Day 1: Wednesday, February 21st, 2024

Workshops: The day commenced with four workshops covering diverse topics, such as LC-MS data analysis, molecular networking, lipidomics, and small molecule workflows. Renowned speakers and experts led these parallel sessions, offering valuable insights into the practical aspects of mass spectrometry.

Opening Session - MS Imaging Techniques: The official opening was held by Gunda Köllensperger and Christopher Gerner, Heads of the Institute of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Vienna.

The first session, chaired by Martina Marchetti-Deschmann, delved into MS imaging techniques. Keynote speakers discussed MALDI MS fundamentals (Klaus Dreisewerd), high-resolution MALDI-MS imaging coupled with fluorescence microscopy (Jens Soltwisch), Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation-Immunohistochemistry (MALDI-IHC) Mass Spectrometry Imaging (Caroline Jones) and Investigation of the Distribution of Pesticides and Their Metabolites in Plants (Daniel Skoczowsky).

After a short break the Calibration, the Achilles heel of LA-ICPMS (Martin Šala) and a novel strategy for sample preparation and calibration for nanoparticle analysis (Laura Kronlachner) were discussed.

Poster Session and Networking: The day concluded with a poster session, providing an opportunity for participants to present and discuss their research. Attendees engaged in networking.

Day 2: Thursday, February 22nd, 2024 (Morning and Afternoon)

Sessions on Interactomics, Multiomics, Ion Mobility, and Metabolomics: The morning sessions explored topics such as structural interactomics (Fan Liu), immunogenic N-glycans (Katharina Paschinger/Iain Wilson), multiomics revealing shifts in lipid metabolism (Robert Ahrends), acetyl-CoA labeling (Eva Rauch), and SICRIT (Jan Bucek). The sessions covered mass spectrometry for biophysics (Valerie Gabelica), high-resolution ion mobility (Jennifer Krone),  differential mobility analysis (Victor Weiss), computational metabolomics strategies (Justin van der Hooft), msFeaST: a feature-set testing and visualization workflow for LC-MS/MS (Kevin Mildau), Quantification of Carbonyl Sub-metabolome (Xiaobo Tian), Internal one-point calibration (Veronika Fitz), and Analyzing bioactive lipids in complex biological matrices using LC-MS/MS (Stefanie Rubenzucker), and simultaneous quantitation and discovery in metabolomics (André Müller).

Glycomics, Structure Elucidation, and Poster Session: The late afternoon sessions focused on glycomics, revealing the atomic structure of cyclic oligosaccharides (Márkó Grabarics), and tandem mass spectrometry of pincer ligands (Ernst Pittenauer). Other topics were a non-targeted high-resolution N-glycomics (Johannes Helm), an elucidating biotransformation pathways of flavonoids in soils (Richard Gruseck) and the questions, if the mass spectrometry of N-glycans topple can microalgae taxonomy (Friedrich Altmann).

A poster session allowed for further knowledge exchange.

Get Together/Dinner: The day concluded with a get-together and dinner, providing a relaxed atmosphere for continued networking and collaboration.

Day 3: Friday, February 23rd, 2024

Proteomics Session: The final day commenced with a session on proteomics, covering topics such as crime scene sample identification (Katrin Marcus-Alic), single-cell proteomics using the Astral mass analyzer (Karl Mechtler), mass spectrometry de novo sequencing in Alzheimer's Disease (Daria Emekeeva), Viral Load Measurements  (Yan Yan Beer), and workflows to detect PFAS (Holger Stalz).

Glycoproteomics, Exposomics, and Closing: The later sessions, chaired by Christopher Gerner, were focused on glycoproteomics (Christian Huber), analysis of triple wild-type lung adenocarcinoma tissue samples (Lilla Turiák), and characterization of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (Thomas Berger). The conference concluded with presentations on the development of combined targeted and untargeted methodologies for exposomics and metabolomics (Vinicius Verri Hernandes) and DECRIPT - Deciphering the human prenatal chemical exposome (Thomas Contini).

The MassSpec-Forum Vienna 2024 successfully provided a platform for the exchange of knowledge, fostering collaboration and pushing the boundaries of mass spectrometry research. The diverse program ensured, that participants gained insights across various domains, making the conference a notable success.

Photos by David Loibnegger and Claude Molitor.