Mass Spectrometry for Biotechnology

Rating:
Summary: Should be on any biotechnology practicioner's shelf
Review: I love this book. I spent years selling GC-MS and LC-MS, then worked on software applications. But coming from a biology background, I appreciated the simple yet thorough introduction in Siuzdak's text for the applications commonly used in biotechnology. This is an excellent, well-written introductory text. I recommend it highly.

Rating:
Summary: REVIEW
Review: Siuzdak has written a useful book for the novice or a student without a background in biological mass spectrometry. The book's small size and concise treatise, however, gives rise to many trite and overly simplistic explanations of aspects of the field and some errors. Consider, for example, page 37 that describes that a limitation of magnetic mass analyzers is their relatively "low" resolution. This is contradicted in Table 2.1 where a correct representation of the resolution is made. Also on page, Siuzdak describes the "physics behind" ion trap and conventional quadrupole analyzers as being "similar" when ion motion and dynamics in each analyzer is quite different. A textbook to be read with caution!

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Summary: Biological Mass Spectrometry in a Nutshell
Review: The book is clear and concise, written in a manner that is not too sophisticated for the novice and not too simplistic for the seasoned spectrometrist. The book eloquently conveys the art of mass spectrometry, from the fundamentals of instrumentation to the diversity of applications. It is ideal for teaching situations, whether introductory level instrumental analysis courses (few textbooks can rival the quality and quantity of instrumental content) or higher-level mass spectrometry courses (spectral interpretation and applications galore.) Most certainly, this should find a home on the bookshelf of every mass spectrometry lab! If you are wondering whether mass spectrometry would be helpful for your own research and aren't sure what questions to ask, look no further--a great comparison of instrumental features and their adaptability to biological situations.

Rating:
Summary: A practicing MA biotech user
Review: This is an excellent book for the mass spectrometry novice who wants to get a quick understanding of the necessary basics. As mass spec goes mainstream with the genomics and proteomics world, guidebooks like this will become very useful also for qualifying peoples' expectations of the technology. This is a good book also for teachers and students who may not want to get into the deep details but would like to get a good overview of what the art and science of mass spec is about. The book is well-balanced between the technical instrumentation background and discussion of actual applications and types of experiments. The work is fluently written and easy to digest. I run a small mass spec analytical group and have lent this book to several of my colleagues who just "wanted to get an idea" of what I do. They were all very happy with this text. I have used the book as a reference several times in preparation of more general overview talks.

Rating:
Summary: a good beginner reference
Review: This is an excellent book for the mass spectrometry novice who wants to get a quick understanding of the necessary basics. As mass spec goes mainstream with the genomics and proteomics world, guidebooks like this will become very useful also for qualifying peoples' expectations of the technology. This is a good book also for teachers and students who may not want to get into the deep details but would like to get a good overview of what the art and science of mass spec is about. The book is well-balanced between the technical instrumentation background and discussion of actual applications and types of experiments. The work is fluently written and easy to digest. I run a small mass spec analytical group and have lent this book to several of my colleagues who just "wanted to get an idea" of what I do. They were all very happy with this text. I have used the book as a reference several times in preparation of more general overview talks.