IM-MS at Analytica: Its Emergence and Its Applications, an Interview with Tim Causon

Tim Causon is an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna, Austria, where he has worked since 2014. He is the project coordinator and doctoral candidate (DC10) supervisor for MobiliTraIN, which has the objective of creating standardized reference materials and protocols for harmonized, comparable ion mobility–high-resolution mass spectrometry (IM-HRMS) data collection, analysis, and reporting.

This initiative has its roots in Causon's research specialties, including liquid chromatography (LC), molecular mass spectrometry (MS), and ion mobility–MS (IM-MS).

“MobiliTraIN brings together an amazing group of researchers and stakeholders that will allow us to make big steps forward in what we can achieve and understand with IM-MS," Causon says in a quote on MobiliTraIN's website. "However, we need some ambitious and determined Doctoral Candidates to join us to make this a reality!”

LCGC International sat down with Causon at the Analytica 2024 conference in Munich, Germany to discuss the following topics:

• What is ion mobility–mass spectrometry? (0:20)
• What is preventing IM-MS from being more widely adopted? (0:39)
• What applications is ion mobility–mass spectrometry currently used for, and is there a scope for other applications? (1:23)
• Tell us about your new project, MobiliTraIN. (2:15)
• Tell us a little more about the positions you have open right now. (3:09)