Alison Stoddart talks to a master of mass spectrometry, Graham Cooks.

Graham Cooks

Graham Cooks is the Henry B. Hass distinguished professor of analytical chemistry at Purdue University, US. His major interest is mass spectrometry, including fundamental phenomena, instrumentation and analytical applications. Cooks is also a member of The Analyst editorial board.

What are you working on at the moment?
I sometimes think that I have only ever worked on one problem: trace organic analysis from complex matrices. Much of my work - early studies on desorption methods of ionization, hybrid tandem mass spectrometers and ionic collisions with surfaces, was driven by this. Currently, we are merging two lines of investigation - the design of miniature mass spectrometers and the development of ambient ionization methods. These two threads are being used to develop a handheld mass spectrometer to examine ambient surfaces.

What's the secret to being a successful scientist?
Most of the credit should go to others. I have some ability to get people to push hard towards group aims, but on the scale on which we are working it's all about the team, complementary skills and keeping people positive. I get excited about science and that helps.actually it's not science per se that is exciting, simply ideas.

Who inspired you to become a scientist?
My high school science teacher, Gordon Rochford, with whom I remain in touch. Gordon showed us that science is difficult and fascinating. Then, I was lucky to find myself in one of the few places in South Africa where internationally significant research was being done - by Frank Warren, in the field of natural product chemistry, at the University of Natal (now KwaZulu Natal), South Africa. He was emotional about scientific research in the best sense and I was caught up in it.

What motivated you to study mass spectrometry as an analytical tool?
While I was studying alkaloids with Frank Warren, Carl Djerassi of Stanford University offered to take mass spectra of my sample. Dudley Williams, then a post-doc with Djerassi, ran and interpreted the spectra and in two weeks the project advanced more than it had in the previous two years. I subsequently went to Cambridge University where Dudley Williams and John Bowie both had a significant effect on my development. The last major influence was working with John Beynon at Purdue University.

What is the hottest thing in your field at the moment?
Moving to higher pressures - as the pressure gap closes, the connection between chemistry in the mass spectrometer and conventional condensed phase chemistry strengthens. This also means the cost and size of the instrument goes down.

What's the trickiest problem you've had to overcome in your research and how did you get round it?
They all look so easy in the rear-view mirror. A recent case occurred in the context of a big question - the origin of homochirality. We found that solutions of serine when electrosprayed give homochiral octamers as gas phase ions and were looking for less esoteric ways of preparing these species and using them to control the chirality of a mixture. Simple low temperature sublimation in a zone-refining type of experiment proved fruitful, allowing a simple one-step conversion of serine in low enantiomeric excess to a highly enriched sublimate.

Your work has made an impact in the media - how important is it for chemistry to get this kind of exposure?
Analytical chemistry is the sharp end of chemistry, where it interacts most directly with society. In particular, mass spectrometry shows how quickly research can turn into useful products and methods. Analytical chemistry also provides sharply focussed illustrations of the difficulties of the science/society interaction. Open communication is considered by scientists to be essential, but practical problems present dilemmas. For example, is it acceptable to discuss openly the limitations of analytical systems in use in public safety? There are arguments on both sides: yes, this is how vulnerabilities will be removed; no, because such information can be exploited to produce harmful effects.

If you weren't a scientist, what would you do?
I have been interested in literature from an early age. I certainly considered making this avocation my livelihood but was stopped by the idea that if I tried to make a living from literature I would spoil it. I think I made the right decision.

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Read about some of Graham Cooks' recent research in the RSC's chemical supplements: