Automating bioanalytical sample analysis through enhanced system integration.

Background: In the bioanalytical laboratory, challenges associated with manual, repetitive, labor-intensive processes can be addressed by powerful automated liquid handlers; however, their implementation has been difficult due to lack of efficient integration into laboratory workflows. Faster throughput is afforded to ligand binding assay (LBA) technologies via enhanced automation, but the upstream sample processing still remains a bottleneck. To be truly efficient, these technologies must be incorporated into a laboratory information management system (LIMS) to streamline data analysis and reporting.

Laboratory automation of high-quality and efficient ligand-binding assays for biotherapeutic drug development.

Background: Regulated bioanalytical laboratories that run ligand-binding assays in support of biotherapeutics development face ever-increasing demand to support more projects with increased efficiency. Laboratory automation is a tool that has the potential to improve both quality and efficiency in a bioanalytical laboratory. The success of laboratory automation requires thoughtful evaluation of program needs and fit-for-purpose strategies, followed by pragmatic implementation plans and continuous user support.

Opening doors and minds: a path for widening access.

Background: Students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds are under-represented in UK medical schools. Many successful interventions are also highly labour-intensive for medical schools to implement. We describe and evaluate a sustainable, low-cost strategy that provides participants with targeted support, advice and experience.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometric method for determination of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone in human plasma.

Risperidone, a benzisoxazole derivative, is an antipsychotic agent used for the treatment of schizophrenia. We developed a liquid chromatographic-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-APCI-MS-MS) method with improved sensitivity, selectivity, and dynamic range for determination of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone in human plasma. A structural analogue of risperidone, RO68808 (5 ng/mL), is added as the internal standard to 1 mL of human plasma.

A liquid chromatographic-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometric method for determination of buprenorphine, its metabolite, norbuprenorphine, and a coformulant, naloxone, that is suitable for in vivo and in vitro metabolism studies.

A liquid chromatographic-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometric method has been developed and validated for determination of the antiabuse medication, buprenorphine, its primary metabolite, norbuprenorphine, and a proposed coformulant, naloxone. The method uses deuterated internal standards and a simple liquid-liquid extraction. Mass spectrometry employed selected reaction monitoring of the transitions of m/z 468 to 396 for buprenorphine, 472 to 400 for [2H4]buprenorphine, 414 to 101 for norbuprenorphine, 423 to 110 for [2H9]norbuprenorphine, 328 to 310 for naloxone, and 345 to 327 for its internal standard, [2H3]naltrexone.