MALDI-TOF

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) is a mass spectrometry technique used to detect and identify large molecules in a solution. This technique utilizes a laser to desorb and ionize molecules from a solid sample, which are then analyzed by a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. This allows scientists to accurately measure the mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio of molecules, which can be used to identify unknown compounds and detect subtle changes in the composition of a sample. MALDI-TOF is widely used in the medical and biotechnology fields, including diagnostics, proteomics, metabolomics, and food safety. It is especially helpful in the study of biological compounds, such as proteins and nucleic acids, due to its high sensitivity and accuracy.