Chemists and biochemists trained on chromatography and mass spectrometry in IITA-Cameroon
On 27–29 December 2017, the Congo Basin Institute offered a training workshop on chromatography and mass spectrometry (MS). The entire course was taught by Prof Kym Faull of University of California, Los Angeles, and was facilitated by IITA (principally Rose Ndango, manager of the analytical laboratory). The course was attended by 36 participants — postgraduate students, lecturers, researchers, and technicians from universities and research institutions in Cameroon.
Prof Kym Faull of UCLA.
The course introduced participants to the principles and practices of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to help them acquire the ability to apply the technology to identify and quantify a wide range of molecules including free amino acids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, steroids, pesticides, sugars, antibiotics, other biological metabolites, peptides, and proteins.
Lecture topics included Introduction to mass spectrometry: Definitions and principles, Combined gas chromatography/electron ionization mass spectrometry (GC/MS, Combined liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/MS), Different types of mass spectrometers, Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) I & II, and Identification of specific compounds such as proteins.
Testimony of a participant – Minyem Aude, a pharmacist
I work on plants while doing a project on nursery in pharmacy. I formulated a drug used to treat Tinea infection. I was interested in the training because I wanted to have some skills and techniques that can be used to identify the compounds that are active in the drug. The lecturer`s experience and the many examples he used helped me a lot, but I must also admit that I came with the expectation to do more practicals. If possible, I would like to get more practical knowledge ato apply to my job.
