragments
of peaks are plotted in colour scale (Fig. 1C). The peaks observed in all 2DMS spectra can be classified into autocorrelation line, horizontal fragment ion scan line, vertical precursor ion scan line, and neutral loss line (Fig. 1D). Autocorrelation line (x=y) contains all precursor ions observed in 2DMS; while neutral loss line, which parallels to the autocorrelation line, show the common neutral loss molecule generated from different precursor ions. Horizontal fragment ion scan
1
does not favour the study of native proteomics. Up till now, native proteomics is still focusing on using the simple mixture of protein and ligand in an in vivo experiment to avoid the use of LC.
In a 1DMS experiment in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS), the cyclotron frequencies of ions are measured and converted into m/z [1]. In a 2DMS experiment, ions are first excited out into a higher orbit inside an ICR cell with a small
generated during 2DMS experiment have the same modulation frequency as the precursor ion. All the ions, including precursor and fragment ions, are then excited and detected in the ICR cell. The 2DMS process repeats by increasing the delay time (t1) until the number of desired vertical scan lines number is achieved [2].
In a 2DMS spectrum, three dimensional peaks are shown as a contour plot with fragment m/z in x-axis and precursor m/z in y-axis (Fig. 1A & 1B), while the intensity
line is the tandem MS spectrum of a particular precursor ion and vertical precursor ion scan line is the spectrum showing all the precursors in 2DMS that generate that particular fragment.
The performance of 2DMS in proteomic analysis without prior LC separation was evaluated using a mixture of digested standard proteins, and the peptides assigned in 2DMS were compared to the result obtained using nano-LC separation (Fig. 2). 64 peptides were identified in a 160-minute 2DMS
Fig
experiment; while 75 peptides were found in a 120-minute nano-LC. 18 unique peptides were observed in the 2DMS compared to the nano-LC experiment. The physical properties of the peptides in 2DMS were more hydrophilic, basic, and shorter in length. We also demonstrated the performance of 2DMS can be significantly improved by applying a wide mass range quadrupole isolation prior to 2DMS excitation and detection in order to reduce the space charge effect in the ICR cell. 4 different mass range, m/z 300 –500, m/z 500 – 700, m/z 700 – 900, and m/z 900 – 1500, were used in the experiment. 85 peptides were observed in a 240-minutes 2DMS run and 40 unique peptides were observed in the 2DMS experiment, indicating LC separation is no longer the only possible solution to improve the performance of peptide identification in proteomic studies.
We further applied 2DMS to native proteomics study. In native proteomics, amyloid protein aggregation is always one of the most challenging questions as aggregates of amyloid protein are non-covalently bind, indicating organic buffer will affect the binding site; at the same time, the size of aggregates varies significantly within a short period of time (~ 15 minutes), suggesting zero/minimum sample preparation is required. Herein, we mixed the human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) with 3 potential inhibitors, including human insulin, 3-APS, and BISA, in a native-like buffer. Previous research showed human insulin is an inhibitor to hIAPP aggregation as it binds to a specific site in hIAPP; while 3-ASP and BISA also bound to hIAPP but they could not prevent amyloid fibril formation. One-by-one interaction between amyloid protein and ligand is commonly used in the in vivo experiment as it can reduce the sample complexity but it is also interesting to understand the effects when different inhibitors were mixed with hIAPP at the same time. Our results showed multiple 3-APS and BISA molecules bound onto the hIAPP as well as insulin molecules when all the molecules and proteins
were mixed in the same native-like solution (Fig. 3); while no hIAPP and insulin complex was observed which differ from what we observed in pure mixing of hIAPP and human insulin as heterodimer (one hIAPP molecule and one human insulin molecule complex) was found in the spectrum. This result demonstrated the binding between protein and ligand is different between simple and complex mixture solution. A new analytical technique, like 2DMS, is required to bring our studies forward.
Reference:
1. Marshall, A. G.; Hendrickson, C. L., Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance detection: principles and experimental configurations. Int. J. Mass spectrom. 2002, 215 (1-3), 59-75.
2. van Agthoven, M. A.; Lam, Y. P.; O’Connor, P. B.; Rolando, C.; Delsuc, M.-A., Two-dimensional mass spectrometry: new perspectives for tandem mass spectrometry. Eur. Biophys. J. 2019, 48 (3), 213-229.
Fig 2
Fig 3
How to make your presentations accessible
Lindsay Harding, University of Huddersfield.
Conferences are seemingly distant memories at the moment, but I’d still like to share with you some information about improving accessibility in presentations. Hopefully you will find it useful at some point soon!
I was asked some time ago to present to colleagues at my University about accessibility (fine), specifically why it’s important to me (well, it just is!). Surprisingly, I had quite a lot of trouble articulating why I care about making my teaching materials accessible, but in the end it boiled down to this: I would feel very bad if my students’ achievement was based not on their understanding of analytical science, but on their ability to access my resources. That got me thinking about research presentations - imagine missing out on that discussion which could unlock further possibilities in your research, that potential collaboration…just because someone found your slides hard to read and disengaged. For me, the crucial point is that “accessibility” is not just about catering to a minority. I truly believe that many people who do not have a disability can benefit from adjustments made to enhance accessibility for those who do (using clear fonts, making slides less cluttered etc.). When presenting at meetings and conferences, the audience has a limited time to read slides. Therefore, incorporating barrier-free design can assist in more rapid comprehension of your material. Having said that, I will be focusing in this article on adjustments inspired by the needs of people with certain common conditions.
