Scientists increasingly need to analyze more samples while extracting deeper biological information from each experiment. According to James Hallam, VP and General Manager of Research, Development and Advanced Testing at Waters Corporation, meeting both demands requires mass spectrometers that maintain sensitivity, resolution and data quality at high acquisition speeds.
At ASMS 2026, Hallam discussed how advances in mass spectrometry could support high-throughput biological research and accelerate mass spectrometry imaging workflows.
Combining Sensitivity With High-Speed Acquisition
Mass spectrometry platforms have often forced laboratories to balance sensitivity against acquisition speed. Researchers could pursue detailed molecular information or increase sample throughput, but optimizing one could limit the other.
The Xevo MRT P10 Mass Spectrometer aims to reduce this compromise. The platform combines high resolution and mass accuracy with acquisition speeds of up to 200 Hz. Waters has also increased MS/MS sensitivity by a reported factor of 20 compared with the previous Xevo MRT system.
This combination could help laboratories detect lower-abundance compounds without extending analysis times. It also reflects a broader change in biological research, where scientists seek more detailed information on molecular mechanisms across larger sample sets.
Supporting High-Throughput Biological Research
Sensitivity alone cannot address the growing demands placed on analytical laboratories. Researchers working with large cohorts, extensive screening programs and multiomics studies also need to process samples within practical timelines.
Fast acquisition allows laboratories to shorten chromatographic runs while retaining enough data points across each peak for identification and quantification. Hallam noted that acquisition speeds of 200 Hz could support runtimes below one minute in some applications.
Data quality remains central to this approach. Faster analysis has limited value when it reduces confidence in compound identification or quantitative results. High-speed acquisition must therefore preserve resolution, mass accuracy, and sufficient sampling across narrow chromatographic peaks.
The ability to combine these performance characteristics could allow laboratories to increase throughput without losing access to detailed molecular information.
Accelerating DESI Imaging Workflows
The same acquisition speed could also advance desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging. DESI imaging enables researchers to map the spatial distribution of molecules directly from sample surfaces, but the technique can require long acquisition times when generating detailed and chemically complex images.
Recent improvements have made DESI imaging more accessible to a wider range of users. However, acquisition speed still limits the number and size of samples that laboratories can analyze.
Coupling DESI imaging with the Xevo MRT P10 could shorten image collection times by using the instrument’s high acquisition rates. Faster imaging could support larger studies, higher sample throughput, and more detailed spatial analysis without creating prohibitive acquisition schedules.
Moving the Bottleneck Downstream
Faster data collection will not remove every constraint from imaging workflows. Instead, it may shift the bottleneck to sample handling, automation, and data processing.
As imaging acquisition accelerates, laboratories will need automated front-end processes that can prepare, position, and manage samples with less manual intervention. These systems will become important for laboratories seeking to scale imaging from small research projects to larger studies.
Data processing presents another challenge. High-resolution mass spectrometry images contain large and complex datasets that require substantial computational analysis. Artificial intelligence tools could help identify patterns, classify regions and interpret molecular distributions across tissue samples.
The next phase of mass spectrometry imaging development will therefore depend on more than instrument performance. Progress will require integrated workflows that connect rapid acquisition with automation, data management and advanced analytical software.
Building Faster, More Complete Workflows
The demand for greater sensitivity will continue as researchers investigate biological processes at increasingly detailed levels. At the same time, laboratories face pressure to analyze more samples and deliver results faster.
New mass spectrometry platforms seek to meet both needs by maintaining analytical performance at high acquisition speeds. In LC–MS workflows, this could support shorter runs and higher throughput. In DESI imaging, it could reduce acquisition times and expand the scale of spatial analysis.
As instrument speed increases, laboratories must prepare for new constraints in automation and data interpretation. Addressing these downstream challenges will determine whether faster acquisition translates into faster scientific discovery.
