Best of the Week: Awards, Symposia, and Analytical Breakthroughs

This week, LCGC International highlighted several research advancements in the field of chromatography and analytical science. Key announcements from Pittcon 2026 include the 19th annual LCGC Lifetime Achievement and Emerging Leader Awards, as well as Alexandra Knauer receiving the Pittcon Heritage Award for her innovative and sustainable leadership. The upcoming ISCC and GC×GC Symposium in Italy was also discussed, tracing its growth into a major global event for separation science. Scientists are utilizing data models to detect endocrine-disrupting chemicals in wastewater without the need for exact structural identification, and researchers are exploring a highly accurate, noninvasive blood test for the early detection of pancreatic cancer using ultrahigh-performance supercritical fluid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPSFC/MS) lipidomic profiling.

This is the Best of the Week.

Pittcon Report: The 2026 LCGC Lifetime Achievement and Emerging Leader in Chromatography Awards Session

Jack Henion and Bob W.J. Pirok received the 19th annual LCGC International Lifetime Achievement and Emerging Leader in Chromatography Awards, respectively, earlier this week at Pittcon 2026 conference in San Antonio, Texas. Jerome Workman, the associate editorial director of Spectroscopy Magazine, reviewed their careers in an article earlier this year.¹

Alexandra Knauer Receives the Pittcon Heritage Award

Also at Pittcon, Alexandra Knauer, managing director of the laboratory instrument company KNAUER Wissenschaftliche Geräte GmbH, received the 2026 Pittcon Heritage Award which recognizes individuals who have made lasting contributions to laboratory science and analytical technology. Knauer was honored for transforming the family-run company founded by her father, Herbert Knauer, into a global life science technology provider while promoting innovation, sustainability, and responsible leadership.²

The Riva Renaissance: The Past, Present, and Future of the ISCC and GC×GC Symposium

Two leading figures in chromatography, Pat Sandra and Luigi Mondello, discussed the history and importance of the International Symposium on Capillary Chromatography (ISCC) and the GC×GC Symposium, which will be held in May 2026 in Riva del Garda, Italy.³ The conference began in 1975 in Hindelang, Germany, as a small meeting focused on improving capillary gas chromatography columns. Over time, it grew into a major global event for separation science and moved to Riva del Garda to accommodate its expanding community. Since 2006, the symposium has also included the GC×GC meeting, highlighting advances in multidimensional chromatography.

Conformal MS2 Networks vs. Direct Toxicity Models: Pinpointing Endocrine-Disrupting LC–HRMS Features Without Structure ID

A comparison was conducted of three mass spectrometry–based data analysis approaches that do not require identifying the exact chemical structure of a compound. The methods—molecular networking, spectrum-based prediction models, and updated MS2Tox models—were trained using seven nuclear-receptor assays from Tox21 to help detect chemicals that may disrupt hormones. When tested on wastewater samples, the approaches were able to flag potential endocrine-disrupting compounds, helping scientists more efficiently analyze complex non-target screening data. Yvonne Kreutzer, the study’s lead author, spoke with LCGC International about the team’s findings.⁴

UHPSFC/MS Lipidomic Profiling for Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer

Researchers used ultrahigh-performance supercritical fluid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UHPSFC/MS) to analyze lipids in blood plasma and serum samples in search of a simple test for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common form of pancreatic cancer.⁵ Their results indicate that this blood-based lipid profiling approach could become a highly accurate, noninvasive method for detecting pancreatic cancer at an early stage—potentially performing better than current diagnostic techniques.

References

1. Workman, J. Pittcon Report: The 2026 LCGC Lifetime Achievement and Emerging Leader in Chromatography Awards Session. LCGC International. https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/pittcon-report-the-2026-lcgc-lifetime-achievement-and-emerging-leader-in-chromatography-awards-session (accessed 2026-03-12)
2. Chasse, J. Alexandra Knauer Receives the Pittcon Heritage Award. LCGC International. https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/alexandra-knauer-receives-the-pittcon-heritage-award (accessed 2026-03-12)
3. Sandra, P.;Mondello, L.; Matheson, A. The Riva Renaissance: The Past, Present, and Future of the ISCC and GC×GC Symposium. LCGC International. Available at: https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/the-riva-rennaissance-the-past-present-and-future-of-the-iscc-and-gc-gc-symposium (accessed 2026-03-12)
4. Knauer, A.; Chasse, J. Conformal MS2 Networks vs. Direct Toxicity Models: Pinpointing Endocrine-Disrupting LC–HRMS Features Without Structure ID. LCGC International. Available at: https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/conformal-ms2-networks-vs-direct-toxicity-models-pinpointing-endocrine-disrupting-lc-hrms-features-without-structure-id (accessed 2026-03-12)
5. Chasse, J. UHPSFC/MS Lipidomic Profiling for Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer. LCGC International. Available at: https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/uhpsfc-ms-lipidomic-profiling-for-early-detection-of-pancreatic-cancer (accessed 2026-03-12)