Spectroswiss Sarl (short SPS) (GmbH) is an innovation-driven SME founded in 2014 and directed by Dr. Yury Tsybin as a spin-out from his Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry Laboratory at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. Spectroswiss is active in hardware and software research and development for high-performance Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS), advancing excellence in science via EU and Swiss-funded research, providing consulting and training services in FTMS. Since 2017 Spectroswiss first products, a high-performance data acquisition system (FTMS Booster) and FTMS data processing framework (Peak-by-Peak) are commercially available. The customers include analytical departments in life and environmental sciences industry and academia. Spectroswiss consolidates developments in FTMS data processing originating from research institutions in Europe. Spectroswiss partners and customers are distributed worldwide, with the majority being in the EU and in the USA. Currently active EU projects include a Eurostars project (a 3-year project to finish on June 30th 2021) and a FET Open project (TopSpec, to finish on December 31st 2021). Both projects relate to the FTMS domain of activities, but without a direct overlap with the current project proposal. The core team of Spectroswiss consists of 3-4 FTEs experts in FTMS with a complementary background. Spectroswiss headquarters are located at the vibrant EPFL Innovation Park in Lausanne, Switzerland. Spectroswiss scientists actively participate in the scientific activities of FTMS community. In a recognition of achievements by Dr. Yury Tsybin and his research groups at EPFL (2006-2014) and at Spectroswiss, he has been awarded the Swiss Group for Mass Spectrometry Award in 2015 and a prestigious Curt Brunnée Award of the International Mass Spectrometry Foundation in 2016.
Role in Ariadne VIBE
Fourier transform charge-detection mass spectrometer. SPS will be the main partner or CNRS for this work-package (which will be also facilitated by close geographical proximity of the two partners and a rich history of scientific exchanges and academic projects in the past). The primary responsibility of SPS will be to enable sufficient performance characteristics of the signal acquisition and real-time data processing electronics, including stages of time-domain (transients) signal amplification, digitization and conditioning for further processing. The allied software for data processing, visualization and reporting is also a part of SPS responsibilities. Finally, SPS will take part in the discussions for design and optimization of the FTCD MS apparatus.
Top-down analysis of viruses. SPS will support partners performing experimental work in this work-package with the advanced data acquisition and processing technologies, including joint on-site experimental work at the partners’ sites.
Single cell proteomics workflows. SPS will contribute by applying the proprietary methods and algorithms of data processing to improve performance of the modern single-cell proteomics workflows based on Orbitrap FTMS platforms. More specifically, SPS will apply methods of super-resolution signal processing, such as Least Squares Fitting (LSF) to improve quantitative proteomics technologies.
Management of the project. SPS will assume usual responsibilities for this work-program.
Dissemination and exploitation. SPS will assume usual responsibilities for this work-program.