# Tractable Tandem Ion Mobility Technology using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations and Photodissociation

> **NIH NIH R01** · WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $199,900

## Abstract

Tractable Tandem Ion Mobility Technology using
Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations and Photodissociation
 Administrative Supplement NOT-GM-21-030
R01GM140129 Summary. Broadly available advances in mass spectrometry (MS), with unparalleled levels of
selectivity, speed, and sensitivity, have armed researchers with new biological insights and prompt additional
questions regarding molecular and biophysical parameters that differentiate disease states but transcend MS
measurements. Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a gas-phase separation technique that directly complements
MS measurements and expands understanding regarding molecular shape and dynamics in biological systems.
Using widely available technological advances in the field of printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing, a new
class of ion mobility separation is enabled that largely alleviates the drawbacks of its predecessors. The
Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) framework achieves this goal by establishing a dynamic electric
field capable of confining ionized molecules for extended periods of time along with a means to efficiently
fractionate the different classes prior to analysis using MS. To cast the SLIM platform into multiple separation
dimensions and achieve new levels of biologically relevant diagnostics, the present effort aims to develop and
disseminate an economical tandem IMS platform that integrates a series of innovative, simplifying strategies.
Most importantly, and prior to MS analysis, we will exploit the highly compressed nature of the ion beams within
the SLIM by subjecting these species to high intensity ultraviolet (UV) photons to induce molecular disruption
and yield more information regarding the target biological system. With the added functionality of tandem IMS
experiment, the separation power of the system is anticipated to represent the state-of-the-art. At the conclusion
of the proposed research we expect to realize a fully functioning, high-efficiency SLIM-UV photodissociation
framework capable of interfacing to all mass analyzer classes and ready to address a suite of biological problems
ranging from metabolomics to structural biology.
Administrative Supplement Request. To fully accommodate the high-density ion populations produced by the
SLIM platform and maximize experimental accuracy, an ioniTOF 4000 time-of-flight (TOF) MS equipped with an
analog data conversion (ADC) system is requested. In addition to enhancing the pace of each SLIM experiment,
this instrumental advance promises to promote the rapid incorporation of the SLIM-UV technology into larger
bioanalytical campaigns. The requested TOF-MS and its associated data acquisition system directly address the
core limitations of the present mass analyzer used in the project and will facilitate experimental efforts supporting
Aims 1, 2, and 3.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10386669
- **Project number:** 3R01GM140129-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Brian Clowers
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $199,900
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-01-01 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10386669

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10386669, Tractable Tandem Ion Mobility Technology using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations and Photodissociation (3R01GM140129-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10386669. Licensed CC0.

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