Inside the Laboratory: The McLean Group at Vanderbilt University

Inside the Laboratory is a joint series with LCGC and Spectroscopy, profiling analytical scientists and their research groups at universities all over the world. This series spotlights the current chromatographic and spectroscopic research their group is conducting, and the importance of their research in analytical chemistry and specific industries. In this edition of “Inside the Laboratory,” John McLean, PhD, dean of graduate education and research at the College of Arts & Science at Vanderbilt University, discusses his group’s current research endeavors, including developing mass spectrometry technologies via ion mobility–mass spectrometry (IM–MS).

At the McLean Laboratory in Vanderbilt University, scientists have been looking into the development of mass spectrometry technologies via ion mobility–mass spectroscopy (IM–MS). This research has been led by John McLean, the dean of graduate education and research at the College of Arts & Science of Vanderbilt University (1).

New construction of Vanderbilt University Nashville Tennessee Fall 2022 | Image Credit: © erik - stock.adobe.com

John McLean earned his PhD at George Washington University in 2001 in the development of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry instrumentation for ultratrace elemental analysis. He subsequently performed postdoctoral research at Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany, and then at Texas A&M University before beginning at Vanderbilt University in 2006. McLean was named the winner of the 2023 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in Mass Spectrometry.

In this LCGC International video interview, McLean answers the following questions:

• Can you talk about the origins of your laboratory group?
• Can you talk about the analytical techniques that your group used in your most recent research project?
• According to your Vanderbilt University online profile, your research group’s focus is on the development of mass spectrometry technologies via ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS). What made you decide to focus on IM-MS as a technique?
• Can you explain the importance of your research within the broader field of analytical chemistry or in a specific industry/application?
• How do you stay updated with advancements in analytical chemistry techniques and technologies?
• Can you discuss a recent innovation or development that you find particularly impactful or exciting?
• What are you and your team planning to work on in the future?

Reference

(1) John McLean. Vanderbilt University 2024. https://as.vanderbilt.edu/chemistry/bio/john-mclean/ (accessed 2024-4-16)