Mass Spectrometry
Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that measures the mass-to-charge ratio of ions to identify and quantify molecules in a sample. It works by ionizing chemical compounds to generate charged molecules or molecule fragments and then measuring their mass-to-charge ratios. This technique is widely used in chemistry, biochemistry, and pharmaceutical research for applications such as protein identification, drug discovery, and environmental analysis.
Developers should learn mass spectrometry when working in bioinformatics, computational biology, or data science roles that involve analyzing proteomics, metabolomics, or other molecular data. It is essential for processing and interpreting mass spectrometry data in fields like drug development, clinical diagnostics, and systems biology, where it helps in identifying biomarkers, understanding biological pathways, and ensuring quality control in pharmaceutical manufacturing.