EASTERN ANALYTICAL SYMPOSIUM & EXPOSITION 2022 Final Program

EAS 2022 — Embracing Analytical Diversity for a Sustainable Future: Executive Summary

Significance of the topic

The 2022 Eastern Analytical Symposium (EAS) convened a broad cross-section of analytical scientists, instrumentation vendors, educators and regulators to advance analytical practice in support of sustainable solutions. The conference theme — Embracing Analytical Diversity for a Sustainable Future — emphasized interdisciplinary method development, green and portable technologies, data integrity, and diversity and inclusion in the profession. For laboratories and industry, the meeting reinforced the importance of integrating diverse analytical platforms, chemometrics and automation to solve complex problems in environmental monitoring, pharmaceutical quality, food safety, forensics and biotechnology.

Goals and overview of the symposium

EAS 2022 (November 14–16, Princeton, NJ) aimed to: summarize recent advances across separation science, spectroscopy and mass spectrometry; promote practical training via short courses and demonstrations; showcase emerging portable and “frugal” instrumentation; highlight data science and chemometrics as enablers of interpretation; and recognize outstanding contributions in analytical chemistry through awards and invited lectures. The program combined plenary/keynote talks, specialized “conferences-in-miniature” covering topics such as PFAS analysis, proteomics, sustainable separations, and portable forensics, vendor demonstrations and expanded exhibit hours facilitating industry–user interactions.

Methodology and program structure

The symposium used a multi-format approach to communicate advancements and best practice:

• Invited plenary and keynote lectures to present visionary, translational and societal perspectives (e.g., social justice & sensing, nature-driven materials for energy).
• Thematic technical sessions across chromatography, mass spectrometry, NMR, vibrational spectroscopy, electrochemistry, chemometrics, environmental analysis, forensics and pharmaceutical analytics.
• Hands-on short courses, workshops and demonstration rooms for targeted skills transfer (HPLC/UHPLC, SFC, LC-MS method development, NMR spectroscopy, PAT and AQbD concepts).
• Exposition floor with vendor demos, technology tours and a dedicated Waters demo room with live system interactions and receptions.
• Poster sessions highlighting student and emerging scientist research with awards and mentoring opportunities.

Instrumentation used (summary)

EAS 2022 showcased a wide range of analytical instrumentation and platform trends that reflect current practice and near-term innovation:

• Liquid chromatography systems and columns (UHPLC, capillary LC, tandem-column and 2D-LC, SFC, HILIC, chiral stationary phases).
• Mass spectrometry variants: high-resolution MS (HRMS, QToF), ion mobility (TIMS, trapped-ion IMS), native and top-down proteomics workflows, MALDI imaging, IR-MALDESI, desorption/ambient interfaces (DESI, DART), and charge-detection MS for very high-mass species.
• Nuclear magnetic resonance (solution and solid-state, hyperpolarization, advanced pulse sequences and NMR data science methods).
• Vibrational spectroscopies: FT-IR, FT-NIR, Raman, SERS and stimulated Raman scattering microscopy; portable and handheld implementations for field screening.
• Surface and microscopy tools: SEM/EDS, Raman microspectroscopy, automated particle imaging, infrared chemical imaging and nanoscale IR.
• Electrochemical platforms and biosensors, including light-addressable and bioelectrocatalytic approaches for diagnostics and environmental sensing.
• Automated sample preparation and robotic workstations, integrated PAT (process analytical technology) sensors, and cloud-based laboratory information and LIMS solutions supporting data integrity and 21 CFR Part 11 compliance.

Main highlights and discussion

• Keynote and plenary themes broadened the analytical remit: Dr. Raychelle Burks connected sensing to social justice and public engagement; Dr. Elisabeth Bik addressed research integrity and misconduct; Dr. Angela Belcher showcased bio-inspired approaches for materials and energy. These talks framed analytical chemistry as socially relevant and translational.
• Separation science and chromatography sessions emphasized sustainability (greener solvents, SFC adoption, reduced solvent consumption) and advanced column/instrument design to improve efficiency and selectivity for complex biopharmaceuticals and small molecules.
• Mass spectrometry programming reinforced the expanding capabilities in proteomics, native MS, ion mobility and CDMS to address large biomolecules, vaccines and complex matrices, together with method interoperability for regulatory and product-quality questions.
• PFAS and environmental analytics remained high-priority: sessions covered total PFAS measurement challenges, remediation strategies and method validation improvements using HRMS and targeted LC-MS/MS workflows.
• Data science and chemometrics were presented as essential tools: machine learning for model selection, chemometric methods for handheld instrument outputs, and AQbD (analytical quality-by-design) for robust method lifecycle management.
• Forensics and portable instrumentation sessions highlighted practical field deployments (portable Raman, LIBS, handheld IR) and the importance of validated workflows and spectral libraries for evidentiary use.
• Education, workforce development and inclusion were actively addressed through STEM innovation sessions, workshops on laboratory management, and panels on diversity and career advancement.

Practical benefits and applications

EAS 2022 delivered practical outcomes for attendees and organizations:

• Immediate takeaways for laboratory practice: updated method development strategies (AQbD, MODR), troubleshooting and instrument maintenance best practices, and examples of automation increasing throughput and reproducibility.
• Adoption guidance for environmental and regulatory challenges, particularly PFAS and cannabis testing, including comparative method insights (GC-FID vs LC-UV vs LC-MS/MS) and sample-prep strategies.
• Actionable insights for industry: case studies on counterfeit detection, counterfeit mitigation strategies, and use of compact/portable tools for field screening linked to chemometrics.
• Workforce and training benefits from short courses and demonstration sessions enabling rapid upskilling in LC-MS, NMR, SFC and data science approaches.

Future trends and opportunities for use

Based on conference content, emerging directions and opportunities include:

• Broader integration of chemometrics, machine learning and model automation into routine QC, PAT and field-deployable instruments for real-time decision making.
• Increased adoption of sustainable separations (SFC, greener mobile phases) and miniaturized chromatography to reduce solvent use and carbon footprint.
• Expansion of high-mass MS (CDMS) and ion mobility methods for characterization of gene therapies, viral vectors and complex biologics at regulatory-relevant levels.
• Growth in portable/frugal instrumentation for decentralized testing (environmental monitoring, food authenticity, forensic screening) coupled with cloud-based data management and validated chemometric models.
• Continued emphasis on data integrity, cybersecurity for laboratory informatics and standardized AQbD frameworks across the analytical lifecycle.
• Interdisciplinary collaborations linking materials engineering, biology and analytical sensing to address sustainability challenges (e.g., nature-inspired materials, remediation analytics).

Conclusion

EAS 2022 successfully convened a diverse analytical community to discuss advances in instrumentation, data science, and sustainable practice. The program reinforced that solving contemporary analytical challenges requires: platform diversity (separations, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry), rigorous data practices, education and workforce development, and a commitment to greener, more accessible analytical solutions. Attendees left with concrete methods, cross-disciplinary contacts and perspective on near-term technology adoption paths.

Reference

• Eastern Analytical Symposium & Exposition — Final Program 2022 (conference program and abstracts).