Recent advances of biopolymer mass spectrometry - first highlighted by the Nobel Prizeawarded "soft ionization" methods - have oppened new applications in life sciences, such as the identification of proteins from complex biological material proteomics).A number of high performance mass spectrometry technologies and hyphenated separation methods have becom amenable; however, their efficient exploration and integration in interdisciplinary biochchemical and biomedicalapplications is still in the initial phase. In this project an effective exchange scheme ofstaff will be established between European laboratories of different application areas, and leading American Centers of high performance biopolymer mass spectrometry. Joint research projects through exchange of coworkers will focus on the determination of protein structures and pathophysiological structure modifiations; the identifications of the assembly and topology of large protein complexes; development and application of disease-related quantitative proteome analyses; characterization of protein conformations and misfolding/aggregating proteins; applications to elucidate protein-biopolymer interactions and molecular recognition structures using new tools of bioaffinitymass spectrometry. the principal goals of this project are (i), to establish new technologies of mass spectrometry inimportant life science applications such as the identification of biomarkers for disease diagnostics; and (ii), to provide a basis, through exchange of coworkers, for the integration of mass spetrometry tools with biochemical and biomedical technologies. This project will contribute to (i), integrate interdisciplinary applications of biopolymer mass spectrometry in life science; (ii), enhance exchange and collaboration between European and North-American academic laboratries; (ii) the graduate and postgraduate education ofyoung researchers in mass spectrometry in life sciences.
