Adopting ambient ionization mass spectrometry into bioanalytical laboratories

Bioanalytical laboratories employ a range of techniques for the analysis of biological samples, often for the detection of drugs or biomarkers in whole blood, plasma, serum, urine, saliva, or tissues. The applications of bioanalytical techniques are vast and expanding, spanning routine testing in clinical laboratories to novel technology development in biotechnology. Bioanalysis is a crucial stage in drug development, encompassing in vitro testing through clinical trials and commercialization [1]. It is integral to studies of the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and toxicokinetic properties of potential new medications, allowing for the evaluation of a drug’s efficacy, safety, and distribution throughout tissues [2]. Bioanalytical methods have furthermore established their role in healthcare via therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), a clinical technique for quantifying drug and drug metabolites in biological fluids. TDM can be used to determine the concentration of medication in the bloodstream at designated intervals post-administration, crucial in both understanding the pharmacological efficacy of a drug and customizing treatment dose to specific patients [3].