2010 Recipient: David C. Muddiman

 Mass spectrometric analysis requires analytes to be introduced as gaseous ionized species into the mass analyzer of choice. However, signal abundance is not a direct function of analyte concentration but depends on numerous instrumental and chemical parameters. David C. Muddiman discovered that one strand of a PCR amplicon appears more intense than the complementary strand in an electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrum. He understood that the extent of hydrophobicity contributed to this effect and his research group was able to obtain a sensitivity gain of one order of magnitude by adding a hydrophobic alkyl chain. Dr. Muddiman has extended this “hydrophobic tagging” approach to also improve the ESI response of peptides. In another major research direction, Dr. Muddiman has developed alternative ion sources for FT-ICR mass spectrometry, including the dual ESI source, matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (MALDESI), liquid MALDESI, and an “air amplifier” for more efficient ESI. The significance of these advances is that they allow generation of multiply charged species, which are uniquely suited for FT-ICR MS due to the inverse relationship between frequency and m/z. Dr. Muddiman has published over 150 papers in peer-reviewed journals and is recognized for his unusual combination of depth and breadth in the field of biological mass spectrometry.

Dr. David C. Muddiman is Professor of Chemistry at North Carolina State University.