2/3 Method Development With Camila Liscio: Analysis

Episode 2 of the method development series focusses on instrument analysis, specifically hyphenated techniques (GC-MS and LC-MS). We’ll delve into some of the atypical options for dealing with poor sensitivity and matrix interference.

We’ll be joined by our expert guest Colin Towers – Technical Support Chemist at Crawford Scientific. We’ll discuss the most relevant (sometimes unconventional) tips and tricks to help you add to your method development tool kit.

Colin has decades of experience in solving practical method development problems and is one of an ever decreasing breed of analysts with an intimate knowledge of what’s going on under the hood of your analyser.

Method Development With Camilla Liscio

Method development is the place where analytical science resembles art; sound analytical methods are often rather elegant.

Method development is where analysts use their craft and expertise to find the optimum solution to analytical problems. If it’s a tough one, they may need to think outside the box and find unconventional solutions.

Method development specialists are often the innovators in our industry, who stretch the limits of technology’s current capabilities.

They, more than most, need the self confidence to believe that when they take on a complicated problem, they can see it through, coming up with something that will be fit-for-purpose.

Without this confidence, there is a tendency to copy what others are doing, play it safe and miss the innovations that will get you ahead of the game.

Bearing in mind that once in place, these methods may be there for ten years, it’s certainly worth trying to push the limits of what’s possible.

Unfortunately, the drive toward more specialised job-roles, means most laboratories have just a handful of chemists responsible for all their method development.

These members of staff don’t just need analytical skills, they also need to understand the context of the problem and the regulatory environment.

These skills come with practice and time served. Good people are not easy to find.

What we need is a new generation of specialised method developers.

The people with the ability to train the next generation are often as busy as they are experienced and have little time to transfer their knowledge.

In the opinion of the Community of Analytical Measurement Science, (CAMS UK), the shortage of method development skills is one of the biggest potential threats to the long term health of the analytical sciences.

We want to do our bit, by sharing our hard won expertise, so we have put together a three part webinar series, covering the most important aspects of modern method development.

We’ll look at the three stages of method development: Sample Preparation, Instrumental Analysis and Data Processing.

Camilla Liscio will take you through the fundamentals of each stage, before being joined by an industry specialist to discuss some of their best tips for excellent method development.

Presenter: Camilla Liscio

Camilla is one Anatune’s most experienced and effective method developers. Her background in metrology – the science of measurement and statistics – give her a deep understanding of the mathematics underpinning all of analytical science.

This, coupled with her years solving complex analytical problems for LGC and Anatune puts her on extremely strong foundations for method development.

If you aspire to become a rising star in your organisation or know anyone earmarked for great work, this is a must attend series.