Open Positions

Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Laboratory of Omics Technologies and Big Data invite a motivated students to join our projects on the various scientific topics.

Mass spectrometry is the most powerful method for the determination of molecular composition of organic samples. Mass spectrometry allos detecting thousands of small molecules, proteins and lipids in human body, bio-active compounds in plants, major components of petroleum and ecosystem metabolites in the environment. Detection of doping in athletes blood, determination of drugs and toxins in forensics are mainly based on mass spectrometry.

We are leading group in the development and application of mass-spectrometrical techniques and we invite a motivated students and young scientists to to work and/or prepare MS (Ph.D.) thesis in our lab.

Our projects:

Molecular imaging of brain tissues using high resolution mass spectrometry for the neurosurgery applications.

You will learn how to dissect mice, slice brain samples, obtain molecular image(how different molecules are distributed in brain tissue) using high resolution mass spectrometry and how to process data. You will work with samples of brain tumor and will be able to develop methods for distinguishing between different types of cancer. The project is supported by RFBR and RSF.

Kostyukevich, Y., Vladimirov, G., Stekolschikova, E., Ivanov, D., Yablokov, A., Zherebker, A., … & Nikolaev, E. (2019). Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Aiding Compound Identification for LC-MS and MALDI Imaging Lipidomics. Analytical chemistry, 91(21), 13465-13474.

Clinical application of mass spectrometry.

Mass spectrometry enables detection of numerous biomarkers in human blood. You will learn how to extract those biomarkers (proteins, lipids, metabolites), how to identify them and how to use this information to determine or to predict diseases.

Kostyukevich, Y., Acter, T., Zherebker, A., Ahmed, A., Kim, S., & Nikolaev, E. (2018). Hydrogen/deuterium exchange in mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometry reviews, 37(6), 811-853.

Development of mass spectrometer for the space missions.

You will participate in the simulation and development of the “made in Russian” mass spectrometer for the space missions. You will learn computer simulation of scientific equipment, 3D printing technologies, development of electronic components, signal detection and processing.

Petroleomics.

You will work with crude oil, shale oil, asphaltenes and biofuel. You will master in sample treatment and mass-spectrometrical data visualisation like Kendrick and Van Krevelen diagrams(2D projection of mass spectra containing hundred thousands of peaks), you will be able to develop methods for predicting oil quality and distinguish oils from different deposits.

Zherebker, A., Perminova, I. V., Kostyukevich, Y., Kononikhin, A. S., Kharybin, O., & Nikolaev, E. (2019). Structural investigation of coal humic substances by selective isotopic exchange and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Faraday discussions, 218, 172-190.

Kostyukevich, Y., Zherebker, A., Vlaskin, M. S., Borisova, L., & Nikolaev, E. (2018). Microprobe for the thermal analysis of crude oil coupled to photoionization Fourier transform mass spectrometry. Analytical chemistry, 90(15), 8756-8763.

Kostyukevich, Y., Vlaskin, M., Zherebker, A., Grigorenko, A., Borisova, L., & Nikolaev, E. (2019). High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Study of the Bio-Oil Samples Produced by Thermal Liquefaction of Microalgae in Different Solvents. Journal of The American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 30(4), 605-614.

Use of high resolution mass spectrometry for the investigation of molecular compositions of extraterrestrial objects (meteorites, moon soil etc.)

Extraterrestrial objects carry traces of organic matter which was produced in unusual chemical environment. You will have a chance to discover aliens or extraterrestiral life at least :):):)

Investigation of the archeological artifacts (Egypt mummy, ancient Greek amphoras etc.) using high resolution mass spectrometry.

Archeology is the new field for mass spectrometry. You will work with samples of Egypt mummies, ancient ceramics. the goal is the identification of balsamic materials, traces of wine and food. Discover hystory with mass-spectrometrUse of armature robotics for development of novel ion sources and analysis approaches for the mass spectrometry.

Kostyukevich, Y., Kitova, A., Zherebker, A., Rukh, S., & Nikolaev, E. (2019). Investigation of the archeological remains using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry. European Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 25(4), 391-396.

Kostyukevich, Y., Bugrova, A., Chagovets, V., Brzhozovskiy, A., Indeykina, M., Vanyushkina, A., … & Khaitovich, P. (2018). Proteomic and lipidomic analysis of mammoth bone by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography. European Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 24(6), 411-419.

Kostyukevich, Y., Solovyov, S., Kononikhin, A., Popov, I., & Nikolaev, E. (2016). The investigation of the bitumen from ancient Greek amphora using FT ICR MS, H/D exchange and novel spectrum reduction approach. Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 51(6), 430-436.

Automating mass spectrometry experiments.

Armature robotics (Arduino etc) is the excellent tool for fast prototyping of scientific equipment. If you like working with you hands but don’t want to build yet another robot, you are welcome. You will be able to develop things that works in combination with expensive and complicated equipment and provide world class quality results.

Use of high-resolution mass-spectrometry in environmental science

Molecular composition of environmental objects is the major indicatorof the carbon cycle sustainability. You will deal with isolation of natural samples from water, soils and coal. You will learnsample treatment, mass-spectrometry and data evaluation techniques.

Mass-spectrometry in chemistry

Mass-spectrometry has become an indispensable tool in structural researches of organic compounds and monitoring of chemical reaction in real-time. You will master in isotopic labeling techniques coupled to mass-spectrometry, basics of chemical reactions and identification of reaction products using high resolution mass spectrometry

Gridnev, I. D., Zherebker, A., Kostyukevich, Y., & Nikolaev, E. (2019). Methylene Group Transfer in Carbonyl Compounds Discovered in silico and Detected Experimentally. ChemPhysChem, 20(3), 361-365.

Please, fill free to contact:

Assistant Professor Yury Kostyukevich y.kostyukevich@skoltech.ru
Senior research Scientist Alexander Zherebker a.zherebker@skoltech.ru
Professor Eugene Nikolaev E.Nikolaev@skoltech.ru