The course objectives are to provide participants with an insight in mass spectrometry (MS) and the use of liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with MS. The course will focus on MS used for qualitative and quantitative analysis and the goal is to provide basic knowledge about MS, tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS), ionisation methods, mass analysis and specific principles on the coupling of separation techniques with MS with the primary focus on LC-MS. A number of applications will be presented in the areas of bio-analysis, peptide- and protein analysis, drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics and environmental analysis.

The course will introduce the participant to the basic concepts of MS and MS-MS. The course will present important principles and practice of LC-MS, LC-MS-MS and GC-MS and during the course, the following issues will be presented and discussed:

• Introduction to basic concepts of mass spectrometry (MS).
• Introduction to tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS).
• Ionisation techniques: electrospray ionisation, atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation, electron impact, photo-ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization.
• Mass analyzers (quadrupoles - single/triple, ion traps, TOFs).
• Quantitative analysis using MS (MS-MS).
• Structure elucidation by means of MS (MS-MS and MSⁿ).
• Chromatographic aspects regarding MS.
• Development of LC-MS methods.
• Application of MS in drug metabolism, peptide- and protein analysis, pharmacokinetics, environmental analysis and other related disciplines.
• New trends in mass spectrometry development.

The 5-day course will comprise of approximately 30 lectures given by experienced experts in MS and LC-MS, GC-MS and CE-MS. The participants will be involved in the teaching-programme by working in groups on various problems related to the lectures. The group exercises will focus on formulating strategies and solutions for analytical problems involving topics of the course. At the beginning of the course, each student will recieve some problems, which she/he has to solve during the course or within two weeks after the course. Each student is expected to write a short report (4-5 pages) presenting the solution of the problems. This report must be delivered to the course director within two weeks after the last day of the course. The report is assessed as "passed" or "not passed". To obtain the course certificate the student must obtain the assessment “passed” for the report.

16 to 20 January 2012.

4 ECTS credit points (European Credit Transfer System).

97 working hours (35 for preparation, 32 for course, and 30 for evaluation).

Professor Steen Honoré Hansen, Department of Pharmaceutics and Analytical Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

Total course fee: DKK 7,900 (including lunch),

of which operating costs: DKK 1,200.

1 December 2011.

25 participants.

Applicants enrolled in part-time master's programs at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen may participate in the course.