New approaches to trace LC/MS analysis of biological samples

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/d20004856

Many clinical samples from human or animals are available in limited amounts. For example, the number of cell type subpopulations (e.g. stem cells or circulating tumor cells), which are related to cancer may be very low in whole blood. Additionally, rare blood proteins of diagnostic interest may need to be isolated from numerous blood proteins with a very wide dynamic range. The analysis of such limited sample availabilities requires an integration of highly specific sample preparation with high performance and sensitive liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). The purpose of this dissertation is to develop new LC/MS approaches for trace analysis of a limited number of cells as low as few hundred and targeted blood proteins in low levels.