The Direct Mass Technology mode augments Thermo Fisher's Q Exactive Ultra High Magnification Radiography (UHMR) Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometers with charge detection capabilities, enabling direct mass determination of hundreds to thousands of individual ions in a single spectrum. With this capability, laboratories will be able to measure mass for complex heterogeneous mixtures of multiple charged components, providing insights into proteoforms, biotherapeutics, and next-generation drug modalities, according to the company.

Thermo Scientific Direct Mass Technology mode augments Thermo Scientific Q Exactive UHMR Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometers. Image courtesy of Business Wire.

"Direct Mass Technology mode combines charge detection with our trusted high-resolution accurate mass Orbitrap measurements to achieve results unattainable by current ensemble measurement techniques," said Iain Mylchreest, vice president of research and development, analytical instruments at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "By dissolving the complexity barriers inherent to other approaches, we're enabling a wealth of investigations that were once firmly out of reach -- from resolving heavily modified proteoforms to revealing small changes in large antibody-drug conjugate complexes, to name but a few."