Barriers to accessibility can be permanent (e.g. blindness),
temporary (e.g. wearing an eyepatch due to an injury) or situational (e.g. the presentation room has very bright lighting). We might consider the first of these, but maybe not think about the others. However, people with temporary or situational disabilities may benefit from some of the things we can do to help those with permanent disabilities.
Barriers could include:
➜ Learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia)
➜ Visual stress (also known as Irlen syndrome1)
➜ Neurodiversity (e.g. autistic spectrum conditions)
➜ Mental health issues (which can affect concentration)
➜ Language
➜ Etc. etc…
I will focus on just a few of these, which are (perhaps) the most common difficulties likely to be encountered by audience members at presentations. Conditions which might influence the way you prepare the text and diagrams on your presentation include dyslexia and colour vision impairment.
Dyslexia is a common condition which affects around 1 in 10 of the population. Dyslexia has a range of effects, and it’s likely that everyone who has dyslexia has a slightly different experience of it. However, there are some common signs - reading slowly, confusing visually similar words and finding it hard to skim written material. Dyslexia can also affect people’s ability to concentrate and focus. People with dyslexia are most likely to have difficulty with the text and formatting of your presentation. A second common condition is colour vision deficiency, which affects around 1 in 12 men, but
fewer women. It is a dysfunction (or total lack of) one or more types of cones, the colour receptors in the eye. Each type of cone responds to light from a different range of wavelengths in the spectrum. Dysfunction of the cones leads to differences in colour perception. People with colour vision deficiency see colours differently, and may find certain colours difficult to distinguish from each other. They are most likely to have difficulty with the colours you choose for your presentation, especially if you are using colours to illustrate important information.
And now to the practical recommendations…I have tried to be comprehensive, but this isn’t a prescriptive list – it doesn’t matter if you don’t do it all, any changes you make will help someone! Firstly, we will consider the visual aspects of presentations.
Font size and style
Choice of font is really important. Fonts with serifs, such as Times New Roman, can appear to “crowd” together, or move about, for people with certain conditions, making them difficult to read. Sans serif fonts are best, such as Arial, Calibri etc. For a presentation, a
minimum font size of 24 point is recommended.
Using full justification can mean that spacings between words are uneven which can cause problems for people with dyslexia. Left justification is preferred.
It’s helpful to space lines out from each other slightly, this stops words crowding together.
If using bullet points, arrow and square symbols are preferable as circles can move around and distort to readers with dyslexia.
Some of these ideas are illustrated in Figure 1.
Colour and contrast
The colours that you choose for your slides and graphics are also important as they can have an influence on accessibility for several different conditions.
Two seemingly contradictory pieces of advice are to avoid white backgrounds (for people with dyslexia and visual stress) but to use good contrast between text and background (for people with low vision). The British Dyslexia Association probably sums it up best in their Dyslexia Style Guide: “Use
a) Original graph
c) Revised graph
dark coloured text on a light (not white) background”.
2 Plain, not patterned, backgrounds are preferable to reduce visual distractions (Fig. 1).
If you are using graphs, charts etc. it’s a good idea to use differentlyshaped markers, use different textures or add meaningful labels using text, rather than relying on colour to differentiate categories. To someone with the most common form of colour vision impairment, deuteranopia (“red/green” colour vision impairment), some colours would be much harder to distinguish, as shown in Figure 2:
There are colour vision deficiency simulators online, which enable you to check that your graphics are accessible. A good one is
Color Oracle3,4 which I used in the preparation of Figure 2.
Sound
Moving away from visual choices, we also need to consider the presentation itself, and particularly the sound. Hearing impairment affects 1 in 6 people in the UK. To enable D/deaf or hearing-impaired delegates to fully access your presentation, please always use the microphone when presenting as this can be paired with a hearing loop (if available at the venue). Hearing loops (also called audio induction loops) pick up the sound from the microphone and convert it to a magnetic, wireless signal which can be received by hearing aids. The sound goes directly into the hearing aid, which cuts down on background noise for the listener. Delegates
b) How the graph would look with deuteranopia
d) How the revised graph would look with deuteranopia
asking questions should also be encouraged to use a microphone, for the same reason.
Wider accessibility issues should also be considered by event organisers, as some will be specific to the venue. The BMSS EDI sub-committee has developed an Inclusive Events Guide which has been incorporated into the guidance given to organisers of “BMSS-badged” meetings.
In summary
Including even one of these things in the preparation of your presentation is a great start. Hopefully I’ve encouraged you to see that building accessibility into your output benefits the many, not the few.
References and useful links
1. More information on visual stress (Irlen syndrome) is available at http://www.irlenuk.com/
2. “Dyslexia Style Guide”, British Dyslexia Association (2018), available at: https://cdn.bdadyslexia. org.uk/documents/Advice/styleguide/Dyslexia_Style_Guide_2018final-1.pdf?mtime=201904091739 49&focal=none
3. “Color design for the color vision impaired”, B. Jenny, N.V. Kelso, Cartographic Perspectives, (2007), 58, 61-67
4. Color Oracle is available at https:// colororacle.org/index.html
Fig. 2: Simulation of the effect of the most common colour vision impairment, deuteranopia, illustrating ways to make sure information is clear without solely relying on colour.
