Clinical Mass Spectrometry

The DGKL division „LC-MS/MS in Laboratory Diagnostics“ was founded in 2004; since then the group has successfully contributed to the networking of LC-MS/MS users in laboratory medical research and practice in Germany. Since 2004 annual user meetings with more than 100 participants have been organised by the WG. The interaction between universities, non-university institutions and industry resulting from these meetings in recent years has been very constructive and has led to continuous further development of standards for mass spectrometric analysis in clinical laboratories. The „Clinical Mass Spectrometry“ Division was founded in 2016 in order to continue the work of the working group and to enable further interested members of the DGKL to participate.

Mass spectrometric methods have recently become key technologies in a number of areas of clinical chemistry. The division shall be open to users of all mass spectrometric methods.
This seems to make sense since, in addition to the classical LC-MS/MS, a number of related mass spectrometric methods have found application in clinical chemistry, including ion trap technologies in toxicology and MALDI-TOF MS in microbiology. A close association and networking with the division „Endocrinology“ and „Molecular Diagnostics“ as well as with the DGKL working groups „Accreditation“, „Extraanalytical Quality“, „Clinical-toxicological Analysis“ is planned. Cooperation with societies and groups outside the DGKL should be efficiently established through a division „Clinical Mass Spectrometry“; especially with the GDCh, EFLM and IFCC.

Aims of Division

• International representation of DGKL developments and research achievements in the field of mass spectrometric diagnostics
• Dialogue with industry
• Clinical connection of the LCMS work
• Support of young scientists
• Event Exchange Forum Banz
• Offer advanced training and courses in clinical mass spectrometry
• Development and maintenance of quality standards for mass spectrometry in clinical routine; QM - Standards
• Cooperation with the RfB for the development of mass spectrometric reference methods

Activities

• User convention Banz (yearly)
• Analytica conference (biennial)
• Meetings of the head of sections (half-yearly)
• Contributions at the annual meetings of the DGKL (planning and organising symposia/workshops)
• Establishing working groups (validation, antiinfectives)