Synovec Research Group
Robert E. Synovec
U. Washington, Chemistry
Advances in Separation Science
Knowledge and Technology:
 Fundamental Studies of Separation Science
Principles and Metrics
 Instrumentation and Sensor Development
 Data Analysis – Chemometrics – Software
10 nm
 Methodology Design and Optimization
………from high-speed analysis of simple
mixtures to the analysis of complex samples
Our research focus:
• Discovery-stage fundamental studies
• Real-time analytical technology
• Process optimization and control
Current research projects:
• Metabolomics
- Food quality and safety
- Bacteria
- Yeast
- Mice
- Human disease profiling
- Primates, related to human health
• Fuel characterization (Bio and Fossil)
• High Speed GC-on-a-chip
• On-line, Real-time Chromatographic Retention Time
Alignment
• Chemometric Software Development
Metabolomics
…at the Discovery Stage of
the process analysis effort….
“Metabolomics is the study of the small molecules that are
an integral facet of cell biology, where the metabolites
found in a given sample are inextricably connected to
protein expression as manifested by gene regulation.”
“Metabolomics is emerging as possibly the most important
of the “-omics” fields, providing complementary information
in relation to the genomics and proteomics fields.”
Need to learn
what to control !
Yeast cell studies with different growth conditions
Pathways
Fructose- 1,6-P
Validation Study
Analytical Goal:
Measure metabolite concentration
ratio, in different growth conditions i.e.,
the [DR] / [R], to link control of gene
expression to metabolic changes that
occur in response to glucose limitation.
Gene Expression
- Up in derepressed cells
- Up in repressed cells
Metabolite Concentration
- Up in repressed cells
- Up in derepressed cells
Young, Elton T., et.al. J Biol. Chem. (2003), 278, 26146-26158.
Comprehensive Two-Dimensional
Gas Chromatography (GC x GC)
Column 1 (Non-Polar)
15 Component Mixture:
REAL-TIME separation into
different chemical classes!
–10-m x 320-m i.d.
–0.25-m poly(5% diphenyl/ 95% dimethyl siloxane)
–35C initial, 120C/min program, 25.5 psi H2
Column 2 (Polar)
FID Signal
–2-m x 250-m i.d.
–0.2-m cyanopropyl polysiloxane
–100C, 25.0 psi H2
Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas
Chromatography with Time-of-Flight Mass
Spectral Detection (GC x GC - TOFMS)
• Complete mass spectra 
peak identification
• Fast  500 spectra / second
Peak widths on column two ~ 50 ms
• Adds another selective dimension
 3rd - order technique, benefit by
using chemometric software
3rd Order Data
Ion Counts
• column 1 retention time
• column 2 retention time
• full mass spectrum at each point
Extracted Ion Chromatograms
m/z 217
m/z
m/z 128
Ion Counts
Data Cube
m/z 73
We analyze the RAW data!
Ion Counts
Time 1
GC x GC –TOFMS of Repressed Yeast Cell Extract, m/z = 73,
Metabolites have been derivatized: m/z = TMS group is a “selective” channel
Typical data, yeast grown in glucose conditions
ISSUES:
•Over 590 peaks at this m/z alone - Complex !
•Many data runs…a huge amount of data to process !
Repressed Yeast Sample: subsection shows excellent
chromatographic separation efficiency in two dimensions !
m/z 73
But not all of the 590+ peaks are important…
…..need high-throughput data reduction !
Discovery-Based Approach: comprehensively explore the
data using chemometric classification/data reduction
methods to “discover” the sample-distinguishing metabolites
Chemometric data analysis tools: utilize 3rd order data structure
(1) Discover sample-class distinguishing locations in 2D
separation space
– Data reduction by a 3D Fisher ratio method, Signal ratio method
(2) Targeted metabolite analysis: 3D mathematical resolution, confirmed
mass spectral identification and quantification
– PARAFAC GUI ….state-of-the-art software tools to apply
powerful Linear Algebra concepts
 From high throughput data reduction and analysis to valuable information !
