The current research in Analytical Chemistry is characterized by practical experimental applications in biomedical chemistry, biology and pharmacy based on theoretical and fundamental analytical research.
The research environment includes about 10 senior researchers and 20 postdocs and PhD students with an integrated collaborative research based on expertise in sampling, sample preparation and extraction, separation, electrochemistry, mass spectrometry, trace element analysis and chemometrics, with applications ranging from neurochemistry and clinical chemistry to environmental analysis in limnology.
The in-house developed methods and techniques are aimed to obtain knowledge and understanding of the molecular and atomic composition of complex samples. The development is focused on miniaturization, "online" and "on-chip analysis”, tailor-made surfaces and porous materials, ionization and multidimensional data management. The goal is to realize high-speed analysis, sensitivities in the picomolar (10-12 mol / L) area of endogenous and active drug molecules, early diagnosis of diseases and abuse by chemical patterns, as well as reliable and unbiased analytical tools for today's analytical demands. The analyses are often focused on the identification and quantification of individual substances (e.g. specific proteins, peptides, amines, steroids, fatty acids or carbohydrates) or to provide more comprehensive biochemical patterns which may serve as diagnostic fingerprints.
Methods used can be liquid-based separation techniques such as liquid chromatography or capillary electrophoresis, gel-based separations, such as 1D or 2D gel electrophoresis, or miniaturized lab-on-a-chip systems. Detection of the separated compounds can be carried out using mass spectrometry, spectroscopic, electrochemical, or immunologic methods. New methods are continuously developed to include and properly handle every step from the collection of the sample (e.g. a body fluid or tissue), storage, sample preparation, separation (including fundamental theory), detection and adequate data management and validation. Although the true nature of the current research is interdisciplinary, our focus is on a number of different areas with expressed goals.
