Purdue University Ph.D. candidate Clint Alfaro has received the 2016 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Best Paper Award from Springer International Publishing AG, publisher of the Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (ABC). In a paper published in ABC, first author Alfaro and his colleagues describe molecular techniques that have great potential to augment the surgeon's toolbox, such as mass spectrometry. The techniques could guide surgical decision-making during tumor resection, thus benefiting patient outcomes. "This research is a key contribution to the literature as it clearly demonstrates how innovations in mass spectrometry ionization sources can have significant impact in medicine," said David C. Muddiman, editor of ABC. "In the study, Alfaro and his colleagues demonstrate the use of touch-spray mass spectrometry for the direct analysis of kidney tissue from patients with renal cell carcinoma. They were able to demonstrate very high sensitivity and specificity of this approach; moreover, the authors carried out desorption electrospray ionization in mass spectrometry imaging mode as a reference method, which also yielded high sensitivity and specificity. Interestingly, detailed analysis of the data showed that the two different methods used different molecules to delineate cancer from noncancerous tissue.” The award, accompanied by €1,500 ($1,600), was created by Springer to honor exceptional young scientists and to stimulate their research careers. "This report is a major step forward as it demonstrates the power of mass spectrometry in the operating room, a location that will grow exponentially in the next several decades,” Muddiman said. Alfaro, 25, is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry at Purdue University. He graduated with international honors and a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and biology from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, in 2014. His current research focuses on applications and method development in the rapid disease-state characterization of surgical biopsy specimens with ambient ionization mass spectrometry. Springer International Publishing is a research, educational and professional publisher.