Method development and optimization
In my very first news story, I will briefly tell about my experience in the laboratory during the first part of NaToxAq project.
Written by ESR6 Daria Filatova
Being PhD student means being multi-functional creative and adaptive to the new circumstances. And here I will share one facet of the multifunctionality, which is laboratory practice.
The most time-consuming part is method development and optimization. In my case, I am working with liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry technique. To be honest, I have decided to be an expert in this technique few years ago during my bachelor degree. So, here I am (on the picture) with my friend Orbi (Q-Exactive Orbitrap) reaching this goal day by day, step by step, poco a poco (one of my first learned phrases in Spanish).
During the first ten months of my PhD studies, I was working in two laboratories, with both high and ultra-high liquid chromatography (HPLC and UHPLC) columns, six SPE cartridges, ten cyanotoxins, two ionization modes, two scanning modes, five mobile phases. I have to admit, I am learning something new every day during my NaToxAq journey. What is more, I am also meeting new people through the course of my studies. In one of the next news update, I will share my social and cultural experience in Barcelona.