Study Protein Function with Metabolomics
(DSnf1 mutant study)
Glucose
glycolysis
Ethanol
Acetyl CoA
TCA
Cycle
R- glucose
DR- ethanol
• Study this mutant
strain at metabolome
level
• Wild type (R & DR)
• Mutant (R & DR)
• In the absence of
specific proteins (Snf1
Protein Complex) cells
are unable to switch
from using glucose to
ethanol
~ 160 metabolites analyzed
Study Protein Function with Metabolomics
(DSnf1 mutant study)
Glucose
glycolysis
Ethanol
ΔSnf1
cannot
complete
the shift
X
Acetyl CoA
X
TCA
Cycle
R- glucose
DR- ethanol
• Study this mutant
strain at metabolome
level
• Wild type (R & DR)
• Mutant (R & DR)
• In the absence of
specific proteins (Snf1
Protein Complex) cells
are unable to switch
from using glucose to
ethanol
~ 160 metabolites analyzed
Normalized (TIC) PARAFAC volume
Fumarate
0.00012
Ethanol
0.0001
Glucose
glycolysis
Acetyl CoA
0.00008
0.00006
TCA
Cycle
0.00004
0.00002
0
0.5
2
4
Time (hours)
6
• TCA Cycle is active in DR conditions
• Snf1 protein complex needed to make shift from R
to DR conditions
Cacao Beans and the Chocolate Industry
Organic, Fair Trade, Bean-to-Bar
Chocolate Factory, Seattle, WA
Differences can be Identified
Some analytes are elevated in Unmolded Samples:
UNMOLDED
1.8E8
3.0E7
Analyte 1
1.6E8
1.2E8
Peak Area
Analyte 2
2.5E7
1.4E8
2.0E7
1.0E8
1.5E7
8.0E7
1.0E7
6.0E7
4.0E7
5.0E6
2.0E7
0
0
1
2
3
4 5 6 7
Bean Number
8
9
1
10
2
3
4 5 6 7
Bean Number
6E7
10
2.5E6
Analyte 3
5E7
Peak Area
9
Unmolded
Molded
Others analytes are elevated in Molded Samples:
MOLDED
8
Analyte 4
2.0E6
4E7
1.5E6
3E7
1.0E6
2E7
5.0E5
1E7
0
0
1
2
3
4 5 6 7
Bean Number
8
9
10
1
2
3
4 5 6 7
Bean Number
8
9
10
GC-on-a-chip:
Instrumentation Challenges of High-Speed GC
Miniaturization of Instrument Components
Standard GC:
•Injection
•Separation
•Detection
Potential for Large
Dead Volumes
Separation conditions must be fully optimized
Fully Integrated Micro-GC:
•Injection
•Separation
•Detection
Minimal Dead Volumes
Microfabricated GC-on-a Chip
with Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Stationary Phase and High-Speed Resistive Heating
collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL)
SEM image
Back of Chip
• 50 sq. micron
channels x 30 cm
1 μm
• 30 sec CNT
growth time
Commercial
GC Injector
Top of Chip
Vent
Diaphragm
Valve Injection
V1
V2
Deactivated
Silica Capillary
Leads
Hydrogen
Carrier
Gas
FID
Voltage/
Grounding
Leads
V
Microfabricated SWCNT Column
30 cm, 50 μm x 50 μm
Variable
AC Power
Supply
(0 -120 V)
Reid, V.R., Stadermann, M., Bakajin, O., Synovec, R.E. Talanta, 2009, 77, 1420-1425.
• Integrated thin
film resistive
heating:
5 nm Ti
100 nm Pt
Solution to General Elution Problem: Rapid Temperature
Programming via Resistive Heating ~ 1500 °C/min
(Hexane, Octane, Nonane, Decane and Undecane)
Ti = 50 ºC, H2 carrier gas at 10 psi, 15 ms injection pulse
Application of 36 V yields 1560 ºC/min
FID Signal, volts
50 °C
115 °C
C9
1.2
C8
1
0.8
C6
0.6
C10
0.4
0.2
C11
0
0.6 0.8
1
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
Time, seconds
2
2.2 2.4
Synovec
Research
Group
Pictured:
Rachel Mohler (PhD)
Chris Siegler
Vanessa Reid (PhD)
Jeremy Nadeau
Liz Humston
Nate Watson (MS)
Matthew VanWingerden (UG)
Jamin Hoggard (PhD, post doc)
Thomas Skov (PhD, R. Bro)
Recently Joined:
Angie Madrid
Mahmoud Al-Shaer
Ryan Wilson
Tom Dearing (post doc)
Funding and Support: NIH, WTC, Theo Chocolate, LECO, PNNL,
LECO, LLNL, CPAC and various sponsors
After Today’s Webinar
• Please go to the CPAC
web site (www.cpac.washington.edu) for
the program and registration details of the
CPAC Spring Meeting, May 4-7, 2009
• We would like you to respond to a short
questionnaire regarding the topics of this
webinar – please provide your e-mail
address to nan@cpac.washington.edu